Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Yaron Miller, Director of National Outreach

Wow – what an incredible couple of days! Last week over 30 Defenders’ citizen advocates flew to Washington, D.C. to ask Congress to speed the recovery of endangered wildlife, and to kick off our exciting new grassroots campaign “Conservation Crossroads: Extinction or Recovery?” And what a kick off it was!

Two supporters from Colorado arrive on Capital Hill.

Advocates from across the country, from California and Montana to Florida and New York, arrived at Defenders’ headquarters for a day of lobby training and a legislative briefing by our talented Government Relations team. The room was buzzing as folks swapped advice, shared information, and related to one another why they made the trip to D.C. It was clear that each participant had a unique background and story to tell their elected leaders about the importance of recovering endangered wildlife.

We had members of the military, including a retired Marine Corps Lt. General, a Marine veteran, and an active duty CA Air National Guardsman, who talked about protecting endangered species on military bases, emphasizing that defending our way of life includes wildlife. We had two priests from Arizona and New Mexico and a wildlife enthusiast who started an environmental lecture series in her church speak about the need to be good stewards of God’s planet. And we had educators, wildlife photographers, writers, and health care professionals – folks who could be our neighbors – speak about why protecting and recovering endangered wildlife is a value shared by all Americans, regardless of political party.

Equipped with printed materials and important conservation messages, we headed to Capitol Hill to ask our elected officials for two things: 1) to provide increased funding for key wildlife management agencies to accelerate the recovery of endangered species, and 2) to vote against any attempts to weaken the Endangered Species Act, a law that has seen a 99% success rate in preventing extinctions.

We met with legislators of both parties to educate and encourage them to support wildlife recovery, especially those freshmen who were just recently elected six months ago. While some of our meetings were to thank our greatest champions for wildlife recovery, such as Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Representative Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), we also met with legislators who do not always vote consistently on behalf of endangered wildlife. Those meetings are especially important, and having constituents speak directly to their members of Congress and key staff members makes a profound impact. Legislators take their direction on what issues to focus on and how to vote from constituent input – especially when the constituent has flown across the country for the meeting! And while face-to-face meetings are the most direct way to share the pulse of the district with members of Congress, there are many ways to let your voice be heard.

Ambassador wolf Atka was our guest of honor at the Hill reception.

Once our marathon day of 70+ meetings was over, our weary but empowered group of citizen advocates gathered with volunteers, congressional staff, and other guests to recap the day and celebrate 40 years of the Endangered Species Act. We were joined by some long-time friends of wildlife: Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Jim Moran (D-VA), Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and one of the original authors of the Endangered Species Act and Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives Rep. John Dingell (D-MI). Each of them spoke to the crowd about the tremendous successes the Endangered Species Act has spurred, and the importance of protecting it against legislative attempts to undermine it. Hopefully the rest of Congress will heed their call!

After inspiring words from these notable legislators, the reception moved outside to greet our guest of honor: Atka, the ambassador Arctic wolf from the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC) in New York! Joined by Maggie Howell and Rebecca Bose of the WCC, we learned all about arctic wolves, how they survive in such harsh conditions, and why Atka was so excited to roll in perfume sprayed on the grass (so he can share the smell with his pack back home and cloak his scent from prey!). We tried our best to make Atka howl, but I think he was more interested in lounging in the sun. Many thanks to the men and women of the Capitol Police Department and Sergeant-at-Arms office for making Atka’s visit possible!

Although this Congressional lobby day is over, the campaign is just beginning. In the coming weeks and months, we will need as many concerned citizens as possible to help support the recovery of endangered species. If you’re interested in joining our stellar team of citizen advocates at home or during our next Capitol Hill grassroots lobby day take a minute to sign up and join our campaign today and become part of our growing team. There are many ways to get involved at home or in DC: letters to the editor, meetings with your elected leaders in your district, writing and calling Congress, and many more. I hope we’ll hear from you soon!

