Endangered Species Act

 

Mission For Colorado Veterans Back Home: Standing Up For Endangered Species. According to The Gazette, “Liz O’Herrin Lee was riding in the back of the truck, bumping through the Iraqi desert, on her way to do maintenance on bombs before they were loaded into F-16s, as was her job with the Air National Guard. ‘Everything was gray,’ she recalled. ‘The trees, the roads, the buildings. The grass was covered in dust.’ Then, suddenly, ‘a spark of color.’ A butterfly alighted on her leg. It was like the butterflies she watched in her mom’s garden back in Wisconsin. Later, in an essay, O’Herrin Lee wrote of her silent wish for the visitor: ‘Go far away from here.’ She managed to escape, too. Back in the states, she embarked on a salmon fishing trip in Alaska. ‘Just to be in such wild country just a couple months after I got back from being mortared in Iraq,’ she said, ‘it was just sort of this gigantic reset button.’ O’Herrin Lee, now living in Denver, continues a mission — an unlikely one, perhaps, that she shares with fellow Colorado veterans: To stand up for the Endangered Species Act. Urged last year by what scientists found to be an ongoing extinction crisis in the animal kingdom, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Vet Voice Foundation rallied a dozen service people in the fall to meet with lawmakers in the nation’s capital. In light of rollbacks to the ESA, the foundation considered the administration guilty of ‘reckless attacks’ on imperiled creatures. ‘Our goal was to be nontraditional environmental advocates,’ said Kate Holt, the organization’s California-based Western states director, with eight years in the Army Reserve. Holt found several like-minded military people, those who ‘believe protecting our lands is a patriotic duty.’ She spoke with men and women like her who, after deployments to the Middle East, came home to discover, as she put it, ‘a newfound appreciation for these lands and animals.” [The Gazette, 1/26/20 (=)]

 

Endangered & Protected Animals

 

Agency Rules Grizzly Bears In Selway-Bitterroot Protected Under Endangered Species Act. According to Ravalli Republic, “Grizzly bears that find their own way into the Selway-Bitterroot ecosystem are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed that in a letter Tuesday to four national forests. The Selway-Bitterroot ecosystem — which includes portions of the Bitterroot, Lolo, Nez Perce-Clearwater and Salmon-Challis forests — was one of six grizzly bear recovery areas established in a 1993 recovery plan. Until now, it was the only one that officially lacked bears. In the 1990s, the federal government considered reintroducing grizzly bears in the area and issued a rule — called the 10(j) rule — that would create an ‘experimental nonessential population’ of bears. That reintroduction never happened. Last year, a collared grizzly bear from the Cabinet-Yaak recovery zone made its way into the Selway-Bitterroot ecosystem and spent a good part of the summer there. In Tuesday’s letter, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said that since the bear was neither released nor reintroduced into the area, it was not covered under the 10(j) rule and needed to be considered threatened under the Endangered Species Act. While that bear has since returned to the Cabinet-Yaak, its well-documented journey will change the way that management occurs on the surrounding forests.” [Ravalli Republic, 1/24/20 (=)]

 

The Harbor Seal Returns. According to Greenwich Sentinel, “I remember them squinting–blinking back the silvery glare of Long Island Sound’s ice and waves magnified through the Swarovski spotting scope. Bundled up in layers upon layers against the January gusts on the jutting promontory of Stamford’s Cove Island Park, my daughters and I were finally rewarded with a glimpse of our quarry. There, fully half a mile out onto the freezing Sound, 14 Harbor Seals lay hauled out on the rocks exposed at low tide. Dozing atop the rocky islet in apparent bliss just inches from the frigid waters, they basked as if lounging on tropical sands. Flexing our gloved fingers to keep them limber for note taking, we scribbled our observations while the frenzied wind whipped strands of hair across our eyes. Along with several dozen fellow volunteers, we were piloting a citizen science seal observation study with colleagues at The Maritime Aquarium. Our goal–to document the presence, diversity and basic behaviors of these magnificent marine mammals making an historic return to their native waters.” [Greenwich Sentinel, 1/24/20 (+)]

