News Center

TWS Supports Exempting Trust Funds from Sequestration
Payments into Trust Funds such as the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Safety Trust Funds are exempt from sequestration, however, payments out of these Trust Funds are not. According to the latest figures released from the White House, this will result in withholdings of approximately $27 million from Wildlife Restoration, $19 million from Sport Fish Restoration, and $6 million from Boating Safety in 2013.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Safety Trust Funds are not taxpayer dollars derived through federal income taxes, but rather funds raised through excise taxes levied on hunting, fishing, and boating equipment. Sportsmen and women and boaters have always been willing to pay a little extra for taxable items, knowing that their purchases would directly support conservation along with hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, boating and other wildlife-related activities.

The Wildlife Society together with conservation and sportsmen organizations sent a letter to House and Senate leaders requesting their assistance in exempting the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Safety Trust Funds from the Budget Sequestration Act of 2011, pointing out the significant role these funds play in protecting fish and wildlife resources, public safety and a 75-year trust with the nation’s hunters, recreational shooters, anglers and boaters who are the primary funders of conservation that benefits all Americans.

Administration Urged to List Snakes as Injurious
In 2010, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued a proposed rule to list nine large constrictor snakes as injurious under the Lacey Act, however, only four (Burmese pythons, yellow anacondas, and northern and southern African pythons) of the nine snakes were listed as injurious under the Lacey Act in the final rule published in January of 2012.

The Wildlife Society along with the 10 other organizations sent a letter to President Obama and Secretary Salazar requesting immediate action is taken to list the remaining five species (reticulated python, DeSchauensee’s anaconda, green anaconda, Beni anaconda and boa constrictor) as injurious under the Lacey Act. The letter cited findings from recent studies showing the risk of introduced reptiles establishing viable populations is greater than 40 percent and that large constrictor snakes can exert significant pressure on vertebrate populations. The US Geological Survey concluded that overall risk was either high or medium for these five species because they all share a large number of traits that promote invasiveness or impede population control. Large constrictor snakes also pose a threat to humane safety, with 12 snake-related deaths in the U.S. since 1990.

Comments Submitted to the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board
The National Horse and Burro Rangeland Management Coalition, of which The Wildlife Society is a member, submitted comments to the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board during their meeting this month held in Oklahoma. Formed in 2012, the Coalition is a diverse partnership of 13 wildlife conservation and sportsmen organizations, industry partners, and professional natural-resource scientific societies working together to identify proactive and comprehensive solutions to increase effective management of horse and burro populations and mitigate the adverse impacts these wild horses and burros have on healthy native fish, wildlife, and plants, and on the ecosystems on which they depend.

The Coalition expressed concerns over damage to rangelands and native plant and wildlife species due to trampled vegetation, hardpacked soil, over-grazing, and competition for sometimes scarce water that occurs when horse and burro herds exceed scientifically determined Appropriate Management Levels (AML). The Coalition supports actions that will bring Herd Management Areas into compliance with AMLs, such as population growth suppression and increasing adoption and sales of horses and burros. The Coalition also stressed the importance of making scientifically supported decisions and managing Bureau of Land Management lands for multiple uses, including supporting native plant and wildlife species.

2013 Teaming With Wildlife Fly-in
The Wildlife Society participated this month in the 2013 Teaming With Wildlife Fly-in. This annual event gathers coalition members from across the United States to inform members of Congress about the value of the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program. This program is the core source of funding for managing non-game and non-endangered species. These grants are crucial in preventing wildlife from becoming endangered and in promoting collaborative conservation projects.

Since 2001, this grant program has provided over $400 million in federal grants that have been matched by at least $200 million in state funds to make available over $600 million in new funding for practical, “on-the-ground” conservation efforts. However, the level of funding has decreased by 30 percent between 2010 and 2012. Over 70 individuals representing 32 states, 17 state agencies, 22 non-profit organizations, three universities, and two private businesses participated in this year’s fly-in and expressed their support for continued funding of The State and Tribal Wildlife Grant Program.

Reminder: TWS Leadership Institute Deadline is 1 April!
The Wildlife Society (TWS) is currently accepting applications for its Leadership Institute. The Institute’s goal is to facilitate development of new leaders within TWS and the wildlife profession. The Institute will recruit 10-15 promising early-career professionals for a series of intensive activities and mentoring relationships. The focus will be on exposing participants to the inner workings of TWS and increasing the number of active leaders in TWS and the wildlife profession.

From May to October, participants will engage in a series of activities to develop and expand their leadership skills. Institute members will also attend the TWS Annual Conference in Milwaukee (October 4-9, 2013) and participate in various activities, including mentoring and leadership workshop sessions. The Institute is free, and participants will receive free registration and a travel grant for the conference.

Participation in the Institute is geared towards early-career professionals, individuals two to three years out of school (either undergraduate or graduate school), currently working full-time in a wildlife professional position, and with demonstrated evidence of their leadership potential. A small number of slots may also be available for more recent graduates who have shown strong evidence of their leadership potential or for those who are working while concurrently pursuing a graduate degree. All applicants must be members of TWS and a chapter or section of TWS. The selection committee will be seeking to create a diverse group, with participants of varying gender, ethnic, and regional diversity.

Read more about the Institute, including how to apply.

Many fish and wildlife professionals are currently nearing the end of their first stage of the career, planning their retirement from their home agency. Many want to continue to work but on a more limited basis, with far less bureaucracy than they are currently experiencing. They are hoping to find a “dream job” that would augment their retirement income, increase work enjoyment and decrease intensity by working part time. Most do not know how to find such jobs — but we believe that many such job opportunities exist.

Many agencies are experiencing the stress of budget reductions and loss of full-time positions, while needing the senior expertise and experience of long standing employees. The profession is experiencing a “brain drain” as many very senior baby boomers retire. The agencies may hire experienced, well-networked leaders to provide part time help with strategic problem solving, conservation site hosting, interpretive expertise, and other consulting at a reasonable cost. This would ensure that better resource management occurs, and we keep professionals involved beyond their “first retirement.”

We are seeking input from TWS members about the desirability of a “matchmaking” service for professional fish and wildlife personnel that could be administered by American Fisheries Society and the Wildlife Society. The AFS is doing likewise. There may be a fee structure for this service that would cover the societies’ cost and could keep seasoned professionals active in the societies. We envision that this service would be available to dues-paying members of the societies only, providing another example of why professionals should remain active in the societies after retirement.

If there is sufficient interest among the membership, we would like TWS Council to explore this concept in a scoping-feasibility review, lead by former leaders of both societies, assisted with experts on professional employment search and computer compatibility software and methods. Please send me your thoughts concerning the C-harmony idea and let me know if you would be interested personally in using such an employment matching service. Please send your comments and suggestion about the proposed C-harmony project to: Tom Franklin at tfranklin@verizon.net.

Thanks for your interest and consideration.

TWS Council Meeting

The Wildlife Society Council is having their biannual Council Meeting in Arlington, Va., from March 24-25. The meeting is taking place prior to the North American Wildlife Management Institute at the Crystal Gateway Marriott. TWS members are encouraged to attend the Council Meeting.


