Feds reopen comment period for mountain caribou protections

[Judi Lynn]

Feds reopen comment period for mountain caribou protections
By KEITH RIDLER, Associated Press | March 24, 2015 | Updated: March 24, 2015 5:37pm

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has reopened for comment a proposed plan to change the protected status of a herd of caribou in northern Idaho and northeastern Washington from endangered to threatened.

The agency on Tuesday opened the 30-day comment period based on new information about declining herds in Canada.

The agency made the initial proposal last May after deciding to lump the small herd of about 14 caribou into the Southern Mountain Caribou distinct population that has another 14 herds in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta with a total of about 1,300 caribou.

But Canadian officials that same month determined those herds are faltering and protection levels there should be increased from what that government calls "special concern" to endangered, the same term as used by U.S. officials.

More:
http://www.chron.com/news/science/article/Feds-reopen-comment-period-for-mountain-caribou-6156252.php

[2naSalit]

1. K&R

Thank you!