Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Establishment of a Nonessential Experimental Population of Wood Bison in Alaska

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), in cooperation with the State of Alaska, will reestablish the wood bison, a federally threatened species, in historical habitat in central Alaska. We will reestablish the wood bison under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), and will classify any populations reestablished in the nonessential experimental population (NEP) area as part of the NEP identified in this rule. This final rule also establishes provisions under which wood bison in Alaska will be managed, and provides a plan for establishing the NEP and allowing for legal incidental taking of wood bison within the defined NEP area.