 

What’s Tangling Up The Humpback Whales? A Food Chain Snarled By Climate Change. According to Los Angeles Times, “Karin Forney still remembers when an unusual number of humpback whales started showing up in Monterey Bay a few winters ago. She could see them out her window — so close to the surf that kayakers could literally paddle up to them. But with this delightful arrival came an alarming number of humpbacks getting entangled in fishing gear that cut into their flesh and often led to death. This sudden crisis confounded scientists, fishermen and animal rights groups. ‘We went from virtually no humpback whale entanglements to one every other week — and then during peak, in the spring of 2016 ... we were basically on call every single day,’ said Forney, an applied marine ecologist at the NOAA Fisheries who scrambled to help the rescue efforts. ‘The whales just kept coming.’ In a study published Monday, a team of scientists solved the mystery. They showed how one dramatic shift in the marine ecosystem, exacerbated by an ever-warming planet, could topple a domino of problems across California. An unprecedented heat wave in the Pacific Ocean, dubbed ‘the blob,’ had pushed anchovies and other humpback food closer to shore — right where most Dungeness crab fishermen tend to set their gear. The crab season, in turn, had been unusually delayed by the blob, so fishing did not peak until the whales started coming into town. ‘The timing of everything is so sensitive from an ecosystem perspective,’ said Jarrod Santora, lead author of the study and an ecosystem oceanographer with NOAA Fisheries and UC Santa Cruz. ‘We could have prevented this perfect storm from happening in 2016 — if we had this ecosystem science and a communication system in place.’” [Los Angeles Times, 1/27/20 (+)]

 

120 Sea Turtles ‘Stunned’ During North Carolina Cold Snap. According to Associated Press, “Rapidly dipping temperatures in North Carolina’s Outer Banks ‘cold stunned’ at least 120 sea turtles this week, causing them to float to the surface of the chilly waters and wash ashore in critical condition. On Tuesday, 95 sea turtles were brought to the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation Center at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, The Virginian-Pilot reported. Approximately 25 more came in on Wednesday. Experts think that when the temperature suddenly drops below 55 degrees, the cold-blooded creatures can become temporarily immobile and even contract pneumonia, said Karen Clark, director of the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education. This week, the water temperatures hovered around 55 degrees before dropping to 40, said William Thompson, lead biological technician on Hatteras Island for the National Park Service. The sudden cooling caused the reptiles to become deathly ill, preventing them from being able to eat or swim, according to Clark. Teams will feed and treat the turtles while they recover in water tanks before returning them to the sea, the newspaper said. In December, volunteers and park staff found more than 100 stunned sea turtles following a three-day cold snap, Clark said. The incidents over the last two months nearly match an occurrence in January 2016, when more than 300 sea turtles floated ashore, the newspaper reported.” [Associated Press, 1/24/20 (=)]

 

Proposed Protections

 

Recovery Plan Proposed For Endangered Bumble Bee Involved In Pipeline Litigation. According to Charleston Gazette-Mail, “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a draft of a $13.4 million recovery plan designed to secure a stable population of an imperiled bumblebee species that played a key role in a federal appeals court decision that brought construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline to a halt 13 months ago. The once-common rusty patched bumblebee could be found in two Canadian provinces and 28 states from Maine to Georgia and across the upper Midwest prior to the 1990s, when the species entered a sharp decline. The bee has since disappeared from 90 percent of the areas in which it was once found, and is now known to exist in small, scattered populations in 13 states, including West Virginia, and one province, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Reasons for the decline are unclear, although contributing factors are believed to include spread of a pathogen carried by domestic bees, use of certain pesticides and herbicides, and climate change. As populations of the bee continued to plummet and become more isolated during the first decade of the current century, scientists determined that the bee was on the brink of extinction, and recommended it be listed for Endangered Species Act protection. In January 2017, the rusty patched bumblebee became the first bee species to make the federal Endangered Species list. Since then, West Virginia and Virginia have been the only states east of Illinois to produce live rusty patched bumblebees in scientific surveys.” [Charleston Gazette-Mail, 1/26/20 (=)]

