Notice2026-03681
Foreign Endangered Species; Receipt of Permit Applications
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 24, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentFish and Wildlife Service
Abstract
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on applications to conduct certain activities with foreign species that are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is issued that allows such activities. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before issuing permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the ESA with respect to any endangered species.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8897-8898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-03681]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2025-0473; FXIA16710900000-256-FF09A30000]
Foreign Endangered Species; Receipt of Permit Applications
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of permit applications; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to
comment on applications to conduct certain activities with foreign
species that are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act
(ESA). With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities with listed
species unless Federal authorization is issued that allows such
activities. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before
issuing permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the ESA with
respect to any endangered species.
DATES: We must receive comments by March 26, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: The applications, application supporting
materials, and any comments and other materials that we receive will be
available for public inspection at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> in
Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2025-0473.
Submitting Comments: When submitting comments, please specify the
name of the applicant and the permit number at the beginning of your
comment. You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
<bullet> Internet: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Search for and
submit comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2025-0473.
<bullet> U.S. Mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No.
FWS-HQ-IA-2025-0473; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS:
PRB/3W; 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
For more information, see Public Comment Procedures under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timothy MacDonald, by phone at 703-
358-2185 or via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#80c4cdc1c6d2c0e6f7f3aee7eff6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f8bcb5b9beaab89e8f8bd69f978e">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals in the United
States who are deaf, deafblind, 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:
I. Public Comment Procedures
A. How do I comment on submitted applications?
We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies
to comment on these applications. Before issuing any of the requested
permits, we will take into consideration any information that we
receive during the public comment period.
You may submit your comments and materials by one of the methods in
ADDRESSES. We will not consider comments sent by email or to an address
not in ADDRESSES. We will not consider or include in our administrative
record comments we receive after the close of the comment period (see
DATES).
When submitting comments, please specify the name of the applicant
and the permit number at the beginning of your comment. Provide
sufficient information to allow us to authenticate any scientific or
commercial data you include. The comments and recommendations that will
be most useful and likely to influence agency decisions are: (1) Those
supported by quantitative information or studies; and (2) those that
include citations to, and analyses of, the applicable laws and
regulations.
B. May I review comments submitted by others?
You may view and comment on others' public comments at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> unless our allowing so would violate the Privacy
Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) or Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).
C. Who will see my comments?
If you submit a comment at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, your entire
comment, including any personal identifying information, will be posted
on the website. If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes personal
identifying information, such as your address, phone number, or email
address, you may request at the top of your document that we withhold
this information from public review. However, we cannot guarantee that
we will be able to do so. Moreover, all submissions from organizations
or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be
made available for public disclosure in their entirety.
II. Background
To help us carry out our conservation responsibilities for affected
species, and in consideration of section 10(c) of the ESA of 1973, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), we invite public comments on permit
applications before final action is taken. With some exceptions, the
ESA prohibits certain activities with listed species unless Federal
authorization is issued that allows such activities. Permits issued
under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA allow otherwise prohibited
activities for scientific purposes or to enhance the propagation or
survival of the affected species. Service regulations regarding
prohibited activities with endangered species, captive-bred wildlife
registrations, and permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the
ESA with respect to any endangered species are available in title 50 of
the Code of Federal Regulations in part 17.
III. Permit Applications
We invite comments on the following applications.
Applicant: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; Brownsville, TX;
Permit No. PER21497763
The applicant requests authorization to import samples taken from
four sea turtle species: green turtle (Chelonia mydas), leatherback
(Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and
loggerhead (Caretta
[[Page 8898]]
caretta) from multiple locations for the purpose of scientific
research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the
applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: St. Augustine Alligator Farm, St. Augustine, FL; Permit No.
PER21244411
The applicant requests a permit to export of one live, captive-bred
male and one live, captive-bred female African slender-snouted
crocodile (Crocodylus cataphractus) to the Selwo Adventura, Spain, for
the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of the species.
This notification is for a single export.
Applicant: St. Augustine Alligator Farm, St. Augustine, FL; Permit No.
PER21394921
The applicant requests a permit to export of one live, captive-bred
male African slender-snouted crocodile to the Biotropica Zoological
Conservancy, France, for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or
survival of the species. This notification is for a single export.
Multiple Trophy Applicants
The following applicants request permits to import sport-hunted
trophies of male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a
captive herd maintained under the management program of the Republic of
South Africa, for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival
of the species.
<bullet> Applicant: Michael Arthur Sumner, Okeechobee, FL; Permit
No. PER22029243.
<bullet> Applicant: Shaun Michael Kogut, Okeechobee, FL; Permit No.
PER22030519.
<bullet> Applicant: Benjamin Solum, Platte City, MO; Permit No.
PER22041006.
<bullet> Applicant: Todd Hodson, Saint Elmo, IL; Permit No.
PER22042437.
<bullet> Applicant: Lisa Arnold, Cypress, TX; Permit No.
PER22043413.
<bullet> Applicant: Mark D. Farnam, Fargo, ND; Permit No.
PER22057213.
<bullet> Applicant: Michael Logue, Brownstown, IL; Permit No.
PER22057217.
<bullet> Applicant: James McKenzie Sims, Evanston, WY; Permit No.
PER22057254.
<bullet> Applicant: Wyatt Pearson, Springfield, LA; Permit No.
PER22057355.
IV. Next Steps
After the comment period closes, we will make decisions regarding
permit issuance. If we issue permits to any of the applicants listed in
this notice, we will publish a notice in the Federal Register. You may
locate the notice announcing the permit issuance by searching <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> for the permit number listed above in this
document. For example, to find information about the potential issuance
of Permit No. 12345A, you would go to <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> and search for
``12345A''.
V. Authority
We issue this notice under the authority of the ESA of 1973, as
amended (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. 2026-03681 Filed 2-23-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
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