{"abstract":"The best available scientific and commercial data indicate that the eastern puma (=cougar) (Puma (=Felis) concolor couguar) is extinct. Therefore, under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to remove this subspecies from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. This proposed action is based on a thorough review of all available information, which indicates that there is no evidence of the existence of either an extant population or individuals of the eastern puma and that, for various reasons, it is highly unlikely that an eastern puma population could remain undetected over the time span since the last confirmed sighting was documented in 1938.","action":"Proposed rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR","name":"Interior Department","id":253,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/interior-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/253","parent_id":null,"slug":"interior-department"},{"raw_name":"Fish and Wildlife Service","name":"Fish and Wildlife Service","id":197,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/fish-and-wildlife-service","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/197","parent_id":253,"slug":"fish-and-wildlife-service"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2015/06/17/2015-14931.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":17,"title":50}],"citation":"80 FR 34595","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2015-08-17","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"We will accept comments received or postmarked on or before August 17, 2015. Comments submitted electronically using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES below) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. We must receive requests for public hearings, in writing, at the address shown in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT by August 3, 2015. Informational webinars will be scheduled upon request.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. FWS-R5-ES-2015-0001","50120-1113-000"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Literature cited for Eastern Cougar Final Rule","document_id":"FWS-R5-ES-2015-0001-0079"}],"agency_name":"FWS","documents":[{"comment_count":49,"comment_start_date":"2015-06-17","updated_at":"2023-03-01T00:08:56.968-05:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FWS-R5-ES-2015-0001-0001","allow_late_comments":null,"id":"FWS-R5-ES-2015-0001-0001","comment_end_date":"2015-08-18","regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":1,"id":"FWS-R5-ES-2015-0001","title":"Remove the Eastern Puma (=Cougar) from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife"}],"document_number":"2015-14931","effective_on":null,"end_page":34605,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2015/06/17/2015-14931.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/06/17/2015-14931/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-removing-eastern-puma-cougar-from-the-federal-list-of","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2015-14931?publication_date=2015-06-17","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2015-06-17/2015-14931/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":11,"page_views":{"count":1379,"last_updated":"2026-07-27 18:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2015-06-17/pdf/2015-14931.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2015-14931.pdf?1434458844","publication_date":"2015-06-17","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2015/06/17/2015-14931.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1018-AY05":{"issue":"201710","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1018-AY05/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-removal-of-eastern-cougar-from-the-list-of-endangered-","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of Eastern Cougar From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201710&RIN=1018-AY05&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Substantive, Nonsignificant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1018-AY05"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Literature cited for Eastern Cougar Final Rule","document_id":"FWS-R5-ES-2015-0001-0079"}],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1018-AY05/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-removal-of-eastern-cougar-from-the-list-of-endangered-","title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removal of Eastern Cougar From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife"},"comments_count":49,"agency_id":"FWS","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=FWS-R5-ES-2015-0001","supporting_documents_count":1,"docket_id":"FWS-R5-ES-2015-0001","document_id":"FWS-R5-ES-2015-0001-0001","regulation_id_number":"1018-AY05","title":"Remove the Eastern Puma (=Cougar) from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2023-03-01T05:08:56Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":false,"signing_date":null,"start_page":34595,"subtype":null,"title":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing Eastern Puma (=Cougar) From the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife","toc_doc":"Removing Eastern Puma (equal Cougar) from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife","toc_subject":"Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants:","topics":["Endangered and threatened species","Exports","Imports","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Transportation"],"type":"Proposed Rule","volume":80}