 

Wildlife

 

Idaho Wildlife Officials Criticized For Elk Hunt. According to Associated Press, “Officials at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game are being criticized for taking part in a research project that led to the killing of 206 elk across southern Idaho from Pocatello to Nampa in an attempt to learn more about how to control damage from elk herds. The hunting and fishing group Idaho For Wildlife recently posted photos online of butchered elk quarters stacked on pallets, drawing attention to the hunt that happened between July and October of 2019, the Idaho Statesman reported on Saturday. Steve Alder, with Idaho For Wildlife, called the study ‘atrocious’ and blasted the agency for its lack of transparency about the hunt, which occurred on private properties, often at night. ‘I don’t think we need a study,’ he said. ‘I don’t have any faith in (Fish and Game or the University of Idaho).’ Mike McDonald, regional wildlife manager for the agency’s Magic Valley region, told the newspaper that the elk killed represent less than 1% of the population in the area. He says the hunt was part of a University of Idaho graduate student’s research on deterring elk, which are causing more and more property damage to private landowners.” [Associated Press, 1/26/20 (=)]

 

'Operation Hidden Mitten' Targets Chinese Crabs. According to E&E News, “The inaugural law enforcement operation of a newly formed anti-smuggling squad kept 15,000 delectable but dangerous Chinese mitten crabs from illegally scuttling into the United States, Fish and Wildlife Service officials revealed today. Dubbed Operation Hidden Mitten, the international interdiction effort targeted over the course of several months an invasive species that is savored in Asia and is smuggled into the United States in bulk for Chinese New Year and other cultural events. Mitten crabs retail for about $50 per crab in the United States. Let loose, officials warn, the astonishingly prolific crustaceans can bully native species for food and space, undermine flood levees, erode stream banks, and clog screens and pumps, among other wildlife transgressions. Females can crank out more than 100,000 eggs per brood. ‘Chinese mitten crabs pose a significant threat to humans, the environment and our economy,’ said Rob Wallace, the Interior Department’s assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks. Mitten crabs have already infested several California waterways, the Chesapeake and Delaware bays, and the Hudson River in New York. The crabs were introduced either intentionally to create a future food supply or accidentally through the discharge of contaminated ship ballast water (E&E Daily, July 9, 2009).” [E&E News, 1/24/20 (=)]

 

As South Florida Warms, A Cold-Blooded Invader Takes Over. According to Bloomberg, “Snowbirds—a sometimes-affectionate, sometimes-derisive term for transplants from colder climates—have populated Florida for decades, seeking its warm weather, verdant golf courses and generous lack of income tax. A peskier non-native species has been doing the same, at least for two of those reasons. Up to 5 feet long and bearing a strong resemblance to miniature dinosaurs, iguanas are an unnerving sight when gathered by the dozens on lawns, road medians and putting greens. Native to South and Central America but observed in the Sunshine State since the 1960s, the creatures were likely imported to Florida by way of the exotic pet trade. Lacking natural predators, the reptiles thrive in South Florida’s year-round warmth and are only threatened by multi-day winter cold snaps (during which they occasionally fall from trees). As average temperatures continue to rise, the iguana population has grown. They threaten the native ecosystem and their feces are tainted with harmful bacteria that threaten pets and other wildlife. In this immersive VR180 video, experience a typical day for the crew of Redline Iguana Removal, a local startup that tracks and catches these startling creatures.” [Bloomberg, 1/26/20 (+)]

 

Wildlife Corridors

 