Desert Bighorn Council Meeting
The 52nd meeting of the Desert Bighorn Council (DBC) will be held in Las Cruces, N.M., from April 17-20, 2013.  More information about the DBC can be found at desertbighorncouncil.org. Or view registration information. The Desert Bighorn Council was established to promote the advancement of knowledge concerning the desert bighorn sheep and the long-range welfare of these animals.

A polar bear investigates the U.S.S. Honolulu after the submarine surfaced 280 miles from the North Pole. (Credit: Chief Yeoman Alphonso Braggs/U.S. Navy)

World Rejects New Protections for Polar Bears
(CNN)
A U.S. plan to give new protection to polar bears was voted down at an international conference on endangered species. The American delegation at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, had sought a ban on the international trade of polar bear parts. The ban was opposed by Canada, home to the world’s largest population of polar bears, as well as Norway and Greenland. More

NEWS FROM NORTH AMERICA

California Finds Irregularities in Handling of Leases of Wildlife Areas to Farmers
(Los Angeles Times)
A California program leasing wildlife protection areas to farmers failed to properly spend and report at least $1.7 million in rental income as part of the normal budget process last year, according to an internal state investigation. The irregularities in the program run by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife follow a string of similar controversies at other agencies where money was stashed in off-budget accounts. More

Canadian Environment Minister Defends Budget Cuts
(Canada.com)
Canadian Environment Minister Peter Kent is dismissing opposition concerns about a significant decrease in visits to national parks, coinciding with $51 million in projected spending reductions at Parks Canada for the next year. Kent defended the government’s budget cuts in response to questions raised by NDP deputy environment critic Anne Minh Thu Quach at a House of Commons environment committee hearing. More

Mississippi Lawmakers Consider Bounty on Wild Hogs
(WAPT-TV)
Wildlife officials said wild hogs are an epidemic in Mississippi, which is leading state lawmakers to think about putting a bounty on them. Wildlife officials said the feral hog problem is causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in crop damage each year. WAPT saw the problem first-hand in 2011 in Yazoo County. The animals were more visible then because of flooding and the lack of high ground. More

Innu Hunting Caribou Despite Ban, Says Chief
(CBC)
The Grand Chief of the Innu Nation in Canada says Innu in Sheshatshiu and Natuashish are not backing down on their plan to hunt animals from the George River caribou herd this year. Chief Prote Poker said 149 caribou have already been shot and killed by Innu from Natuashish, and about 30 caribou have been hunted by Innu in Sheshatshiu. More

Mississippi Bald Eagles Being Shot; Award Offered for Perpetrators
(Examiner)
Federal and state officials are looking for the persons responsible for the illegal shootings of bald eagles across parts of Mississippi since December. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks reported that the latest bald eagle was found shot in Union County on Owen Road and Tanglefoot Trail in New Albany. More

Lion in Fatal Attack had Lived at California Animal Park Since it was a Cub
(Los Angeles Times)
The lion that was shot and killed at a Fresno County wild animal park after fatally attacking someone in its cage had lived at the park nearly its entire life, a spokeswoman said. The 4-year-old male lion named Cous Cous had been hand-raised at Project Survival’s Cat Haven since he was 8 weeks old, said Tanya Osegueda, a spokeswoman for Project Survival, the nonprofit that operates the park in eastern Fresno County. More

Poll: Most Americans See Population Growth as Threat to Wildlife, Climate
(The Huffington Post)
A new poll finds a clear majority of Americans believe the world’s growing human population is driving wildlife species toward extinction and is making climate change worse. Respondents also said addressing the human population is an important environmental issue and that society has a “moral obligation” to address wildlife extinctions related to population growth. More

WILDLIFE HEALTH AND DISEASE NEWS

Sharp Rise in Distemper Among St. Louis County Raccoons
(KMOX-FM)
The Bi-State Wildlife Hotline is warning parents and dog owners in Missouri about a serious outbreak of distemper in several St. Louis County communities. Group founder and president Angel Wintrode tells KMOX News that since October they’ve had to start capturing and putting down infected raccoons at an incredibly high rate. “In a normal year it would be maybe three or four a month,” Wintrode says. More

Chemical Exposure Contributes to Decline of Wildlife Population
(The Star)
Wildlife species and populations are on the decline worldwide — and it is not just due to over-exploitation or loss of habitat. Chemical contamination is also at play here. Long-term monitoring as well as laboratory studies have shown that chemicals known to interfere with the function of the human body’s endocrine system, do the same in wildlife. More

Deadly Chytrid Fungus in Southeast Asia Amphibian Trade
(Science Blog)
A team of scientists has revealed the presence of the pathogenic chytrid fungus in amphibians sampled in Singapore. And the American bullfrog may be a central player in the spread of the disease. The study, led by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the National University of Singapore, is the first to consider the role that Southeast Asia’s commercial trade plays in the spread of amphibian pathogens. More

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Ivory Trade Nations Face Threat of Sanctions
(The Associated Press via ABC News)
Top conservation organizations warned Wednesday that the illegal ivory trade is hastening the decline of Africa’s already endangered elephant population, and said they are ready to punish nations that are lax in fighting the problem. “Globally, illegal ivory trade activity has more than doubled since 2007, and is now over three times larger than it was in 1998,” said a report issued at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. More

Hong Kong Shark Fin Trade Declines Amid Conservation Efforts
(BBC)
Near the heart of Hong Kong’s luxury shopping district is Dried Seafood Street. The shop windows are full of dried golden fins stripped of skin and bones, arranged by size and shape. Ones that are no bigger than a hand cost a few hundred dollars a kilogram. The biggest ones are locked behind glass cases and displayed as trophies. While the shops attract food lovers and tourists, they are also drawing the ire of environmental groups. More

Progress Made in Fight Against Wildlife Crime in China
(China Daily)
China has made significant progress in the fight against the illicit trade of wildlife products, including ivory and rhino horn, according to a top wildlife conservation specialist. “China has been serious about strengthening its regulations and law enforcement against the illegal wildlife products trade,” said John Scanlon, secretary-general of the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. More

An aerial view of Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park. (Credit: Jim Peaco/National Park Service)

6 Ways Sequestration will Hurt Parks, Wildlife
(National Geographic)
Lovers of the United States’ landscape, wildlife and parks will feel the pain of mandatory spending cuts set to take effect today, warn leaders of the nation’s land agency. At a press conference just days short of the Friday deadline, Jonathan Jarvis, director of the National Park Service, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, outlined how so-called “sequestration” will hurt the country in general and national parks in particular. More

NEWS FROM NORTH AMERICA

Deadly Bat Disease Spreads to Illinois
(The Associated Press via Chicago Sun-Times)
A disease that decimated bat populations in the eastern United States has been detected in Illinois, raising concerns for the environment and the agricultural industry. Two laboratories confirmed the presence of the fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced. The disease, fatal to several bat species, was found in bats from four Illinois counties. More

