FWS designated approximately 187,157 square miles in Alaska and adjacent territorial and U.S. waters as critical habitat for the polar bear under the ESA.

FWS designated approximately 13 miles of stream in the Turkey Creek Watershed in Jefferson County, Alabama, as critical habitat for the vermilion darter under the ESA.

FWS announced a 12-month finding on a petition to list Hamilton milkvetch, Flowers penstemon, Frisco buckwheat, Ostler's peppergrass, and Frisco clover as threatened or endangered under the ESA; the agency found that listing Hamilton milkvetch and Flowers penstemon is not warranted and that listing Frisco buckwheat, Ostler's peppergrass, and Frisco clover is warranted but precluded by higher priority actions.

FWS determined threatened status for the New Zealand/Australia distinct population segment of the southern rockhopper penguin under the ESA.

FWS designated approximately 98,366 acres in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties in California as critical habitat for the arroyo toad under the ESA.

FWS designated approximately 2,947 acres in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties in California as critical habitat for thread-leaved brodiaea under the ESA.

FWS will reintroduce whooping cranes as a nonessential experimental population into historic habitat in southwestern Louisiana to establish a nonmigratory flock.