hello again, tweets,

yet another interesting message that you might want to read ... i hope
that you haven't all read this one already!

regards,

Deborah Wisti-Peterson, Girl Scientist nyneve at u.washington.edu
Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash, USA
Visit me on the web: http://students.washington.edu/~nyneve/
<><><>Graduate School: it's not just a job, it's an indenture!<><><>


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2000 08:43:27 -0400
Subject: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists Short-tailed Albatross as
endangered

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.

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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.