Montana Hunters, Trappers Kill at Least 223 Wolves
(The Associated Press via Billings Gazette)
With at least 223 gray wolves killed by Montana hunters and trappers during a season that ended Thursday, Gov. Steve Bullock and wildlife officials said they now have the right rules in place as the state seeks to reduce the predator’s population. Montana’s wolf harvest numbers are up roughly 25 percent from last winter. That’s on top of 104 wolves that were killed by government wildlife agents and ranchers last year due to livestock attacks or other conflicts. More

Sea Lamprey Public Enemy No. 1 Among Invasive Species
(Northumberland Today)
Of all the invasive species threatening the Great Lakes, public enemy No. 1 remains the sea lamprey. No other species has caused more damage to the lakes and the lakes’ tributaries, explained Terry Quinney, the provincial manager of fish and wildlife services for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. In the past 50 years, the U.S. and Canada have shelled out a combined $1 billion trying to combat and control the sea lamprey. More

Warmer Winters Bedevil Moose in Minnesota
(USA Today)
Minnesota’s decision last month to end its moose-hunting season because of the animal’s rapidly declining numbers in the state has made the gangly, iconic symbol of cold northlands a new player in the debate over climate change. Some scientists attribute the threats to climate change; others say more study is needed. Doug Inkley, a senior scientist at the National Wildlife Federation, says moose are “the canary in the coal mine.” More

Oilsands Tailings Leaking into Groundwater, Joe Oliver Told in Memo
(Canada.com)
Tailings ponds from oilsands production are leaking and contaminating Alberta’s groundwater, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver was told in an internal memo obtained by Postmedia News. The memo said that federal government scientists had discovered evidence of the contamination in new research that rejected longstanding claims that toxins in the region of the Athabasca River were coming from natural sources. More

Huge ‘Ghost Net’ Kills Wildlife on South Florida Reef
(Sun-Sentinel)
A commercial fishing net at least 200 feet long has wrapped itself around an artificial reef about two miles off southern Broward County, where it has killed fish and a sea turtle. The net, which weighs an estimated 1,000 pounds, is the latest and most spectacular South Florida example of what’s called ghost fishing gear — lost or discarded nets, long lines and monofilament that continue to roam the ocean and catch fish, turtles, seabirds and other wildlife. More

Drought-Starved Habitat, Snow Hit Kansas Wildlife Hard
(Wichita Eagle via Miami Herald)
Robert Penner’s rural Ellinwood bird feeders have been busy for the past 10 days. The normal crowd of scarlet-colored cardinals, lemony goldfinches, bouncy juncos and other regulars have kept him entertained. But the building numbers of meadowlarks, tree sparrows, pheasants, quail and red-winged blackbirds have him concerned. “Those are stuff that don’t normally come to feeders,” said Penner, Nature Conservancy of Kansas avian program manager. More

Guts and Heavy Metal — How the California Condor is Still Holding On
(The Guardian)
The rescue of the California Condor from extinction is a famous victory in U.S. wildlife conservation lore. This spectacular scavenging bird with a three-meter wingspan was down to just 22 individuals in the early 1980s, but a last-gasp captive breeding effort plus rigorous field conservation has boosted its numbers almost 20-fold. Over 230 California Condors now fly free over California, northern Arizona and Mexico, with another 160-plus in captivity. More

WILDLIFE HEALTH AND DISEASE NEWS

Hoof Rot Strikes Elk in Washington
(SnoValley Star)
Elk hoof rot, a disease seen predominantly among elk in Southwest Washington, has found its way to the Snoqualmie Valley herds. Harold Erland, a wildlife biologist with the local Elk Management Group, said that three elk have been found dead with the disease. There are currently 430 elk in the Snoqualmie Valley, with 150 of those living in and around North Bend, he said. More

Lingering Red Tide Creating Confusion, Cancellations
(WBBH-TV)
After days of sustained and worsened affects from toxic red tide algae, blooming off the coast of Southwest Florida, members of Lee County’s tourism industry say they’re starting to see an impact on business. Hotel and resorts on Captiva and Sanibel, where fish kills littered beaches with thousands of decomposing marine life, and in at least one case, the carcass of a dolphin, hotel concierges and managers say they’ve been inundated with phone calls from concerned guests. More

Biologists Explore Link Between Amphibian Behavior and Deadly Disease
(EurekAlert)
In a new study, biologists will investigate the connection between amphibians’ social habits and a disease that has killed a record number of frogs, toads and salamanders worldwide. This week, San Francisco State University biologists received a $595,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to explore the relationship between amphibian social behavior and a fungus called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. More

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

New Zealand’s War on 30 Million Possums
(The Atlantic)
It sucks to be a possum in New Zealand. Cars swerve to hit you. Guns point toward you. People feed you little green pellets that taste like cinnamon, only afterward they taste like poison death. Plus, no one ever gets your name right. But if you are a possum, brace yourself: it’s about to suck more. New Zealanders are rallying to launch an all-out war against their furry foes, following a scientist’s dying vision for a “Pest-Free New Zealand.” More

Killing Elephants Threatens Kenya’s Economic Security
(World Wildlife Fund)
Kenya’s tourism industry faces a gloomy future if the current killing of elephants is not contained. This scale of illegal ivory trade was demonstrated early this year when a gang of heavily armed poachers entered Tsavo National Park and slaughtered 11 elephants. This event, and others like it, constitutes an invasion and a threat not only to wildlife but people, territorial integrity and stability. More

Regional Treaty on Wildlife Conservation in Pipeline
(All Africa)
A partnership treaty between the three countries sharing the Virunga Massif, the home of rare Mountain Gorillas, will soon be signed by respective authorities. Officials said the agreement that will be signed between Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo would foster coordination and collaboration in conserving wildlife. This is one of the priorities in line with an action plan under a grant worth $5 million from the Dutch government. More

On February 27, 2013 the Forest Service published their proposed planning directives in the federal register, which are open for comment until April 29, 2013, (60 days).  The directives are to lead the implementation of the 2012 Planning Rule, which guides the “development, amendment and revision of land management plans for all units of the National Forest System (NFS), consisting of 155 national forests, 20 grasslands and 1 prairie.”  The Forest Service has been attempting to update the 1982 version since the early 1990s.  The 2012 planning rule took more than two and a half years to develop and elicited over 300,000 public comments during the draft phase. The Forest Service Directives consist of the Forest Service Manual and the Forest Service Handbook.

The changes to the 2012 Planning Rule reflect more adaptive management techniques and language to meet the NFS goal of “an adaptive land management planning process that is inclusive, efficient, collaborative and science-based to promote healthy resilient, diverse and productive National Forests and Grasslands.”  The NFS hopes that with the revised planning rule the amount of time and money to revise individual forest and grassland management plans will be reduced and more plans can be updated. In 2012, 68 of the 127 management plans for National Forest System lands were more than 15 years old. Eight National Forests have been selected to be the first to implement the new planning rules to revise their plans: The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest in Idaho, the Chugach National Forest in Alaska, the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico, El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico and California’s Inyo, Sequoia and Sierra National Forests.”

