Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Big brown bats shelter under the eaves of a house (©Jim Conrad)

Nina Fascione, Vice President of Development

I was watching TV with my family last Saturday evening at our house on Maryland’s Eastern Shore when we heard a scratching noise in the wood stove. Another bat had come down the chimney and was stuck in the stove pipe. My husband Steve put on gloves and fetched it out. It was a big brown bat – Eptesicus fuscus – one of the larger of the Maryland bat species. It was beautiful. And pissed off, refusing to hold still for a decent photo. We released it outside and went back to the (bad) movie we were watching.

The fact that we regularly find bats in our second home doesn’t bother us. Steve and I are both wildlife professionals and fully appreciate the myriad ecological benefits that bats provide. Anyone who has spent time on Maryland’s Eastern Shore has experienced aggravating swarms of mosquitoes and other disagreeable pests that insectivorous bats help to control with their voracious appetites. And bats aren’t just helping us out with the annoying bugs (although I’m delighted that they eat stinkbugs). Bats help control insect pests that cause billions of dollars in agricultural damage in North America each year. From pecan growers in the southeastern U.S., who have bats to thank for their consumption of the damaging pecan nut casebearer, to the Texas cotton farmers whose crops are safer because millions of Mexican free-tailed bats love to dine on corn earworm moths, bats provide tremendous ecological services. A study in the journal Science estimated that the value of bats to the U.S. agriculture industry ranges from $3.7 billion to $53 billion per year. For these services, we are happy to share our home with these visitors from time to time.

What does worry us is that although this most recent visitor was a big brown bat, we are not finding little brown bats in our house, as we did several years ago. We are concerned that this might be due to white-nose syndrome, the devastating bat disease that is ravaging populations of hibernating bats in as many as 22 states and five Canadian provinces. Populations of the little brown bat – Myotis lucifigus – have crashed in recent years; by more than 90% in some states and known hibernation caves.

Little brown bat with white-nose syndrome
(Photo courtesy Ryan von Linden/New York Department of Environmental Conservation)

White-nose syndrome is named for the fungus Geomyces destructans, which looks like a white power on the bat’s nose, ears and other body parts. Ten North American bat species have been infected with the fungus to date, and more are potentially vulnerable. The disease has killed upwards of 5.7 million insectivorous bats, and so far scientists have not found a cure. Most frightening is that losses are so severe that researchers are predicting regional extinctions of the little brown bat – previously one of America’s most common mammals – in northeastern states within 15 years.

For the past few years, Defenders has been engaged with a coalition of groups working to secure federal funds for white-nose syndrome research and management. Our coalition successfully obtained four million dollars in the 2012 fiscal year budget to go toward research into treatments, surveying caves and educating the public about this problem. Now we are working to stop budget cuts to wildlife funding that would impact bats and other wildlife. While all wildlife programs are important, and those that deal with imperiled species particularly need to be fully funded, bats are in an especially dangerous position and we can’t afford not to do everything we can to help them. We will continue to raise the issue of white-nose syndrome on Capitol Hill so that our elected leaders understand the need to halt this disease. One hopeful note is that white-nose syndrome is a non-partisan issue. I have met with congressional leaders of both parties who understand the impacts of white-nose syndrome and want to help (I even had two Republican congressional offices ask me how to put up bat houses!).

Staff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey bat caves to find where the disease has spread. In this cave in Missouri, the bats are healthy. (©Ann Froschauer/USFWS)

Everyone can take steps to help bats. First and foremost is to stay out of caves and mines where bats are known or suspected to roost. This is especially important during winter months when bats are hibernating. Bats have limited fat reserves to keep them alive during the long winter – and bug-free – months. Once aroused, their metabolism speeds up and they burn vital calories. One of the main causes of death from white-nose syndrome is starvation, as the fungus wakes bats and they have no food available. Human disturbance only adds to this lethal problem.

Another way to help is by spreading the word about the importance of bats and the threat of white-nose syndrome. Urge your federal representative and Senators to support adequate funding for endangered species recovery efforts. This would benefit the listed Indiana bat and gray bat, both of which have been heavily impacted by the white-nose syndrome fungus, as well as other critically imperiled wildlife species.

