On July 26, 2006, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) published a final rule in the Federal Register to reintroduce northern aplomado falcons (Falco femoralis septentrionalis) (falcon) into their historical habitat in southern New Mexico for the purpose of re-establishing a viable resident population in New Mexico and Arizona.  The falcon is being re-established under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, and would be classified as a nonessential experimental population in all of New Mexico and Arizona.  The Federal Register notice also announced the availability of a monitoring plan that will assist the Service to evaluate the release program and provide guidelines for monitoring falcons in New Mexico and Arizona, and the availability of the final environmental assessment for this project.  These three documents are available on the Internet at: http://www.fws.gov/ifw2es/NewMexico/.

The northern aplomado falcon is native to grassland habitats in Mexico, southern Texas and the Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico and Arizona.  The species was listed as endangered by the Service in March 1986.  The northern aplomado falcon is currently found in Mexico and is being re-established through reintroduction programs in south and west Texas.  A Northern Aplomado Falcon Release Program Working Group was established and includes the Fish and Wildlife Service, The Peregrine Fund, Turner Endangered Species Fund, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Bureau of Land Management, and the Department of Defense.