Comments must be received by April 29, 2013 and can be submitted online through the public participation portal or the Federal rulemaking portal. Comments can also be mailed to USDA Forest Service Planning Directives Comments, P.O. Box 40088, Portland, OR 97240.

More information can be found at:

U.S.F.S. 2012 Planning Rule

U.S.F.S 2012 Planning Rule Directives

Federal Register Posting

Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease (see larger map) in Cervids in North America (USGS National Wildlife Health Center) with inset of Chronic Wasting Disease in Cervids in Alberta (SRD)

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was confirmed in a road-killed mouse in Alberta, Canada.  This is the first CWD positive moose in Canada; however officials are not concerned about moose to moose transmission, but rather that the infection rate of deer may be increasing.  Although testing is mandatory for deer in some of the hunting areas of Alberta, moose are only tested when emaciated and in the CWD risk area.  Most areas outside of Colorado and Wyoming do not routinely test moose either. Out of the approximately 1600 moose that Colorado has tested only 10 positive CWD cases were found since 2006.  In the past three years, 38 moose have been tested for CWD in Alberta.

Submission of deer heads for CWD testing is mandatory in parts of eastern Alberta, however in other areas within the province, as in much of the U.S., it is a voluntary surveillance program. Since September 2012 the Alberta Fish and Wildlife staff have tested 2928 deer, elk, or moose heads for CWD and  detected CWD in 24 of these (19 mule deer, 4 white-tailed deer, and one moose), but testing is ongoing. There have been 151 cases of CWD wild deer in Alberta since 2005 (when their first case was documented) and all were along the eastern border in the CWD risk area. Since 2005, the disease has spread eastward, leading officials to worry that the CWD control programs in these areas are becoming less effective, (Alberta, CWD update).

CWD in Positive Map of Wild Deer and Moose in Alberta (Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development)

Citations:

Edmonton Journal (Feb. 21, 2013)

A Natural case of chronic wasting disease in a free-ranging moose, Journal of Wildlife Diseases (April 2007)

Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, CWD Update (Feb. 8, 2013)

www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_diseases/cwd/gallery.shtml

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

The Wildlife Society (Dec. 14, 2012)

PDFs of Interest

Questions &Answers on Chronic Wasting Disease for Hunters

Map of Chronic Wasting Disease in Alberta

Current Distribution of CWD among Farmed Cervid Herds (Feb 2013 US Map)

Current Distribution of CWD in Free-Ranging Cervids (Feb 2013 US Map)

Chronic Wasting Disease in Colorado: 2010-2011 Surveillance Update

CWD in moose in Alberta info sheet

USGS National Wildlife Health Map

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s confirmation hearing of  Secretary of Interior nominee, Sally Jewell,  is set for Thursday, March 7.   Jewell has a meeting with the committee’s top Republican Lisa Murkowski tomorrow. Sen. Murkowski has indicated that she may block Jewell’s nomination if she does not approve a road through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge to a remote town of 938 constituents.

Citations:

E&E News (Feb. 26, 2013)

Washington Post (Feb. 22, 2013)

Previous Wildlife Policy News article on Sally Jewell

A National Park Service employee wrangles a Burmese python – an invasive species – in Florida Everglades National Park. (Credit: National Park Service)

Final Results from Florida’s Python Hunt
(USA Today)
Winners of the 2013 Python Challenge were announced at Zoo Miami, along with final figures that included a total of 68 Burmese pythons caught, killed and delivered and one snake that measured 14 feet, 3 inches. Nearly 1,600 people from 38 states and Canada paid $25 and completed an online training course for the right to compete in the unprecedented, state-sponsored hunt. More

NEWS FROM NORTH AMERICA

Wildlife Protected as National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Opened
(Environmental News Service)
Exploration and development of lands containing about three-quarters of the economically recoverable oil in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska will be permitted, under a Record of Decision signed by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. At the same time, the decision protects natural resources in the 23-million-acre Reserve. The protected resources include critical areas for sensitive bird populations from all seven continents and for roughly 400,000 caribou. More

Wolf Management, Moose Study Funds in Limbo
(Bozeman Daily Chronicle)
A Montana House subcommittee is dragging its feet on approving funding for state wolf management. A Joint Appropriations subcommittee overseeing state natural resources and transportation funding has spent two days deliberating the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks budget, particularly as it pertains to wolves and moose. FWP administrator Ken McDonald said the department is required by state law to allocate $900,000 to wolf management. More

Oregon Zoo’s Endangered California Condors Lay Season’s First Three Eggs
(The Oregonian)
Egg season is in full swing for the endangered California condors in the Oregon Zoo’s captive breeding program. The first egg of the year arrived Feb. 14, the second on Feb. 19 and the third about 8 a.m. on Feb. 20, says Kelli Walker, senior keeper at the zoo’s Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation in Clackamas County. She expects the center’s seven breeding pairs to produce six eggs total this year. More

Report: British Columbia Land Protection Insufficient to Conserve Species Biodiversity
(Vancouver Sun)
Environmental protection of British Columbia’s landscapes is fragmented, inconsistent and falls woefully short of what scientists say is needed to conserve species biodiversity, according to a comprehensive land-use review released by environmentalists. The report by Vancouver-based ForestEthics Solutions, with assistance from West Coast Environmental Law, says 15.55 percent of B.C.’s land base has been placed in the highest categories of protection. More

WILDLIFE HEALTH AND DISEASE NEWS

House Finch Disease Affects Birds in Southern Illinois
(WSIL-TV)
A disease that affects birds has popped up in southern Illinois. House Finch Disease is a bird form of what we call “pink eye” in humans. It can blind the birds that get it, and if you have a back yard feeder, you may be helping to spread it. Jim Martin of Jackson County has a good look at his bird feeder from his kitchen. At the start of the year he noticed something wrong. More

Alberta Wildlife Officials Identify Case of Mad Moose Disease
(Windsor Star)
Southern Alberta wildlife officials have identified what they say is the first case in Canada of a moose suffering from a neurological disorder associated with mad cow disease. The diagnosis of chronic-wasting disease, also called CWD, was made after tests on an animal killed in a collision with a vehicle last November near Medicine Hat. Chronic-wasting disease is related to the mad cow variant found in cattle. More

Invasive Alien Species Damaging UK Wildlife and Human Health
(International Business Times)
Invasive alien species are causing greater damage to UK wildlife and human health than was previously thought. Two reports by the European Environment Agency have found invasive species – which are introduced to Britain either accidentally or intentionally – are harming human health and ecosystems. Increasing trade and tourism has led to an increasing number of alien species, while climate change may also be responsible for spreading these species. More

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Asia, Africa, North America Crack Down on Wildlife Crime
(Voice of America)
Police, Customs and wildlife officers from Asia, Africa and the United States have announced the successful completion of an international enforcement operation aimed at cracking down on organized wildlife crime syndicates. A press release said the operation, code-named “Cobra,” which ran between Jan. 6 and Feb. 5, was the first international effort of its kind to focus on the sharing of investigation information and enforcement efforts towards curtailing rampant wildlife crime. More

