Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Critical Habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) designates critical habitat for the Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida), a subspecies federally listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Mexican spotted owl, also referred to herein as spotted owl or owl, inhabits canyon and montane forest habitats across a range that extends from southern Utah and Colorado, through Arizona, New Mexico, and west Texas, to the mountains of central Mexico. The designation includes 107 units totaling 1,874,935 ha (4,632,901 acres) in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. This critical habitat designation provides additional protection requirements under section 7 of the Act with regard to activities that are funded, authorized, or carried out by any Federal agency. As required by section 4 of the Act, the Service considered economic and other impacts of designation prior to making a final decision on the size and scope of critical habitat. Critical habitat is located primarily on Federal and Tribal land and, to a lesser extent, on state and private lands.