The U.S. Department of the Interior last week took a major step toward the first-ever oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In a decision that outraged but did not surprise environmentalists, the agency announced its final plan to develop one of the world’s last great wildernesses, acknowledging that its chosen course might wipe […]
Tag: wildlife refuge
Ban on Bee-Killing Pesticides Overturned in National Wildlife Refuges
In another disappointing step backwards for the environment, the Trump administration has just overturned a ban on the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops on national wildlife refuges where farming is allowed. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Deputy Director Greg Sheehan, said in a memo this month that the reversal is necessary to […]
POLL: Should drilling in the Arctic Refuge be allowed?
Talk about a poison pill: Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski snuck a nasty little legislative proposal into the GOP tax bill. Her plan would open up portions of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil leases, allowing oil companies to start extracting oil from this vital natural resource. And last week, the bill cleared an […]
POLL: Should the burning of moors be stopped?
At one end of the country, conservation groups are doing all they can to stop the burning of moors. Challenging the grouse shooting estates, for example, the RSPB argues that “there is an urgent need to restore these landscapes by bringing an end to burning.” At the other end of the country, conservation groups are […]
Asiatic cheetahs: on the road to extinction?
Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are unique among large cats. They have a highly specialized body, a mild temperament, and are the fastest living animals on land. Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, the Asiatic subspecies, is unique among cheetahs and the only member of five currently living subspecies to occur outside of Africa. Listed as Critically Endangered on the […]
Dancing Sandhill Cranes Of Bosque del Apache, New Mexico
I recently returned from a photo shoot to Bosque del Apache and was in awe at the abundance of Sandhill Cranes. Having never seen them in Ohio (one of the many species on my state’s endangered list), I was truly amazed by this wading bird’s courtship dance. The Sandhill Crane’s dance includes jumping up to […]