Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Threatened Status for the Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine the northern Idaho ground squirrel (Spermophilus brunneus brunneus) to be a threatened species under the authority of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended. This subspecies is known from 36 sites in Adams and Valley counties, Idaho. It is primarily threatened by habitat loss due to forest encroachment into former suitable meadow habitats. Forest encroachment results in habitat fragmentation, eliminates dispersal corridors, and restricts the northern Idaho ground squirrel population into small isolated habitat areas. The subspecies is also threatened by competition from the larger Columbian ground squirrel (Spermophilus columbianus), land use changes, recreational shooting, poisoning, and naturally occurring events. This rule extends Federal protection provisions provided by the Act for the northern Idaho ground squirrel.