Endangered Critters in Jeopardy: Permits for Foreign Species Activities Sought
Published Date: 5/11/2026
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is letting the public know they’ve received applications to do special activities with endangered animals from other countries. They’re asking for your thoughts before deciding to approve these permits. If you want to weigh in, make sure to send your comments by June 10, 2026—no late entries allowed!
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Ox Ranch five-year registration request
Ox Ranch Investments, LLC (Uvalde, TX) requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) (Permit No. PER24623358) covering Arabian oryx, swamp deer, Eld's brow-antlered deer, and red lechwe for activities to be conducted over a 5-year period. The application is open for public comment through June 10, 2026.
Saint Louis Zoo five-year registrations
The Zoological Subdistrict of the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District (Saint Louis Zoo; Permit No. PER30725674) requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for numerous listed species (for example: African lion, Amur leopard, tiger, Asian elephant, black rhinoceros, snow leopard, southern white rhinoceros) to conduct activities over a 5-year period. Public comments on this application are due by June 10, 2026.
Culling permits requested for captive herds
Ox Ranch Investments, LLC (Permit No. PER0039889) requests a permit to cull excess Arabian oryx, swamp deer, Eld's brow-antlered deer, and red lechwe from its captive herd over a 5-year period. Project Banteng, LLC (Permit No. PER30779073) requests a permit to cull excess Arabian oryx from its captive herd over a 5-year period. Both applications are open for public comment through June 10, 2026.
Permit to import two siamangs
Tanganyika Wildlife Preserve (Goddard, KS) has applied for Permit No. PER23008706 to import two live, captive-bred male siamangs (Symphalangus syndactylus) from Safari Niagara, Canada. The application is for a single import and is open for public comment through June 10, 2026.
Permit to import two crocodiles
Phoenix Herpetological Society (Scottsdale, AZ) has applied for Permit No. PER30802353 to import two Siamese crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) of unknown origin from the Republic of Korea for a single import. Public comments are being accepted until June 10, 2026.
Acacia Ranch Grevy's zebra registration
Acacia Ranch, LLC (Auburn, IN; Permit No. PER30746146) requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for Grevy's zebra (Equus grevyi) to conduct activities over a 5-year period. The public may comment on this application until June 10, 2026.
Project Banteng Arabian oryx registration
Project Banteng, LLC (Laredo, TX; Permit No. PER30778775) requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) to conduct activities over a 5-year period. Comments on this application must be submitted by June 10, 2026.
Sport-hunted bontebok trophy import requests
Multiple individual applicants (six named persons) have applied for permits (permit numbers listed in the notice) to import sport-hunted trophies of male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a captive herd in the Republic of South Africa for the purpose of enhancing propagation or survival of the species. These applications are open for public comment until June 10, 2026.
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking the public to share their thoughts on permit applications to work with endangered foreign animals and plants. These permits let people do activities that are usually not allowed under the Endangered Species Act. If you want to weigh in, make sure to send your comments by June 10, 2026!
Next: 2026-09235 — Pipeline Safety: Request for Special Permit; Argent LNG, LLC
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