Defenders of Wildlife Blog

These days it isn’t often that you see Democrats and Republicans doing anything together, let alone raising a glass in celebration. But that’s exactly what happened last week as Defenders and other conservation groups gathered at a local Washington, DC watering hole to pay tribute lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for their role in last summer’s defeat of the “extinction rider.”

Rewind to last July. The House leadership had attached to the bill funding the Department of the Interior numerous anti-conservation riders — unpopular policy changes that get tacked onto funding bills. Among the host of bad riders on this bill was a particularly nasty one that would have blocked any and all new species from being added to the endangered species list. Oh, species could still come off, but no new listings could happen, a longstanding goal of Big Oil, Big Developers and other special interests.

Wildife champion Rep. Norm Dicks

Passage of this crazy rider seemed almost assured. Almost. Because our longtime champion Rep. Norm Dicks had other ideas. He came to Defenders and other conservation groups and said, “I think we can do this! I think we can get defeat this thing!” And thus followed a vigorous push to yank the rider when it came to the House floor, with Rep. Dicks working the channels in Congress while conservation groups lobbied individual members and activated the grassroots.

Now, Rep. Dicks fighting the good fight for conservation is nothing new. Nor is it unusual for conservation groups to rally against a bad bill. But this time we had help from the other side of the aisle. Because part of the push in Congress involved outreach to moderate Republicans that we knew took their environmental stewardship responsibilities seriously. And that outreach was successful because in the end, 37 Republicans broke from their own leadership to support an amendment killing the species listing rider. Conservation groups, pro-environment Democrats and moderate Republicans had teamed up to stop the extinction rider. And we won.

So to reward those friends on the Hill who had worked so hard on behalf of endangered species, Defenders on other conservation groups gathered and presented to four key members plaques commemorating their principled stand.

Rep. Mike Thompson

First was Rep. Dicks, our long-time champion, who was recognized for volunteering to lead the fight and teeing up the battle in Congress. Then came Rep Thompson who stepped up and was crucial in bringing along moderate and conservative Democrats and Rep. Fitzpatrick who courageously broke party ranks and brought 36 other Republicans with him. And last but not least was Rep. Hanabusa, who eagerly stepped into the fray, even though she was only a freshman.

GOP Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick receives his award

These days, conservation successes in the House seem few and far between so it was nice to finally win one. And it was even nicer to be able to recognize with friends from both sides of the aisle as important to the effort because I think we can all agree that protecting our natural heritage for future generations shouldn’t be a partisan issue.

Montana hunt ends for season – In a unanimous vote, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission decided not to extend the 2011-2012 wolf hunt in the Bitterroot Valley. Chairman Bob Ream told the Associated Press on Wednesday: “The quota is a ceiling; it’s not a basement. If we haven’t reached the ceiling we haven’t failed. It’s been a good season and people should treat wolves like other game animals.” In comments submitted to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission Defenders agreed that the quota should not be treated as a target. Defenders also called into question assertions that wolves were to blame for declining elk numbers in the area as research into the causes of the decline is ongoing and as yet incomplete.

Thanks to all our supporters who voiced their concerns with the proposal, urging Montana to take a more measured approach to managing wolves. Your calls and letters helped convince the Montana wildlife commission that wolf management should be based on sound science, not unsubstantiated claims about the impacts of wolves.

Now that the extension has been denied, the wolf hunting season in Montana is officially over. A total of 166 wolves were killed this season during the hunt, filling or exceeding quotas in four hunting zones and coming close in several others. This summer, wildlife officials will revisit the overall quota of 220 wolves and consider modifying hunting restrictions for the next hunting season.

Wyoming wolf bill passes Senate committee – Wyoming’s revised wolf management plan, which would allow wolves to be shot on sight across a majority of the state, sailed through the state Senate wildlife committee with unanimous approval on Thursday (see full story in Casper Tribune). That shouldn’t be surprising, especially after Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead made the plan a focal point of his State of the State address on Tuesday. Mead told state legislators to approve the plan before concerned citizens have a chance to challenge it in the courts (see full story in Jackson Hole News & Guide). The controversial wolf plan has gained national attention as it would allow wolves to be killed along the John D Rockefeller Parkway that connects Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. Listen to the story on NPR’s All Things Considered:

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Idaho’s latest, craziest wolf kill bill – A bill circulating in the Idaho state legislature would take unchecked wolf-killing to all-new heights. A provision introduced by state Sen. Jeff Siddoway would allow ranchers to kill wolves using motorized vehicles, night vision scopes, electronic calls, traps with live bait, and ultra-light aircraft like powered parachutes.

The state has already foregone hunting quotas across most of the state and authorized the use of aerial gunning to kill up to 75 wolves in the Lolo zone of Clearwater National Forest. Now, state Sen. Jeff Siddoway wants to give ranchers carte blanche to kill wolves by practically any means. When will Idaho’s elected officials stand up and say enough is enough?

The bill comes before the state Senate Environment and Resources Committee on Monday afternoon. Please help us speak out in opposition to this awful legislation.

Read more in The Republic or click here to see the text of the proposed bill.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Photo courtesy of USFWS

BREAKING: The House of Representatives today voted to open the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and along almost every acre of our coastline including off the East Coast, West Coast, the protected eastern Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Bristol Bay to oil drilling all under the guise of funding this year’s transportation bill.

The funding issue is a scam. Even the most generous revenue estimates from this reckless expansion of drilling will not be enough to fund proposed transportation projects in the bill. In addition, what small amounts of revenue might be generated from oil and gas leasing in the Arctic refuge would not be seen for ten years as oil companies will still need to explore, apply for drilling permits and start development. In short, H.R. 3408 is a fiscal gimmick that relies on unknown future revenues that are speculative at best to pay for transportation projects today.

