Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Rule to List the Northern Population of the Bog Turtle as Threatened and the Southern Population as Threatened Due to Similarity of Appearance

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) determines threatened status pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) for the northern population of the bog turtle (Clemmys muhlenbergii), which ranges from New York and Massachusetts south to Maryland. The Service also determines the southern population of the bog turtle, which occurs in the Appalachian Mountains from southern Virginia to northern Georgia, to be threatened due to similarity of appearance to the northern population, with a special rule. The bog turtle is threatened by a variety of factors including habitat degradation and fragmentation from agriculture and development, habitat succession due to invasive exotic and native plants, and illegal trade and collecting. This rule implements Federal protection and recovery provisions afforded by the Act.