Review due for federal species list
Agency’s comment period will end June 7
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will review the status of 69 threatened or endangered species, including the Kootenai River sturgeon, Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits and northern Idaho ground squirrels.
The status reviews are done every five years to help the federal government decide whether threatened or endangered protections are still appropriate. The species under review include fish, insects, mammals and plants in Idaho, Washington, Hawaii and Guam.
The Kootenai River’s white sturgeon population has been federally protected since 1994. Changes to the river, including Libby Dam’s construction, have altered their habitat.
State and federal agencies have worked to save Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits through captive breeding programs. The rabbits were listed as endangered in 2001. They use deep, loamy soil for burrowing and are dependent on sagebrush for winter food.
Northern Idaho ground squirrels are found only in Adams and Valley counties in western Idaho. The squirrel was listed as a threatened species in 2000.
Public comments on the review will be accepted through June 7. For more information, visit www.fws.gov/pacific/ ecoservices/endangered/recovery/5year.html.