Maldives Aim to be World’s First Biosphere Nation
(Wildlife News)
The Maldives has set itself a tough target to be the world’s first UNESCO Biosphere reserve nation, and it aims to win the accolade by 2017. The Indian Ocean nation has put together an implementation plan to run between 2013 and 2017 that will see more than half the nation’s island atolls implementing the “Biosphere Approach” management plan. Once over half the islands come under the new plan, it will trigger the ability for the nation to apply to be classed as a Biosphere Reserve. More

The Fastest Way to Conservation is Increasing Literacy
(Co.EXIST)
New research shows that for African elephants, countries with good education preserve their animals better than countries where schools are lacking and corruption is rife but have expanded wildlife parks. Those are the conclusions of researchers from Wageningen University, along with Kenyan and British colleagues, published in a recent article in the journal Biological Conservation. They chose to focus on the African elephant because it’s the icon of wildlife protection in Africa. More

The 2012-2013 Federal duck stamp. (Credit: USFWS)

The annual duck hunting season in the United States is traditionally big business, but while bird numbers are rising faster than they have for decades, the number of hunters continues to fall. Far from being good news for ducks, a new study in the Wildlife Society Bulletin shows how the loss of revenue from duck stamps could result in millions of lost dollars for vital conservation work.

“The last 15 years have brought hunting opportunities not seen since the turn of the last century,” said Mark Vrtiska from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “The waterfowl population has passed 40 million, six times since 1995 – something only seen nine times since records began. These should be the glory days for duck hunting.”

However, in stark contrast, the annual sales of the duck stamp – the Federal license needed to hunt – are declining. While over 2,100,000 stamps were sold annually in the 1970′s, between 2004 and 2008 this declined to 1,300,000. This fall is continuing with an annual decline of 36% in duck stamp sales.

“You may think the fall in hunters would be good news for ducks, but ironically it is leading to less money for the conservation of their habitat,” said Vrtiska. “Federal funding for conservation is dependent on the revenue raised by selling the duck stamps, a unique dynamic for wildlife managers in the United States. Up to 98% of money raised by the duck stamps is used to purchase or lease habitat within the National Wildlife Refuge system.”

Historically the number of duck hunters has risen and fallen in relation to the number of ducks; however, over the 1990′s the two became independent. To determine the impact the team estimated the number of duck stamps that would have been sold had the relationship remained connected, both to determine the revenue loss and to estimate how much habitat could have been made available to conservationists.

“If hunter levels had kept consistent with historical trends then 600,000 more duck stamps would have been expected to have been sold between 1995 and 2008 than actually occurred,” said Vrtiska. “That equates to an annual loss of $9,000,000, or $126 million across the whole period. For conservation the results are dramatic as this money could have resulted in 42,495 ha of wetlands.”

Looking to the future, the team predicts that hunter numbers will continue to decline due to various social, cultural, and economic factors. By using three different scenarios to explore the economic impact, the team estimates that up to $14.3 million could be lost annually.

“Duck hunting has been a tradition for rural America for centuries, yet a cultural shift and changing attitudes has seen a slow decline in hunter numbers,” concluded Vrtiska. “The resulting fall in funding is impacting all those involved in habitat conservation which is only made more important by the dramatic rise in duck numbers.”

For more coverage of this story, visit BBC News.

The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) is one of more than 400 species of exotic wildlife and fish in Florida that threaten native wildlife,and can damage cropland and infrastructure. Monk parakeets build large, communal nests, sometimes wrapped around power lines and transformers. The nests weaken the equipment, causing fires and power outages. (Credit: Marina Torres/Wikimedia)

Invasive Species Threatening South Florida Wildlife, Economy
(WFOR-TV)
Florida has the worst problem in the world when it comes to non-native amphibians and reptiles. “This should concern everyone on the planet,” said Joe Wasilewski, a local biologist. The Burmese Python has become the poster child for invasive species in South Florida. And though it receives the overwhelming majority of attention when it comes to non-native species taking up residence in our local communities, it is just the tip of the iceberg. More

NEWS FROM NORTH AMERICA

Bills Would Give Counties More Control Over Wildlife
(Billings Gazette)
Two bills that would give counties more control over big-game populations are being opposed by sporting groups and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Rep. Nancy Ballance submitted House Bills 375 and 376 to allow more local control over impacts from deer, elk and antelope that forage on agricultural land. HB375 would make FWP reimburse landowners for crop damage; HD376 would allow counties to present plans to FWP to lethally remove big game in counties. More

Puppy Born from Frozen Embryo May Offer Hope to Endangered Wildlife
(WATE-TV)
A frisky 9-month old Labrador-beagle mix named Klondike could hold the secret to how to preserve endangered species of foxes or wolves. That’s because Klondike is the first canid pup born from a frozen embryo in the Western Hemisphere, according to researchers at Cornell University. Canids encompass species such as dogs, foxes and wolves. In the study, researchers artificially inseminated a beagle using sperm from a Labrador. More

How a Fall in Duck Hunting is Shooting a Hole into Conservation Efforts
(Science Daily)
The annual duck hunting season in the United States is traditionally big business, but while bird numbers are rising faster than they have for decades, the number of hunters continues to fall. Far from being good news for ducks, a new study in the Wildlife Society Bulletin shows how the loss of revenue from “duck stamps” could result in millions of lost dollars for vital conservation work. More

Wild Hogs Continue to Hurt Economy, Ecosystem
(The Associated Press via Mississippi Business Journal)
Mississippi’s rapidly growing wild hog population is cutting its own destructive swath through the state, and along the way exacting a heavy toll on the state’s ecosystem. Wild hogs, sometimes referred to as feral pigs, are swine that were once domesticated and were released or escaped into the wild. Their ability to reproduce quickly and insatiable appetite have make wild hog sightings a common occurrence for Golden Triangle sportsmen and farmers. More

Are Hybrid Species Being Created Due to Climate Change?
(Mother Nature Network)
In the hush of a snowy Ontario winter woods Jeff Bowman’s radio wave tracker beeps insistently, pointing him toward a nearby tree cavity. Inside, a group of tagged flying squirrels huddle in the comfort of each other’s body heat. In a few weeks, the rodents will begin to mate. Some of their babies will emerge looking a bit like a southern flying squirrel, a bit like a northern flying squirrel, and a lot like the product of climate change. More

Genetic Study Pursues Elusive Goal: How Many Humpbacks Existed Before Whaling?
(Phys.org)
Scientists from Stanford University, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the American Museum of Natural History, and other organizations are closing in on the answer to an important conservation question: how many humpback whales once existed in the North Atlantic? Building on previous genetic analyses to estimate the pre-whaling population of North Atlantic humpback whales, the research team has found that humpbacks used to exist in numbers of more than 100,000 individuals. More