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Lobby Training

Before we went to the Hill, our Government Relations team sat down with volunteers for a day of lobby training.

Lobby Training

Lobby Training

Two supporters from Colorado arrive on Capitol Hill.

Two supporters from Colorado arrive on Capitol Hill.

Our Delegation of Volunteers from California

Senator Bennet from Colorado Talks to our Volunteers on Capitol Hill

Brad Orsted meets with Senator Tester from Montana

The Florida Delegation

Brian Call, Paul Shannon and Tara Thornton meet with Rep. Ros-lehtinen from Florida

Getting Down to Business

Colorado volunteer Alicia Miers and Defenders' Outreach Representative Caitlin Balch-Burnett

Brian Call Meets With Rep. Radel from Florida

The Colorado Delegation

Kathie Broyles, Alicia Miers and Caitlin Balch-Burnett meet with Congressman Polis of Colorado

Volunteer Janet Hoben Meets With Rep. Adam Schiff from California

The Florida Delegation Meets With Rep. Radel

The Guest of Honor

Ambassador wolf Atka from the Wolf Conservation Center in New York

Atka meets Rep. Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania

Atka meets Senator Stabenow from Michigan

Defenders’ president and CEO, Jamie Rappaport Clark

Jamie Rappaport Clark, President and CEO 

It’s no secret Congress is gridlocked on climate change. Climate change challenges the sources of energy that fueled the industrial revolution and our current standard of living. Shifting to new sources of energy is a big deal, with lots of special interests with high stakes in the outcome.

We have to change. And we can. Think of the amazing technological revolutions we have seen in just the last decade. Yes we are powering 21st century technology with 19th century energy. There simply has to be a better way.

It has become clear that we can’t wait for Congress to help transition to a low-carbon energy system. In 2012, we experienced the most expensive storm on record, record heat waves, record wildfires and record lows in Arctic sea ice. Our communities and the natural systems we value and depend on are feeling these impacts now.

Our lawmakers finally took an excellent step in the right direction over the winter. When Congress funded emergency recovery efforts following Superstorm Sandy, it put in provisions to encourage rebuilding with climate change adaptation in mind and preparing for future storms and weather events made more likely by our planet heating up. Now Congress needs to build on that foundation and get ahead of the curve, enacting laws to make our communities, wildlife and natural areas more resilient to the changes to come.

The Obama administration is trying to move forward, as exemplified by the recent release of the National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy. That strategy now needs to be implemented, and Congress needs to incorporate climate risks throughout federal decision making to mitigate those risks and prepare for future impacts. This will save lives, livelihoods and dollars.

Hopefully, our political leaders have a growing awareness of extreme weather and the formidable threat it poses both to our communities and our natural resources. It’s time for them to focus on the future and put people, homes and habitat ahead of 19th century interests.

Originally published in the National Journal, in response to “What’s Holding Back Energy & Climate Policy?”

President Obama surprised many people when he said last week in his inaugural address: “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.  Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms.”

Oiled debris field in Sheepshead Bay, NY. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Lally.

“Powerful storms,” of course calls to mind Hurricane Sandy, the October super-storm that swept away our illusions that if we ignore climate change, it will go away. And this week, we are pleased to report that Congress finally acted to fund recovery in the areas so hard hit by that storm.

The $50 billion relief bill is important to Defenders’ priorities because it recognizes that restoring and rebuilding our natural infrastructure is just as important to our communities as rebuilding our roads, homes and businesses. We have long known that natural wetlands, dunes, forests and floodplains can absorb some of the impact from a major storm, thereby protecting communities from the ravages of winds and flooding. But the Sandy supplemental makes a historic commitment to restoring and preserving coastal areas as part of a comprehensive plan to prevent future storm damage.  (See our previous blog for details on the contents of the bill.)

