Notice2025-05132

Emergency Exemption; Issuance of Emergency Permit To Import Endangered Species

Primary source

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Published
March 26, 2025

Issuing agencies

Interior DepartmentFish and Wildlife Service

Abstract

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have waived the 30-day public notice period and have issued an endangered species permit for import of up to 1,875 blood and tissue samples from the radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata), an endangered tortoise species. We issue this permit under the Endangered Species Act.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 57 (Wednesday, March 26, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 57 (Wednesday, March 26, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 13776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05132]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2025-0009; FXIA16710900000-256-FF09A30000]


Emergency Exemption; Issuance of Emergency Permit To Import 
Endangered Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have waived the 30-day 
public notice period and have issued an endangered species permit for 
import of up to 1,875 blood and tissue samples from the radiated 
tortoise (Geochelone radiata), an endangered tortoise species. We issue 
this permit under the Endangered Species Act.

ADDRESSES: Materials pertaining to the permit application are available 
by submitting a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the 
Service's FOIA office at <a href="https://www.doi.gov/foia/foia-request-form">https://www.doi.gov/foia/foia-request-form</a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy MacDonald, by phone at 703-
358-2104 or via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d2969f93948092b4a5a1fcb5bda4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="06424b4740544660717528616970">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Individuals in the United 
States who are deaf, blind, hard of hearing, or have a speech 
disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United 
States should use the relay services offered within their country to 
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service), have issued an emergency permit to conduct certain 
activities with the endangered radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata) 
in response to a permit application that we received under the 
authority of section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)
    We issued the requested permit subject to certain conditions set 
forth in the permit. For the application, we found that (1) the 
application was filed in good faith, (2) the granted permit would not 
operate to the disadvantage of the endangered species, and (3) the 
granted permit would be consistent with the purposes and policy set 
forth in section 2 of the ESA.

                 Permit Issued Under Emergency Exemption
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                                                        Permit issuance
           Permit No.                  Applicant             date
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PER14597798.....................  Wildlife            February 10, 2025.
                                   Conservation
                                   Society.
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    The Wildlife Conservation Society requested a permit to import up 
to 1,875 biological samples from captive-held, confiscated radiated 
tortoises in Madagascar, due a recent die-off of these tortoises from 
an unknown cause that has halted re-introduction efforts. The Service 
determined that an emergency affecting the health of these captive-held 
tortoises existed and that no reasonable alternative was available to 
the applicant.
    On February 10, 2025, the Service issued permit no. PER14597798 to 
the Wildlife Conservation Society to import up to 1,875 biological 
samples from captive-held, confiscated radiated tortoises for the 
purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.

Authority

    We issue this notice under the authority of the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and its 
implementing regulations.

Timothy MacDonald,
Government Information Specialist, Branch of Permits, Division of 
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2025-05132 Filed 3-25-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on March 26, 2025.

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