WILDLIFE HEALTH AND DISEASE NEWS

Diversity Breeds Disease Resistance in Frogs
(ScienceNews)
In the frog pond, more species means better health for all. More diverse amphibian communities are less likely to transmit a virulent parasite that causes limb deformities in frogs, researchers report in the Feb. 14 Nature. Pieter Johnson of the University of Colorado Boulder and colleagues used field data from hundreds of California ponds to show that susceptible species dominate in less diverse amphibian communities. More

1st Potential Case of Deadly Bat Fungus Found in Canadian Province
(CBC News)
A pathologist with the Atlantic Veterinary College says a bat recently found dead in Bonshaw, Prince Edward Island, shows signs of a deadly fungus that has wiped out entire colonies of bats throughout North America. “I would say that we’re probably 99 percent sure this is going to be the first confirmed case of bat white-nose syndrome on Prince Edward Island,” said Dr. Scott McBurney, of the Atlantic Veterinary College. More

Wisconsin Veterinary Medical School Adopts Wildlife Health Project
(University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Outbreaks of disease in wildlife may seem remote and, for most humans, inconsequential. But disease events that arise in wild animal populations can be far-reaching and can even pose a threat to humans and domestic animals far removed from the source of animal affliction. New strains of flu, for example, often arise in birds and are first detected in surveys of waterfowl long before they begin to infect domestic animals and humans. More

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

World’s Biggest Camera Trapping Program Hits 1 Million Photos of Tropical Animals
(Mongabay)
The world’s largest study of wildlife using remote camera traps has captured one million photographs. The project, known as the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring Network, takes photos of mammals and birds in 16 protected areas across 14 tropical countries in Asia, Africa, as well as Central and South America. Remote camera traps, which take stealth photos of wildlife when no humans are around, have become an increasingly important tool in the conservationists’ toolbox. More

Feral Felines: Managing their Impact on Australian Fauna
(The Conversation)
Australian fauna have suffered serious declines since European settlement, with small- and medium-sized mammals being the worst affected. Feral cats depredate native birds, mammals and reptiles and are listed as a Key Threating Process under the Commonwealth EPBC Act. Reducing the harmful impact of feral cats on native fauna presents wildlife managers with a formidable challenge. Domestic cats came to Australia with European settlers in the late 18th century. More

Singapore Animal Rights Activists Cry Foul Over India Zoo Swap
(Bikya News)
A group of young animal rights activists in Singapore are attempting to stoke public outrage over the potential shipping of animals from Singapore to India as part of deal that would see an Indian zoo become the caretakers of animals from the Southeast Asian country. The Indian government has tentatively given its approval for three chimpanzees and four bat-eared foxes from Singapore’s Zoo to join the Mysore Zoo in India as part of an exchange in animals. More

The Gathering: Sri Lanka’s Great Elephant Migration
(CNN)
Poachers have decimated elephant populations across Africa and parts of Asia, killing thousands of animals for their revered ivory. Yet in Sri Lanka, home to some 7,000 wild Asian elephants, a different, more hopeful story is playing out. It’s a story that’s attracting truckloads of tourists from around the world to witness a stunning wildlife spectacle, simultaneously raising concerns among conservationists about how increasing numbers of visitors may be impacting the large mammals. More

Milwaukee: Call for Papers and Posters
Contributed Papers and Posters are invited for the 20th Annual Conference of The Wildlife Society, starting February 18. Proposals should focus on topics of wildlife science, management, conservation, education, or policy. Deadline is April 12, 2013.  View complete information.

Live Learning Center
Have you checked out The Wildlife Society Live Learning Center yet? This online portal connects you to recorded sessions from the last three Annual Conferences (Portland, Hawaii, and Snowbird), so you can catch up on sessions you missed and continue your professional development between conferences. Recorded sessions are a great way to stay current on the trends shaping your industry and they make excellent training tools for you and your colleagues. TWS is excited to offer you complimentary access. Visit the Live Learning Center and log in with your existing account. Don’t have an account? Create one now for free.

Apply Today for the Leadership Institute
The Wildlife Society is currently accepting applications for its Leadership Institute.

The Institute facilitates development of new leaders within TWS and the wildlife profession. We’ll recruit 10-15 promising early-career professionals for a series of intensive activities and mentoring relationships. The focus will be on exposing participants to the inner workings of TWS and increasing the number of active leaders in TWS and the wildlife profession.

Are you or do you know an early-career professional, two to three years out of either undergraduate or graduate school, currently working full-time in a wildlife professional position, and with demonstrated evidence of leadership potential?

A small number of slots may also be available for more recent graduates who have shown strong evidence of their leadership potential or for those who are working while concurrently pursuing a graduate degree.

From May to October, participants will engage in a series of activities to develop and expand their leadership skills. Institute members will also attend the TWS Annual Conference in Milwaukee (October 4-9, 2013) and participate in various activities, including mentoring and leadership workshop sessions. The Institute is free, and participants will receive free registration and a travel grant for the conference.

All applicants must be members of TWS and a Chapter or Section of TWS. The selection committee will be seeking to create a diverse group, with participants of varying gender, ethnic, and regional diversity.

Please contact Laura Bies, Director of Government Affairs at laura@wildlife.org with any questions.

We’ve Moved The Wildlife Society Listserv
Our old platform stopped working, so we moved TWS-L to Google Groups. You’ll need a Google Account to join, but you’ll be able to select a subscription that works best for you. See wildlife.org/tws-l to learn how to join and post. Also, be sure to read our handy guide, which includes more detailed, step-by-step instructions. The old system will be shut down at the end of February. Note, TWS is not moving any emails to the new group. You’ll need to sign up yourself.

Social Networking
Make sure you’re following The Wildlife Society through your social networks. The Wildlife Society can be liked on Facebook and followed Twitter and on LinkedIn.

New Tax Laws are in Effect:  Are You Prepared?
New tax laws as of January 1 should prompt each of us to create or review our estate plan. Request our free resources by emailing dwalter@wildlife.org.

Sage-Grouse Letter Sent to Department of Interior
On January 24, The Wildlife Society, along with other conservation and sportsmen organizations, sent a letter to the Department of Interior (DOI) encouraging the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to include management practices and protections identified by BLM’s Sage-Grouse National Technical Team 2011 report in future Environmental Impact Statements being prepared to revise and amend appropriate Resource Management Plans across the range of the greater sage-grouse. The letter, addressed to Secretary Ken Salazar, applauded the initiative of DOI and BLM in incorporating published scientific research in their report and went on to state that using the best available science to direct federal, state, and local conservation efforts ensures that sage-grouse are conserved on both private and public lands.

Clean Water Act Sign-on Sent to President Obama
Over the past two years, the Obama administration has conducted a comprehensive internal, interagency, and public process to clarify the reach of the Clean Water Act in a manner that is both legally and scientifically sound. This process entailed extensive legal, scientific, and economic analysis, as well as an unprecedented degree of stakeholder and public involvement.

While commending the efforts of the administration, The Wildlife Society together with conservation and sportsmen organizations and resource managers nationwide, sent a letter to President Obama urging him to follow through by finalizing the guidance and launching the formal rulemaking that is badly needed to provide clarity and certainty to land owners, developers, conservationists, and state and federal agencies alike. Recent surveys have shown overwhelming public support for agency action that begins restoring Clean Water Act protections for the nation’s wetlands and streams.