It remains to be seen whether 2013 will mark the point where we finally embark on the road to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the “path towards sustainable energy sources” that the president spoke of last week. That will be the real key to reducing the risk of more billion-dollar weather disasters in the future. By providing the funding  to increase resiliency by harnessing the protective power of restored ecosystems, Congress has at least taken a step in the right direction.

Mary Beth Beetham, Director of Legislative Affairs

I have been writing the last few months about the possible impacts on wildlife programs if Congress and the President failed to reach a deal to avert the fiscal cliff and the automatic spending cuts that it would trigger. Well, as you have undoubtedly seen in the news, Congress did pass a deal and the President has signed it into law. But the deal has both good news and bad news for wildlife.

The good news is that the deal has, for now, avoided the automatic cuts that would have been devastating to programs that protect endangered species, national wildlife refuges, forests and other habitat, migratory birds and species of global importance — all of the programs we have been talking about over the last few months. Programs vital to the many species that Defenders is constantly working to protect.

Now the bad news. First, the deal only delayed the automatic cuts for a few months. Congress and the President must still reach an overall agreement on the budget and how to reduce the deficit in order to prevent the cuts from kicking in two months from now, in March. Second, as part of the deal to put off the deep, automatic cuts, the agreement locked in some smaller cuts for the next two years. We know that they will take place, but we will likely not know until the end of March exactly which programs will be affected even in the first year.

What does all this mean? All of the programs that protect wildlife — all of which are already very inadequately funded — are still on the chopping block. We will continue to work very hard to oppose any further cuts to wildlife conservation, and we ask you to continue to reach out to your elected officials in Washington, DC and tell them to stand up in support of wildlife and oppose further cuts to programs that protect creatures who cannot speak for themselves.

Mary Beth Beetham, Director of Legislative Affairs

Wildlife faces escalating criminal threats both domestically and internationally, including illicit trade, unlawful commercial exploitation, illegal destruction of habitat and industrial hazards. Illegal wildlife trade is also related to our national security, with a well-documented link between wildlife smuggling and both organized crime and drug trafficking. Wildlife trade ranks third in monetary importance, just after drug and arms trade. The U.S. supports one of the largest markets after China for both legal and illegal wildlife and wildlife products, including tigers, caviar, coral, snakes, timber, elephant ivory, sea turtles, live birds and numerous species native to the U.S.

An inspector checks a shipment of dried frogs coming into the country. (Credit: Bill Butcher/USFWS)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Office of Law Enforcement maintains a thin green line of protection for wildlife, both here at home and globally. The office investigates wildlife crimes, enforces regulation of wildlife trade, helps citizens comply with the law and works with other international and U.S. government entities to carry out its mission through wildlife inspectors, special agents and a forensics laboratory. If destructive funding cuts are triggered by the fiscal cliff or an overall budget agreement, all this protection could vanish.

On the Front Line at Ports
The office’s 143 wildlife inspectors are the front line of defense in nearly 40 ports of entry around the country, including in Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, Texas and Washington. In 2011, they processed about 179,000 declared shipments of wildlife and wildlife products worth more than $2.8 billion, making sure that the shipments did not contain any animals or products that are protected against trade. Even with current funding, the number of inspectors is inadequate to provide full 24-hour coverage at ports, and can only inspect samples of larger mail shipments, or randomly select particular shipments for inspection. This means that many shipments go through with no inspection at all.

Wildlife Investigators
The 222 special agents that work for the Office of Law Enforcement are expert investigators that work, sometimes even going undercover, to break up smuggling rings, stop commercial exploitation of protected U.S. species, and work with states to protect U.S. game species from poaching, which steals both state income and hunting and fishing opportunities. In 2011, special agents investigated more than 13,000 cases.