Vern Buchanan Urges Ron DeSantis To Protect The Florida Panther During Heartland Parkway Construction. According to Florida Daily, “This week, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., called on Gov. Ron DeSantis to consider protecting the endangered Florida Panther when drafting construction plans for the new Heartland Parkway. In a letter to DeSantis, Buchanan noted the 140-mile proposed highway from Polk to Collier Counties will run directly into the habitat of the panther. Construction is expected to begin by 2022. The greatest threat to the endangered animal is being run over by cars. Four panthers already have been killed in collisions so far this year. Buchanan urged DeSantis to instruct his state Department of Transportation to devise ways to avoid fatal disruptions to the panther’s habitat. One of the best ways to protect the animal would be to create over-passes or under-passes, a type of wildlife corridor, that provide a safe way for the animals to navigate a highway. ‘Modernizing our infrastructure to deal with continued population growth is important, but so is ensuring the survival of an endangered species that also happens to be the Florida state animal,’ Buchanan said, noting there are fewer than 250 Florida panthers alive today. ‘We don’t get a second chance once a species becomes extinct.’ … Buchanan is a leading advocate in Congress for protecting endangered species. He introduced the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act in 2019 to designate National Wildlife Corridors on federal lands and establish a grant program for states localities and private landowners to support wildlife. Buchanan’s bill would protect many iconic species of Florida wildlife, including the manatee, alligator and Florida panther.” [Florida Daily, 1/24/20 (+)]

 

Final Four: State Narrows Routes For Louisville-Area Bypass. According to WDRB-TV, “Kentucky transportation planners are weighing four routes for a proposed Louisville bypass between I-71 in Oldham County and I-65 in Bullitt County, with costs expected to reach as high as $1.24 billion. Maps and documents obtained by WDRB News show the alternatives under review include roads between 34 and 49 miles that would cut through largely rural counties east of the Gene Snyder Freeway. The least expensive route: $625 million. … Forest officials had made the road study a focus of its ‘Bernheim Under Threat’ campaign, which also opposes Louisville Gas & Electric’s proposed natural gas pipeline. That line would cross conservation land Bernheim owns north of its main property off Ky. 245 in Clermont that’s open to the public. Bernheim conservation director Andrew Berry acknowledged that while no bypass routes would affect the forest or its holdings, one option would pass close by along Ky. 480 near the Cedar Grove area and essentially wall off a wildlife corridor forest officials are planning. Berry said Bernheim wants the state to choose a path along Ky. 44 in Shepherdsville, ultimately connecting with Mount Washington before heading north. ‘We are strongly encouraging that they go away from that route, that they protect Cedar Grove – the biological diversity there – but also the cultural integrity of Cedar Grove,’ he said.” [WDRB-TV, 1/24/20 (=)]

 

Op-Ed: Idaho Pipeline Poses Threat Wildlife, Plants. According to The Herald Journal, “The Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Yellowstone to Uintas Connection sent a 60-day notice of intent to sue to the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week, stating they will file a lawsuit to stop the Forest Service’s decision to allow construction of the Crow Creek Pipeline through six National Forest Inventoried Roadless Areas in southeast Idaho. The project area occurs within the regional and nationally significant Yellowstone to Uintas Corridor. Over a decade ago, the Forest Service published a map of this corridor, outlining the higher elevation connections between the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem and the Uinta Mountains, and the northern and southern Rockies. Historically, grizzly bears, lynx, and wolverine have utilized this corridor. Today, the corridor is heavily fragmented with roads, timber harvest, OHVs, human-created noise, and livestock grazing. … The Crow Creek pipeline proposal would result in wildlife displacement and habitat fragmentation in the regionally significant wildlife corridor between Yellowstone and the Uintas. The project analysis fails to seriously take into account wildlife habitat fragmentation, illegal OHV activity related to the proposed pipeline route, and possible pipeline malfunction. Adding to that, the proposed mitigation measures are insufficient. It’s important to note we are giving the Forest Service the opportunity to address the serious legal problems with this decision before actually filing a lawsuit. For the sake of our public lands and wildlife — especially the plants and animals on the Endangered Species List — we truly hope the Forest Service reconsiders its decision and takes the steps necessary to bring the project in compliance with federal law.” [The Herald Journal, 1/24/20 (+)]

 

 

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