Request for National Summit on Climate Change
With significant increases in damage to both private and publics lands due to climate-driven weather extremes, The Wildlife Society and other science-based conservation organizations sent a letter to President Obama respectfully requesting that a national summit addressing climate change be convened. The summit would be designed to identify policies and actions that can be taken by each Federal agency and by state and local governments to address the causes and effects of climate change.

Some topics suggested for a national climate change summit include bolstering emergency response to climate disasters, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from land-use activities, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and black soot, coordinating climate adaptation responses, protecting carbon stores and climate refugia, maintaining benefits from high priority conservation lands, and balance alternative energy sources. The letter points out the importance of harnessing the ability of the natural world to regulate our climate and provide essential services such as filtering air and water.

Biometrics Working Group Student Travel Grants
The Biometrics Working Group of TWS is offering student travel grants of up to $2500 for TWS student members presenting papers or posters at the Annual Conference of The Wildlife Society. The purpose of the travel grants is to promote interest in biometrics and the BWG. Applicants must be students and members of The Wildlife Society. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate strong statistical or mathematical skills.

To be considered, submit:

1. A cover letter (maximum one page) that explains your interest in applying quantitative methods to wildlife/ecological research;
2. A letter of support from a mentor, advisor, or supervisor; and
3. An abstract of the paper or poster being presented at the meeting (formatted according to the meeting guidelines).

The deadline for submission of travel grants is July 1, 2013. Awards will be made by August 1, 2013.

For more information, or to submit an application, contact Amy Davis at Amy.Davis@mdc.mo.gov. Following submission, you will receive an email confirming receipt of your application. More information.

New Student Chapter: Cleveland State Community College
In January 2013, The Wildlife Society approved a new student chapter at Cleveland State Community College (CSCC) in Cleveland, Tennessee. Launched with 13 initial members, the chapter is hoping to bring in additional members throughout the year.

The Arbor Day Foundation designated Cleveland State’s campus a “Tree Campus” — one of only three in the state. It earned this designation because it has an established arboretum as well as a service-learning habitat to educate students through a wilderness and fisheries course as well as through independent-study habitat projects.

The college works closely with the Southeast Tennessee Resource Conservation and Development Council and the Santek Waste Management company on various energy saving and land conservation projects in and around Cleveland. It is currently in the process of adding new conservation projects to the habitat independent study program by working with state and federal agencies such as the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

From 1990 to 1999, the new student chapter’s faculty advisor, Robert Brewer, was a member of a TWS student chapter at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where he received his bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries and master’s degree in ecology. Today, Brewer hopes to offer the students at CSCC the same kinds of student opportunities he had in Knoxville.

Student chapter president Daniel Lawson hopes to help Brewer expand the school’s offerings. “At this particular campus, we do not have a wildlife and fisheries major,” says Lawson. “I was hoping to allow students who intend on getting a degree in wildlife and fisheries biology at a four-year university the opportunity to gain some hands-on experience as well as connect with members of the wildlife and fisheries field. This student chapter seemed to be the best way to do it.”

The chapter currently has a Facebook page for student involvement, and aims to plan different conservation activities such as forums with state officials in the coming months.

Manitoba Chapter Celebrates 40th Anniversary
Congratulations to the Manitoba Chapter on the 40th anniversary of its founding in March 1973.

Students: Scholarships Available! Smithsonian-Mason Semester in Conservation Studies

Are you:

• Excited about the environment, animals, and the outdoors?
• Interested in exploring careers related to conservation, biodiversity, or sustainability?
• Ready for the conservation challenge of a lifetime?

Then the Smithsonian-Mason Semester in Conservation Studies is for you!

Apply now, and you’ll receive:

• VIP access to a learning community within the world-famous Smithsonian Institution;
• The opportunity to learn from scientists and educators at the cutting-edge Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute research centers;
• Outdoor, hands-on experience with animals, plants, and landscapes.

Every fall and spring semester, the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation offers two 16-credit programs for undergraduates committed to the study of conservation. These unique programs are open to upper-level students, and provide an opportunity to live in residence at the world-famous Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia.

You’ll participate in an academically intense curriculum of active learning, teamwork, hands-on experience, public communication, and case studies, and emerge prepared for conservation-related professions and graduate study.

Registration is now open for Fall 2013 semester in both programs, Applied Conservation Strategies and Ecology for Effective Conservation Practices. Scholarships are available! For further information and to apply, visit smconservation.gmu.edu or email smithsem@gmu.edu. See you in Front Royal!

2013 Meeting of the Central Mountains and Plains Section
We are pleased to announce that the 2013 meeting of the Central Mountains and Plains Section of The Wildlife Society has been scheduled for August 13-15, in Cedar City, Utah. Cedar City is located in scenic southern Utah in close proximity to several national parks including Bryce Canyon and Zion. Additionally, Cedar City is home to the award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival, located on the campus of Southern Utah University. Cedar City is a great get-away as well as a great family travel location.

This year’s meeting will focus on three special sessions: Human-Wildlife Interactions, Energy Development and Wildlife Management, and Refuge and Riverine Ecosystems. However, presentations on other topics will also be welcome. Students are encouraged to submit presentation or poster proposals.

Interested individuals can check out the following websites for more information about the area, the meeting facility, and lodging options:

• Hunter Conference Center
• Cedar City area (including National Parks)
• Shakespeare Festival
• Cedar City Airport
• St. George Airport
• Las Vegas Airport

Meeting details, including agenda, lodging, and travel information, will be forthcoming in future months. In the mean time, please feel free to contact Nicki Frey at nicki.frey@usu.edu for general meeting information or Mike Conover at mike.conover@usu.edu to submit presentation proposals.

Sally Jewell February 6, 2013 after President Obama announced her as Secretary Ken Salazar’s replacement (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

On Wednesday, February 6, President Obama announced the nomination of Sally Jewell, the CEO of outdoor retailer REI, to fill the post of Secretary of the Interior, after Ken Salazar’s resignation.  The nomination has received support from many natural resource non-profits such as National Wildlife Federation (NWF), The Nature Conservancy, The American Sportfishing Association, The National Wildlife Refuge Association, and The Corps Network.

Jewell’s varied background from the private sectors of oil, banking, and business have been praised to prepare her to balance the difficult dichotomy of the Interior department’s mission to “[Protect] America’s Great Outdoors and [Power] our future”. However without a political background to provide a pattern of past voting,  many others are awaiting to hear her responses at the Senate confirmation hearing, in order to gauge where the balance will lie between  resource conservation and energy development.

Jewell’s ‘environmental record’ includes work on the boards of the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, REI, the National Parks Conservation Association, and committee chair of  “Connecting People to Parks” as a commissioner to the National Parks Second Century Commission. REI’s conservation and sustainability practices while she presided also speak to her stewardship in business ethics.

