Ellen Paul wrote:
>
> For those interested in seabirds and/or endangered species.
> --
> Ellen Paul
> Executive Director
> The Ornithological Council
> Mailto:epaul at dclink.com
> Ornithological Council Website: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET
> "Providing Scientific Information about Birds"
>
> Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Rule To List
> the Short-Tailed Albatross as Endangered in the United States
>
> AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
>
> ACTION: Final rule.
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> SUMMARY: Under the authority of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of
> 1973, as amended, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
> extend endangered status for the short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria
> albatrus) to include the species' range within the United States. As a
> result of an administrative error in the original listing, the short-
> tailed albatross is currently listed as endangered throughout its range
> except in the United States. Short-tailed albatrosses
> range throughout the North Pacific Ocean and north into the Bering Sea
> during the nonbreeding season; breeding colonies are limited to two
> Japanese islands, Torishima and Minami-kojima. Originally numbering in
> the millions, the current worldwide population of breeding age birds is
> approximately 600 individuals and the worldwide total population is
> approximately 1,200 individuals. There are no breeding populations of
> short-tailed albatrosses in the United States, but several individuals
> have been regularly observed during the breeding season on Midway Atoll
> in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Current threats to the species
> include destruction of breeding habitat by volcanic eruption or mud or
> land slides caused by monsoon rains, and demographic or genetic
> vulnerability due to low population size and limited breeding
> distribution. Longline fisheries, plastics ingestion, contaminants, and
> airplane strikes may also be factors affecting the species'
> conservation. This rule implements the Federal protection and recovery
> provisions provided by the Act for individuals when they occur in the
> United States.
>
> DATES: This rule is effective August 30, 2000.

--
Mike Patterson Alas, to wear the mantle of Galileo,
Astoria, OR it is not enough to be persecuted
celata at pacifier.com by an unkind establishment,
you must also be right.
---Robert Park
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html