Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Rule To List the San Bernardino Kangaroo Rat as Endangered

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) determines the San Bernardino kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami parvus) to be an endangered species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This subspecies now occurs primarily in alluvial scrub habitats with appropriate vegetative cover and substrate composition. The historical range of the San Bernardino kangaroo rat has been reduced by approximately 95 percent due to agricultural, urban, and industrial development. Threats to all of the remaining populations of the San Bernardino kangaroo rat include habitat loss, destruction, degradation, and fragmentation due to sand and gravel mining operations, flood control projects, urban development, off-highway vehicle (OHV) use, or some combination of these. In addition, the three largest remaining populations of this subspecies are endangered due to their small size, and habitat loss caused by changes in the natural stream flow regime, including seasonal flooding and associated modification of plant succession patterns. This action continues protection for the San Bernardino kangaroo rat, which was effective for a 240-day period beginning when this species was emergency listed on January 27, 1998.