Although she is not a politician, Jewell was involved with the implementation of America’s Great Outdoors program. In 2011 she introduced President Obama at the White House conference on the Initiative during which she remarked, that the “$289 billion outdoor-recreation industry is the source of 6.5 million jobs” (New York Times).   Jewell’s background has given conservation and environmental groups  reason to believe that she will continue to conserve America’s natural resources for youth to enjoy, through policies actively supporting America’s Great Outdoor Initiative and a 21st Century Conservation Service Corps, while balancing millions of American jobs.

Sources: ESA’s Ecotone blog (Feb. 8, 2013),  Ethix (Feb. 1 2009),  Forbes (May 19, 2011),  New York Times (February 7, 2013), Seattle Times (March 23, 2005),  The Independent (Feb. 10, 2013), The Woodrow Wilson Awards, University of Washington Board of Regents

 Photo Credit: Paul Souza, Official White House Photo

Infographic template: Picktochart

An un-owned cat colony feeds on cat chow left by neighborhood residents. (Credit: Scott Granneman/Flickr)

A recent study published in Nature Communications estimates that free-ranging domestic cats in the United States kill between 1.4 and 3.7 billion birds and 6.9 to 20.7 billion mammals each year—2.8 times higher than previously projected. Un-owned outdoor cats (as opposed to owned pets) cause 89 percent of this mortality, according to the study. The findings raise serious questions about the impacts of outdoor cats on wildlife conservation.

The study’s authors—Scott Loss and Peter Marra of the Smithsonian’s Migratory Bird Center and Tom Will of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Division of Migratory Birds—place the U.S. cat population at roughly 84 million owned cats plus a range of 30-80 million un-owned feral and colony cats (those fed and sheltered in outdoor colonies).

Loss and his team conducted their research as a meta-study, gathering data from 16 previously published studies on cat population estimates and wildlife predation by cats and then analyzing the larger dataset. “Most of the studies that we used did not distinguish the types of un-owned cat groups,” said Loss. Un-owned cats include feral cats that are not habituated to humans, strays that are habituated, barn cats that live permanently outdoors, and cats fed in colonies maintained by volunteers (sometimes called trap-neuter-return or TNR colonies). Loss and his colleagues hope to do further work to identify which subcategories of un-owned outdoor cats are predating the most wildlife, where hotspots of predation are occurring, and whether those areas overlap with habitat for at-risk wildlife species.

Such data could prove useful for wildlife biologists and communities hoping to manage or curtail outdoor cat populations. “A major reason for the current non-scientific approach to management of free-ranging cats is that total [wildlife] mortality from cat predation is often argued to be negligible compared with other anthropogenic threats, such as collisions with man-made structures and habitat destruction,” wrote the study’s authors. Yet free-ranging cats “are likely the single greatest source of anthropogenic mortality for U.S. birds and mammals,” they wrote. Because of the extreme controversy generated by discussions about cat management, Loss and his team couldn’t comment on the management implications of their study, but did say that they hope the study will encourage greater research into management solutions.

The Search for Solutions

Others share that hope. Grant Sizemore, the Cats Indoors Program Officer with the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), said the study’s results could perhaps be used as an educational tool to inform the public of the risk of predation by outdoor cats. ABC encourages cat owners to keep cats indoors and recommends that outdoor cats be trapped, neutered, and adopted. “Those cats that cannot be adopted,” said Sizemore, “should be placed in a well-managed outdoor enclosure”—one that prevents cats from roaming freely to prey on wildlife.

Across the U.S., various wildlife conservation, advocacy, and research groups have developed or advocated management models for controlling feral and outdoor cat populations. Niels Pedersen, Director of the Center for Companion Animal Health at the University of California-Davis, advocates a trap-neuter-return program and encourages community members to not feed stray or feral cats or put out garbage that may encourage the growth of cat populations.

Pinellas County, Florida, tried a regulatory approach, passing a leash law in 2009 requiring cat owners to leash cats that are let outside. The ordinance also states that if a community member begins feeding a stray cat and doesn’t report it as a stray, the person has assumed ownership of the animal and therefore must keep it on a leash when it is outdoors. Passage of the ordinance was supported by the Board of County Commissioners, the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, and several Pinellas county animal advocacy groups that were concerned for the welfare of a growing population of stray and feral cats in one of the most densely populated counties in the state.

Many researchers and managers are not convinced that TNR and other current management tools are effective or without drawbacks. “Stray and feral cats kill wildlife—I see it every day—and management is not going to prevent predation of other species,” said John Hohenstern, senior animal control officer for Pinellas County, whose team enforces the cat leash policy. Hohenstern said that cats quickly learn to avoid traps, for example, so even if a cat is initially trapped, neutered, and released, it is nearly impossible to catch it again if it needs vaccination or other treatment. For that reason, “management is a fallacy,” said Hohenstern.

Pedersen points to a different problem: the often-overlooked ecological consequences of removing cats from landscapes where they have existed for centuries. “What people don’t understand is that cats are the dominant carnivore in almost all human-oriented ecosystems,” he said. “Every attempt to take cats out of the equation has led to disastrous ecological shifts as far as buildup of rodents as well as other over-populated species.”

Pedersen is also somewhat skeptical of the recent Loss et al. study. “I’m not saying their conclusions aren’t correct,” he said, “but meta-studies often start with a preconceived hypothesis and then cherry pick various publish research studies to yield a preconceived conclusion. Such studies have often been proven incorrect upon more in depth field research.” Loss conceded that the results could be refined by increased field research.

To that end, Loss and his colleagues are brainstorming a database to track cat predation deaths among mammal, bird, and reptile populations. For birds, “it would be ideal if bird mortality data was collected with the same level of rigor that live bird data is collected; this would improve the accuracy and precision of mortality estimates. For example, a major advance would be to develop an online mortality reporting database that is accessible by researchers as well as the general public (this would be analogous to eBird, which gathers live bird observations from across the world),” said Loss. There are also plans to examine cat predation of reptiles and amphibians.

The Wildlife Society has produced news articles, fact sheets, and a position statement on TNR programs and other issues relating to feral cat management. To learn more, please visit the following:
Facts on Feral Cats
Position Statement on Feral Cats
Invasive Species Working Group

(Credit: BLM)

In an effort to ensure the humane treatment of wild horses and burros gathered from public rangelands and to increase public transparency of gatherings, the Bureau of Land Management announced four internal policy updates to its National Wild Horse and Burro Program. Specifically, the updates aim to improve the management of public and media access during gathers as well as improve both internal and external communications. In addition, the updates limit the number of animals sold to any one individual, group, or holding location over a six month period and specify trailer requirements in an effort to prevent the sale of wild horses and burros for slaughter.

For previous coverage of wild horses and burros by The Wildlife Society, please visit the following:

White House Releases Guidelines for Scientific Integrity

BLM to Reduce Roundups and Increase Fertility Control

Feral Horses: BLM to Support Eco-Sanctuaries; Roundup Lawsuit Continues

BLM Feral Horse Roundup Delayed

Horse Slaughter Ban Lifted

BLM Creates Ecosanctuary for Feral Horses

Source:  BLM (February 1, 2013)