Evidence gathered during Operation Crash. (Credit: USFWS)

CSI Wildlife
The Office of Law Enforcement also oversees the FWS Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, a real life “CSI Wildlife,” and the only such laboratory in the world dedicated to solving wildlife crimes. Before the lab was established in 1988, law enforcement officers had little or no ability to receive expert wildlife laboratory services in pursuing criminals. Now the lab identifies the species or parts of the animals being exploited, determines the cause of death, decides if a crime has occurred, and uses the evidence to link suspect, victim and crime scene.

Once a crime against wildlife is verified, the FWS Office of Law Enforcement works with other federal agencies, such as the Department of Justice and sometimes state agencies, to pursue it in court. Here are just a few examples of cases that the office has investigated and prosecuted in recent years — crimes that could otherwise have gone unpunished:

• “Operation Crash” was a nationwide Fish and Wildlife Service crackdown on those involved in the black market trade of endangered rhino horns — more than 450 rhinos have been killed this year alone.
• Agents seized one ton of smuggled elephant ivory from a Philadelphia art store — one of the largest seizures of elephant ivory on record.
• In Washington State, the office investigated the destruction of more than 400 bank swallow nests and over 3,000 eggs during the 2010 nesting season.
• In Texas, they looked into the illegal harvest of alligator gar, an important sport fish, which was then being sold in Japan.
• The office prosecuted the largest deer poaching case in Kansas history, an operation that led up to 60 clients to illegally kill about 160 deer.
• The office intervened when bald and golden eagles were being killed and sold in Washington — during their investigation, agents seized 57 bald and golden eagle tails and 52 golden eagle wings.
• An inquiry found that endangered pallid sturgeon were being illegally harvested for caviar in the Mississippi, Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers.
• The office undertook a multi-year undercover investigation of unlawful international trafficking in sea turtle parts and products.
• Agents uncovered more than 40 tons of endangered coral being smuggled into the port of Portland, Oregon.
• An investigation found that jaguar skins were being smuggled and sold in Florida, Texas and elsewhere by e-commerce.
• Work of the agents and the forensics lab resulted in successful prosecution and sentencing for the intentional killing of an endangered Florida panther.
• They discovered that wild-caught turtles were being illegally shipped to China from Florida.
• A three-year investigation uncovered the unlawful trafficking of Arizona state-protected reptiles.

The Office of Law Enforcement is already severely underfunded, making it a challenge to meet the rapidly escalating threats to wildlife in the U.S. and around the world. Any further cuts will hinder these crucial enforcement efforts even more. Please tell your members of Congress that you support a balanced approach to address the budget deficit — one that does not include further cuts to important and beneficial wildlife conservation programs.

Mary Beth Beetham, Director of Legislative Affairs

You’ve probably heard a lot lately about the upcoming fiscal cliff — draconian automatic funding cuts to federal programs that will harm America’s wildlife and habitats, scheduled to take effect in early January in the absence of a larger budget agreement. But whether these automatic cuts occur or not, the shrinking federal budget will ensure that funding for wildlife and habitat conservation will continue to be in a precarious state for at least the next several years.

Bald eagles are one of many species that owe their recovery to the Endangered Species Act and the USFWS Endangered Species Program (Credit: Wes Gibson)

It’s my job to go to Capitol Hill and make the case for wildlife conservation funding — but it is more important than ever that you lend your help as well. Representatives and Senators need to hear from you, their constituents, that these programs are important and worth funding. To help you understand what’s at stake here, we’re going to spend some time each week explaining what these programs do to uphold our nation’s wildlife laws and protect endangered species, migratory birds and other key animals and habitats. Today, we’re focusing on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) Endangered Species Program.

The Endangered Species Act, one of the most visionary conservation laws ever passed, is our nation’s cornerstone of wildlife conservation. For nearly 40 years, it has been tremendously successful in preventing the extinction of our wildlife treasures, including bald eagles, California condors, Florida panthers, gray wolves, grizzly bears and manatees — all achieved despite severe and chronic funding shortfalls.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is one of two federal agencies responsible for implementing the Endangered Species Act, and it has jurisdiction over the lion’s share of the more than 1,400 protected U.S. plants and animals. The Service’s program is divided into four smaller programs that follow the different sections of the law: 1) Listing; 2) Candidate Conservation; 3) Recovery; and 4) Consultation.

