Owl killings spur moral questions about human intervention
The owl experiment is unusual because it involves killing one species of owl to save another owl species.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Could delisting of wolves really be in sight?
One-page bill would remove federal protection from gray wolves in the Great Lakes region of the U.S., allowing states there to set their own wolf policies, including allowing for hunts.
Search for livestock-killing cougar begins in north Idaho
Officials say the cougar recently killed three alpacas, a miniature horse and a deer.
Once nearly extinct, songbird coming off endangered list
Kirtland’s warbler no longer needs Endangered Species Act protection.
Alabama artist wins Federal Duck Stamp Contest
Wisconsin artist is third in prestigious competition.
Live in the Southwest and rely on a wood-burning stove? Tree-cutting ban over threatened owl could mean trouble
First listed as threatened in 1993, the owl is found in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, west Texas and Mexico. (National Park Service)People who rely on wood stoves to heat their homes in the winter are scrambling to find other options after a U.S. district court halted tree cutting on large swaths of national forests in the Southwest…
Massive juniper tree-cutting project aims to aid sage grouse
Junipers provide perches for raptors that attack and kill sage grouse. Junipers also force out sagebrush and other plants that produce bugs that sage grouse eat.
Breeding duck population declines, but most species remain above average
Annual breeding population survey estimates 38.9 million total ducks, down 6 percent, while May pond counts drop by 5 percent; mallards, gadwalls and greenwings increase.
Federal agency to consider protections for lake sturgeon
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said an initial review had yielded “substantial information” on continuing threats to the sturgeon, justifying a more detailed study of whether they should be listed under the Endangered Species Act.
West Virginia parks initiative creates monarch butterfly habitat
It’s part of what state parks officials call their Pollinator Habitat Expansion Initiative.
Record-high water temp spells trouble for Alaska salmon stream
For spawning adults salmon or growing juvenile, temperatures above 80 degrees can be lethal.
Fungus that kills bats found in California for first time
Official says there is no sign the disease is currently affecting bat populations in California.
USFWS hearing on wolves’ delisting is emotional gathering
Federal officials are weighing impassioned testimony from farmers, ranchers, hunters and wildlife advocates at the only public hearing in the country on the government’s latest attempt to take gray wolves off the endangered and threatened species list.
Grizzly spotted in north-central Idaho for first time in a decade
USFWS says the bear crossed into Idaho last August, but wildlife officials captured it and sent it back to Montana.
Illegal antler hunting costs man $15K, loss of hunting privileges for 5 years
Man pleaded guilty to illegally possessing and transporting 104 pounds of unlawfully taken antlers. Sold the antler pieces he collected for dog chews.
Balloons – yes, balloons – wreak havoc with Great Lakes wildlife
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)DETROIT — Environmental advocates are raising awareness about the dangers of balloons for wildlife in the Great Lakes and elsewhere. Volunteers for the Alliance for the Great Lakes picked up more than 18,000 balloons, balloon pieces or balloon strings along Great Lakes shorelines from 2016 to 2018, the Detroit Free Press reported. Lara O’Brien, who studies…
How to build a pollinator garden
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)Careful planning is essential to creating a successful pollinator garden. Follow these easy steps to make sure you have everything covered before you make your investment. Choosing your location While flowering plants can grow in both shady and sunny locations, consider your audience. Butterflies and other pollinators like to bask in the sun and some of…
Overflowing Great Lakes pose new threat for endangered bird
The next few weeks are crucial for piping plovers. Most of this year’s eggs will hatch by the end of June. If additional storms don’t wash away nests, a new batch of youngsters may survive. But long-term prospects will be dicey until the waters recede.
Plan would expand hunting, fishing in wildlife refuges
Under the proposed expansion at sites in 46 states, the number of wildlife refuges where hunting would be allowed would increase by five to 382 while fishing would be allowed at 316 locations.
Brainerd playing host to USFWS public hearing on proposed wolf delisting
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is hosting a public hearing to take comments on the agency’s proposal to remove the gray wolf from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife on June 25 in Brainerd, Minn. And as more than a million public comments have already come in, the 480-seat Franklin Arts Center auditorium in Brainerd, in north-central Minnesota, is expected…
A cormorant kingdom grows, and ‘This problem is only just starting’
In mid-May, as many as 10,000 cormorants counted on the Astoria Bridge – a major jump from the 3,400 the state counted last year.
Scientists find flaws in plan to lift U.S. wolf protections
The findings could undercut the government’s contention that gray wolves across the Lower 48 have recovered from near extermination.
Officials: Asian carp DNA found near Lake Michigan
But a follow-up search turned up none of the invasive fish.
Wolf’s comeback in U.S. triggers debate on protection levels
Trump administration proposal to take the iconic symbol of the wild off the endangered species list has exposed divisions among states.
High water in Great Lakes spells trouble for endangered bird
The most recent count last year turned up 67 breeding pairs of the sand-colored birds. That’s an improvement from the low point of 12 pairs in 1990 but a slight drop from 76 pairs two years ago.
Reduced mallard, goose limits among Pennsylvania’s waterfowl season changes
Also, in AP hunting zones – including southeastern Pennsylvania – the length of the regular season has been decreased from 50 to 30 days and daily bag limits have been reduced from three to two geese per day.
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