On May 19, we celebrate Endangered Species Day, but this year the Endangered Species Act (ESA) itself could become endangered. Those opposing the ESA want to make it easier to develop anywhere — even in wilderness areas that encroach on crucial habitats.“‘States, counties, wildlife managers, home builders, construction companies, farmers, ranchers, and other stakeholders are […]
Tag: trump
Trophy Hunter Gets Eaten by Crocodiles
Scott Van Zyl was the owner of SS Pro Safaris, a South African canned hunting facility that also organized trips to Africa so trophy hunters could kill magnificent animals and display them in their homes. In a weird twist of fate, Van Zyl became the hunted earlier this month during a Zimbabwe safari. After he […]
POLL: Should Alaska’s refuges be opened for hunting again?
Sprawling over 77 million acres, Alaska’s 16 national wildlife refuges are peppered with iconic animals, from grizzly bears and black bears to wolves and coyotes. But these predators, which have enjoyed increased protections since this past summer, could once again be hunted using controversial methods such as trapping and baiting. A measure passed by the […]
POLL: Should Trump ban the use of lead ammunition in hunting?
His head twisted almost upside down and his body all but paralyzed, the bald eagle sat on its haunches, talons clenching, while two humans neared to put him in a cage. They could not save the bird from lead. The eagle was the third this year to die from lead poisoning at the Blue Mountain […]
POLL: Should Trump stop the illegal wildlife trade from Mexico?
Traffickers from Latin America are desperate to get their product into the United States—so desperate they’ll risk the dangers of swimming across the Rio Grande with their contraband. But it’s not meth and it’s not cocaine. In one case, according to a special agent, it was about 25 parrots destined to be sold as pets. […]
POLL: Should Trump disband USDA Wildlife “Killing” Services?
Despite persistent outrage from the public, the U.S. government killed 2.7 million wild animals in 2016 — and almost 1.6 million were native wildlife, according to data released this week. That’s roughly five animals every minute. Even after scientific investigations by a team of ecologists cast serious doubts around the necessity of these killings, Wildlife […]
POLL: Will the promise of “crystal clear water” be broken by Trump?
President Trump has said that he wants the nation to have “crystal clear water,” and it would be hard to find anyone who would disagree with that. However, last week, the Administration released an executive order that would take the country in the opposite direction — rolling back a rule aimed at bettering the drinking […]
POLL: Could U.S. endangered species rules go extinct under Trump?
Once nearly extinct, gray wolves have rebounded in recent years under the Endangered Species Act. In Wisconsin, their numbers grew to around 900 in 2016—a 16 percent increase over the previous year. To James Holte of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, this is not good news. “As wolf populations continue to increase, interactions between farmers, their […]