Protecting New Species
First, FWS biologists and other staff analyze the best scientific information to identify species that may be in need of protection. Listing a species is a rigorous procedure. The FWS must develop, propose and finalize regulations that include information on the species population, range, habitat needs, evaluation of threats, examples of conservation efforts, and actions that may be prohibited if listing occurs. The listing process requires painstaking analysis of both scientific information and comments by the public, and can often take several years. Then, once a species is listed, the FWS has to designate habitat critical to the species’ survival and recovery.

The Pacific walrus is one of nearly 200 candidate species waiting for full Endangered Species Act protections (Credit: Joel Garlich-Miller)

Safeguarding Unprotected Species
If a plant or an animal faces severe enough threats to justify listing, but the FWS lacks funding to list the species immediately, it becomes a candidate species. While candidates await protection, Service personnel work with partners on the ground to put conservation measures in place and remove threats to these species. There are currently 193 candidate species, including the American wolverine, red knot, Pacific fisher, Pacific walrus, mountain yellow-legged frog, yellow-billed loon, New Mexico meadow jumping mouse and the lesser prairie chicken. Because FWS funding for listing is already inadequate, many candidates have been awaiting listing for years.

Helping Declining or Protected Species
Once a species is under the Act’s protection, it moves into the Recovery program, where Service staff develop and implement a plan to stop the species decline, and bring it back to the point where it can survive on its own. Developing a sound recovery plan can be another painstaking process, and involves working with scientists and stakeholders to spell out the research and management actions necessary for recovery. Once the plan is finished (and even while it is being developed), FWS leads the efforts to actually carry out the required activities on the ground, working with private landowners, state, local and other federal agencies, tribes and other partners. This part of the program includes efforts like:

• Restoring Florida panther habitat
• Monitoring and taking inventories of Canada lynx
• Installing wildlife crossings for ocelots in Texas
• Marking and maintaining boat speed zones for manatees
• Captive breeding and reintroduction of black-footed ferrets

As part of their recovery program, the USFWS has reintroduced endangered black-footed ferrets into their native habitat. (Credit: Ryan Moehring/USFWS)

Reducing Harm to Listed Species
While a species is protected, FWS staff works under the Consultation program to make sure outside projects don’t significantly harm protected species. There are literally tens of thousands of projects every year in all parts of the country that require consultation to reduce harm to endangered species, creating a crushing workload for agency personnel. This part of the program does things like:

• Work with the Coast Guard to reduce harm to manatees and sea turtles during events like regattas, boat races and fishing tournaments
• Work with the Army Corps of Engineers and other entities to reduce harm to the pallid sturgeon from navigation operations on the Upper Mississippi River
• Work with the Department of Defense to reduce harm to more than 100 species in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands from expanded use of larger munitions
• Work with the Bureau of Land Management, renewable energy companies and others so that wind turbines, solar arrays, and transmission lines can be sited and built while reducing harm to species like bats, golden eagles, whooping cranes and desert tortoise

All these pieces of the Endangered Species Program are vital to prevent the extinction of dozens of species, and to encourage the recovery of hundreds more. Further cuts to the program’s budget will delay or stop listing of species, undermine work to identify and conserve candidates and recover listed species, and slow or stop consultation, which would lead to a delay in projects and greater controversy surrounding the Endangered Species Act.

Keeping federal conservation laws and programs strong is essential to much of the work that Defenders does to protect wildlife and habitat. But these federal efforts are often only as good as the funding that supports them. The animals that benefit from these programs have no voice in politics. To prevent these cuts and keep these programs running, we have to take the message to Congress ourselves. Please, contact your elected officials and speak out on behalf of wildlife.