Upon passage of the bill, Defenders’ president and CEO Jamie Rappaport Clark, said, “Today, the House approved the most radical drilling-bill we have seen in recent memory. This fiscal boondoggle would industrialize the pristine coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, home to iconic wildlife like polar bears and the Porcupine Caribou herd, exposing thousands of miles of coastline to chronic pollution from offshore drilling and potential oil disasters like the Deepwater Horizon.

The Arctic refuge is the largest onshore denning area for America's polar bears.

The vote comes only one day after an exploratory well exploded on Alaska’s North Slope, spewing drilling mud, leaking natural gas and requiring the intervention of a company specializing in blowout control.

“Yesterday’s exploratory well explosion on Alaska’s North Slope demonstrates once again that drilling is a dangerous business. We can’t afford to take those risks with some of our most pristine and fragile places, some of which may never recover should a drilling accident occur. The Senate should reject this funding scam and look for realistic ways to meet our transportation needs without sacrificing the health of our environment.”

Stay tuned: See how you can help stop this dangerous drilling bill from becoming a law.

Sea otters don’t want roses or chocolates for Valentine’s Day.

Check out this video with our friend Philippe Cousteau to learn more about what you can do to help the threatened California sea otter.

If you live in California, the best way to show you care is to do your taxes early and donate to the California Sea Otter Fund, a vital lifeline supporting research and recovery programs for these furry marine mammals.

Californians must raise more than a quarter-million dollars this tax season for vital fund to reappear on tax forms again next year. Learn how you can contribute today at saveseaotters.org.

As denning polar bear mothers care for their newborn cubs, the U.S. House could pass a devastating plan to industrialize the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge—the most important onshore denning grounds for these threatened animals that are struggling to survive.

This will be the most important vote on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in five years—and it will likely happen this week.

Take action now: Urge your U.S. Representative to stand up for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and oppose the terrible Transportation Bill.

Scientists say that America’s polar bears could disappear in just a few short decades. But that’s not stopping Big Oil’s allies in Congress from handing over important polar bear homes for dirty drilling. And it’s not just the Arctic Refuge that’s at stake. This bill would also open up the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and waters in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

It’s a sweetheart deal for Big Oil—and a sellout of one of our most pristine natural areas that provides too little, too late for funding today’s transportation needs.

Stand up for polar bears and other wildlife—urge your U.S. Representative to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other coastal waters from Big Oil.

It’s not just our polar bears that need your voice. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of America’s most unique natural treasures, supporting a vast array of wildlife including arctic foxes, grizzly bears, muskoxen, Dall sheep, wolves and wolverines. And the coastal areas that this bill would open up to Big Oil are home to sea turtles, dolphins, and other wildlife.

Together, we can protect the Arctic Refuge—and the special wildlife that depend on it to survive.

Please take action today to urge your U.S. Representative to oppose this environmentally destructive and fiscally irresponsible bill that gives the heart of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and our coastal waters away to Big Oil.

Watch out for Wyoming wolf bill – Wolf management will be on the top of the agenda for Wyoming legislators who convene for a short 20-day budget session next week (See Sublette Examiner for full story). Although the federal government has already issued its proposed delisting rule for wolves in Wyoming, the state legislature must first adopt a new wolf management plan. The draft legislation tracks with the provisions outlined in an agreement between Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar in the summer. If adopted, that plan would allow wolves to be shot on sight across a majority of the state, including in our national forests. Another controversial provision would create a “flex zone” where wolves are hunted as trophy game for part of the year but treated as unwanted predators the rest of the year. Defenders and our conservation allies have been pushing the state to adopt year-round trophy game status across the entire, but time is running out. Unless the proposed management plan gets tied up in the legislature (which is still a possibility), we could see wolves once again lose their federal protection in Wyoming by the end of the spring.  The last time this happened, all known wolves in the predator zone were killed.

The alpha male of the Imnaha pack.

A tale of two wolves – It was the best of times. It was the worst of times… For OR-7, his greatest challenge is finding a mate during the February breeding season. For his brother OR-9, the journey is over.

OR-7, the now-legendary lone wolf that has made his way from northeast Oregon into California, has spent more than a month exploring new territory on his own without incident. OR-9, a 2 1/2-year-old male wolf also from Oregon’s Imnaha pack, was shot illegally last month by a hunter in Idaho. Idaho Fish & Game has let the hunter off with a warning, blaming the incident on reportedly bad information from a wolf tag vendor and showing their willingness to turn a blind eye on wolf poaching. Read more in the Wallowa County Chieftain.

The divergent stories of these two wolves put contrasting approaches to wolf management in stark relief. With the arrival of its first wolf, California Department of Fish and Game has been taking a measured and thoughtful approach. They’ve already held several meetings with key stakeholders and published valuable information dispelling common myths about wolves. In Idaho, however, where wolves have now been delisted, wolf-killing has reached an all-time high. To date, 285 wolves have been killed by hunters and trappers in Idaho and an untold number have been killed by poachers. Still more wolves have been removed by state and federal wildlife managers in response to livestock depredations. Idaho Fish and Game is also still planning to take it a step further by killing up to 75 wolves by aerial gunning in the Lolo zone of Clearwater National Forest in an effort to boost elk numbers for hunters.

These aggressive actions suggest Idaho is on a crusade to reduce wolf numbers rather than managing the species responsibly.  It is validating our deepest concerns about the inadequacy of the federal wolf delisting plan which allows the states to radically reduce wolf numbers to unsustainable levels.