Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing All Chimpanzees as Endangered Species

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine endangered species status for all chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This rule eliminates the separate classification of captive and wild chimpanzees under the Act. We are also amending the rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act for primates, which is set forth at 50 CFR 17.40(c), by removing chimpanzees from that rule. This final rule implements the Federal protections provided by the Act for all chimpanzees, whether found in captivity or in the wild.