And Steve and I will continue to provide a home for bats in our attic. Let’s hope we see some little browns this summer.

By Cynthia Bournellis

Some people are born with an innate understanding of and appreciation for wildlife and wild places. That is the case for me. A California Bay Area native, I grew up with the giant Redwoods and Pacific Ocean to the west of the Santa Cruz Mountain range and the majestic oaks and fertile farms to the east.

Cynthia outside DOW HQ in Washington, D.C.

As a child, I spent most of my summers in the Northern Sierras. The Alpine peaks and towering pines captivated me. It is these wild places that spawned my passion for hiking. On occasion, my hikes along our country’s trails have placed me within a stone’s throw of iconic inhabitants such as brown bears and bison.

Unfortunately, many of America’s most treasured natural assets are now at risk due to urban sprawl, climate change, a lack of human understanding of nature’s place within the ecosystem, and legislative attacks on the endangered wildlife and habitats. This is why I partook in Defenders of Wildlife’s “Conservation Crossroads” lobby day in Washington, D.C.

I have never lobbied in my life. Yet there I was, the average citizen preparing to talk to our nation’s decision makers and influencers about an issue close to my heart. But wasn’t that the point? To stand up for wildlife, to have my voice be heard, to remind our elected leaders what’s really important?

Thanks to Defenders, my world expanded tremendously as a result of this opportunity. During our training session, Defenders provided us with a wealth of valuable information. However, the content overwhelmed me a bit and left me wondering how I was going to incorporate it into the meeting with my representative’s aid the next day. My Sherpa (Defenders’ guide on Capitol Hill), though, calmed my nerves, pointing out that while I’d probably be speaking with representatives from California who generally support wildlife, it was still important that I meet with them in-person to express why defending the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and providing adequate funding for related programs are important to me. She advised me to be sincere and be myself.

That night, I compiled my talking points on notecards and practiced my pitch. I carried my cards with me the next day, referring to them often before my meeting. I was mildly nervous going into our first meeting with Rep. Mike Thompson, a true champion for endangered wildlife. Yet, his approachable and engaging demeanor led to lively and informative conversation, which fed my confidence for subsequent meetings.

Defenders California lobby team in DC.

As it turned out, the next meeting with Rep. Anna Eshoo, who represents my district, was better than I expected. The legislative aide we met with was very welcoming and had a good sense of humor. He listened with genuine interest while I shared my own story, and also educated me on my congresswoman’s activities regarding the ESA—primarily her vote against wolf delistings. Furthermore, he took time out to provide me with details on habitat conservation activities in my county. I walked away from the meeting with a true sense of accomplishment.

Our subsequent meetings with both Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein’s aides were also satisfying. However, it was the latter meeting that was the most exciting: Feinstein’s aide turned the tables on us, asking for our opinions the Bay Delta Conservation Plan—a heated issue— in California that has been occupying the senator’s time. The fact that he wanted our feedback impressed me and ignited intelligent conversation that amounted to an informal brainstorming session.

My day on the hill—including the evening reception—was both invigorating and like nothing I had imagined. In fact, there were moments when the experience seemed downright surreal, such as when chatting with Rep. Thompson about our shared passion for wine, taking a group picture with Sen. Boxer and meeting the longest-serving member of congress—John Dingell, Jr.—and Defenders President Jamie Rappaport Clark at the reception. I must say that I have a deep respect for what Defenders does: Having their support, as well as support from the other constituents in my group, made for a positive experience.

I now have a better understanding of what it takes to lobby, the role it plays and, most important, the need for constituents to talk to their representatives in-person—not just through letters or phone calls—so that they can see the faces behind the concerned voices.

We received thousands of fantastic photos of wildlife and wild lands in this year’s photo contest, and you helped us select winners by voting for your favorites. To see the winners of Defenders of Wildlife’s 4th annual photo contest, including who will be going on a wildlife photography tour with professional photographer Jess Lee, click here!

