The US Fish and Wildlife Service officially proposed taking 23 plants and animals off the endangered species list Wednesday, because they have not been spotted in the wild and are believed to be completely gone from an earth experiencing human population growth and a climate crisis. Only 11 species previously have been removed due to […]
Tag: us fish and wildlife service
How did America end up with the world’s largest tiger population?
The first red flag was the shiny Chevy Camaro with no license plate. “Anything to declare?” asked the US Customs and Border Protection officer. “Nothing,” replied the 18-year-old driver, Luis Eudoro Valencia, a native of the tiny desert town of Perris, California. It was 1.30am on 23 August 2017, at the Otay Mesa port of […]
Melting ice imperils 98 percent of Emperor penguin colonies by 2100
WASHINGTON — With climate change threatening the sea ice habitat of Emperor penguins, the US Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday announced a proposal to list the species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. “The lifecycle of Emperor penguins is tied to having stable sea ice, which they need to breed, to feed and […]
“Plagues” of Grasshoppers Hit Western US
Drought conditions in the western United States have created great conditions for grasshopper breeding and living. The hoards of grasshoppers are now devouring vegetation as their population numbers increase, CNN reported. Ranchers are worried land could be stripped bare. States like Colorado, Utah, Oregon, Wyoming, Montana and others are experiencing the onslaught. Scientists point to […]
‘Killing spree’: Wisconsin’s wolf population plunges after protections removed, study finds
As many as one-third of Wisconsin’s gray wolves probably died at the hands of humans in the months after the federal government announced it was ending legal protections, according to a study released on Monday. Poaching and a February hunt that far exceeded kill quotas were largely responsible for the drop-off, University of Wisconsin scientists […]
New Federal Report Confirms Ongoing Crisis for North American Birds
WASHINGTON – “With three billion birds lost in North America since 1970, we are in a bird emergency – and we know that if they are in trouble, so are we,” said Sarah Greenberger, senior vice president for conservation policy, National Audubon Society. “The priority species identified by the Fish and Wildlife Service provide a […]
Over 47 tons of plastic found at US marine reserve – and an entangled seal
In a span of just over three weeks, more than 47 tons of plastic waste were removed from America’s largest protected marine reserve, sometimes directly off animals, a stark reminder of the scourge of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans. An expedition spent 24 days clearing 10 miles of shoreline in the atolls and islands […]
Idaho bill seeks to kill more than 1,000 wolves
Lawmakers in Idaho are pushing to drastically reduce wolf numbers in the state, perhaps by as much as over 90%, complementing other US efforts to shrink their population. Idaho’s gray wolf population was recently estimated at 1,556, but sponsors of a bill approved in the state senate last week say that the preferred number of […]