Thanks to everyone who submitted to the contest this year. We had some really fantastic photos, and it was hard to narrow it down to just the top ten for voting. If you want to see more great photos of wildlife and wild lands, here are 10 honorable mentions from this year’s submissions:

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Chewy, ©Hank Perry

Striking a Pose, ©Joshua Savage

A Bald Eagle performing a striking dominance landing. The Great Salt Lake, Utah

Humpback Whale Feeding Frenzy, ©Alice Cahill

Sea Lion in Repose, ©Lisa Burtis

Green Frogs, ©Valerie Donahue

These four Green Frogs were photographed at Marshlands Conservancy in Rye, New York. Initially, I observed them as two mating pairs, but then the frogs proceeded to line up for a group hug instead. It seemed as if they were posing for me, and I thought they were going to start singing The Rainbow Connection!

Night Mantis, ©Marie Maroney

Aurora Curtain along the Brooks Range, ©Larry Malvin

Mother Bear with Cubs, ©Lyssa Danehy

Pika: Hear Me Roar! ©Vaughn Cottman

Medicine Lake at Sunset, ©Ron Paul

Michael Tucker, International Conservation Intern

The oceanic whitetip was once considered the most abundant species of sharks on the planet. But now, due largely to overfishing, it has become one of the most threatened. A member of the same family as the bull shark, sandbar shark, and blacktip shark, the oceanic whitetip is highly migratory. It lives in warm seas, and is capable of bearing live young. Unfortunately for the oceanic whitetip, they do not breed fast enough to counteract the vast overfishing of the species which has occurred over the past 60 years.

What’s the Problem?

Oceanic whitetip shark (©Peter Koelbl)

For years, biologists have seen oceanic whitetip populations decline. In 2006, the IUCN designated the species as threatened. While the global population is difficult to know for certain, it is estimated that their population decreased almost 70 percent globally between 1992 and 2000, and is continuing to go down every day. Along the Gulf of Mexico, records from the 1950s compared to those from the 1990s show a shocking population decrease in oceanic whitetip shark population of 98 percent!

Catching and finning sharks has become much more popular throughout many Asian countries in the past several years. And around 30 percent of all the sharks brought in by these fishing vessels is oceanic whitetip sharks! The reason whitetips are so vulnerable to this practice  is that they tend to follow ships, seeking food dropped off the sides. This allows them to easily be trapped in the large nets dragged behind finning vessels. Each shark fin sells for around $80 to the restaurants that use them for shark fin soup. Unfortunately, that means they won’t stop anytime soon without a very good reason to cut back. Roughly 73 million sharks of various species are killed each year to make shark fin soup.

Bycatch is another massive problem facing sharks. Longline cables, drag nets and other means of catching larger fish such as tuna end up snagging other creatures as well, including the oceanic whitetip. These sharks are then thrown back into the ocean too weak to swim from being strung up for hours or even days, caught on a hook not intended for them. Without the strength to swim away, these sharks often drown or find themselves victims of other scavengers who follow these boats. Oceanic whitetips make up just over 20 percent of the sharks caught on these longlines in the Pacific Ocean. With so many oceanic whitetips killed each year, it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to repopulate fast enough to balance out the numbers.

What Can We Do?
One of the best steps we can take to protect oceanic whitetips is to have them listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES. Being listed under CITES would mean that  international trade in the fins and other parts of sharks would be closely monitored and regulated to make sure that the species would not be threatened with extinction. Given that one of the largest threats to the species is due to trade, regulation could make a huge difference.

For several years now, many Latin American countries have been leading proposals to CITES about expanding protection for sharks. In the upcoming March 2013 CITES meeting in Thailand, the United States, along with Brazil and Colombia, will cosponsor the proposal to list the oceanic whitetip shark under CITES Appendix II. The United States will cosponsor the proposal, and Defenders of Wildlife has been collecting data and preparing materials on the oceanic whitetip to help our cosponsor countries prepare for it. If the proposal is approved, all countries involved in the international shark fin trade will be required to get a permit in order to import the sharks or their fins, and regulations will only allow for a sustainable harvest. If it passes, this will be a great step toward curbing the uncontrolled harvest and trade of sharks for their fins, and will help save a species worth keeping for future generations.