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Gray wolf pack sizes range from two to 11 wolves. Most packs contain four to six individuals, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

WA considers reclassifying gray wolves as 'sensitive' species

The State of Washington is proposing to downgrade gray wolves from "endangered" to "sensitive" status as a species. At last count, there were 260 …

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville is reintroducing Canada Lynx onto their reservation in eastern Washington. (David Moskowitz/Yes! Magazine)

WA tribes reintroduce species to native habitat

By Rico Moore for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Washington News Service reporting for the Yes! Magazine-Public News Service …

Los cr�ticos de PacifiCorp dicen que la compa��a rompi� una promesa en 2004 de modernizar sus represas hidroel�ctricas para incluir pasos para peces. (Kevin/Adobe Stock)

¿PacifiCorp cumplirá sus promesas de recuperación de peces?

Al comenzar el nuevo año, Columbia Riverkeeper apoya los esfuerzos de la tribu Cowlitz y la nación Yakama para restaurar la migración …

Critics of PacifiCorp say the company broke a 2004 promise to retrofit its hydroelectric dams to include fish passages. (Kevin/Adobe Stock)

Will PacifiCorp make good on its fish recovery promises?

Coming into the new year, Columbia Riverkeeper is supporting efforts by the Cowlitz Tribe and Yakama Nation to restore salmon migration throughout …

Eelgrass, pictured here at Joemma Beach State Park, provides food, shelter, and nursery habitat for a wide range of creatures, ranging from small invertebrates to commercially important fish species and wading birds. (WA DNR Nearshore Habitat Program)

WA kelp, eelgrass recovery plan tackles big losses in marine habitat

Bull Kelp in South and Central Puget Sound has declined more than 90% over the last 150 years - and eelgrass meadows severely declined as well…

Wolverine need deep snow for their habitats, but experts say snow levels are dwindling due to climate change. (jamenpercy/Adobe Stock)

Long-awaited protections for wolverine relief for conservation groups

Conservation groups are celebrating a long-fought battle to protect the dwindling population of wolverine in the Northwest and northern Rockies…

Culverts under roadways need to be large enough for fish to pass through safely. (Daniel Sztork/Adobe Stock)

Biden Admin Provides Funds for Culvert Fixes in WA

Fish passage is set to improve in the Northwest with an investment from Congress's bipartisan infrastructure law. The Biden administration has …

Salmon from the Columbia and Snake Rivers are a crucial food source for Southern Resident orcas. (RKP/Adobe Stock)

WA Orca Births Good Sign but Population Still Threatened

There's good news for orcas off Washington's coast: Two new calves have been spotted among the endangered population. However, the births also …

The Duckabush River is cut off from nearby floodplains and wetlands by roads on the Olympic peninsula. (Washington Department of Ecology)

Orca Action Month: WA Estuary Restoration Project Helps Whale Recovery

It's Orca Action Month and a restoration project in Puget Sound will help provide more salmon to the aquatic mammals. Highway development has …

Las presas de la parte baja del r�o Snake est�n envejeciendo, lo que reduce su utilidad, especialmente en la producci�n de energ�a. (Samir Arora/Adobe Stock)

Paso histórico hacia la sustitución de la presa del río Snake en presupuesto de WA

El presupuesto del estado de Washington impulsa la eliminación de cuatro presas en la parte baja del río Snake para salvar al salmón…

The lower Snake River dams are aging, reducing their usefulness especially in energy production. (Samir Arora/Adobe Stock)

Historic Step Forward for Snake River Dam Replacement in WA Budget

Funding in Washington state's budget is pushing efforts forward to remove four lower Snake River dams in order to save salmon. Lawmakers committed …

A new law in Washington state creates a single buffer zone around orcas of 1,000 yards for small vessels. (Scott Bufkin/Adobe Stock)

WA Lawmakers Pass Legislative Wins for Ocean, Marine Wildlife

Advocates for ocean wildlife are touting wins from Olympia this legislative session. Nora Nickum - senior ocean policy manager with the Seattle …

Kelp beds in Puget Sound are important habitat for marine life. (knelson20/Adobe Stock)

WA DNR Seeks Input on Kelp, Eelgrass Conservation

Kelp and eelgrass are in trouble, and Washington state wants help from the public identifying where these marine plant species should be saved…

The wildlife crossings over I-90 are considered crucial for creatures in the Cascades. (Washington State DOT/Flickr)

Resilient Wildlife Crossings Crucial as Climate Changes, Experts Say

Wildlife crossings could be a path to a future where the climate has significantly changed the planet. Wildlife and climate experts are urging …

Whale-watching vehicles in Puget Sound are required to stay 1,000 yards away from Southern Resident orcas. (ronnybas/Adobe Stock)

WA Bill Supports Orcas' Need for More Space from Boaters

Whales are disturbed by vessel noise, but a measure in Olympia would provide a greater buffer for the endangered orcas in Puget Sound. The …

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee established the Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery Task Force in 2018. (Scott Bufkin/Adobe Stock)

Ships Slow Down for Puget 'Quiet Sound' Program to Aid Orcas

Ships are getting on board with a program to make Puget Sound quieter for the region's endangered orca population. Sixty-one percent of vessels …

The Nez Perce Tribe finds spring chinook salmon on the Snake River are unlikely to recover without substantial intervention. (Hanjo/Adobe Stock)

WA Leaders: Breaching Snake River Dams Necessary, Not Yet Possible

An announcement from Washington state leaders on the future of the lower Snake River dams contained both good and bad news for groups defending native…

Salmon on the Snake River continue to struggle, despite actions like spilling more water at the river's dams. (davidrh/Adobe Stock)

WA Leaders Ask for Comment on Dam Removal Proposal

A report from leaders in Washington state lays out how the services of four dams on the lower Snake River could be replaced in order to save ailing sa…

Southern Resident orca, which live along the West Coast, have been listed as endangered since 2005. (Valmedia/Adobe Stock)

Young People Gather to Save NW Salmon, Call for Dam Removal

Young people are leading the charge this weekend in the call to remove four dams conservation groups believe will aid the survival of salmon in the No…

More than 1,100 species of plants live in Olympic National Park. (paulacobleigh/Adobe Stock)

With Nature in Crisis, State Lawmakers Call for National Biodiversity Plan

State lawmakers from around the country are calling on the Biden administration to develop a plan to protect the country's dwindling diversity of anim…

The totem pole made about a dozen stops in Idaho, Oregon and Washington over the past three weeks. (House of Tears Carvers)

Totem Pole Takes Journey for Salmon, Struggling Puget Sound Orca

A totem pole from Washington state promoting a free-flowing Snake River has nearly completed its 2,500-mile journey around the Northwest. The Spirit …

The are economic benefits for rural communities that host fishing include tourists buying bait, fuel, meals and lodging on their excursions. (Denise Walker/Adobe Stock)

Fishing Guide: WA Dams Contribute to Salmon Season Shutdown

The salmon-fishing season on the lower section of the Columbia River was shut down a week ago, prompting folks to call for more action to save the …

Kelp abundance has dropped by 80% from its peak in Puget Sound. (Gina Lusardi/Adobe Stock)

WA Kelp Decline Bad News Culturally, Environmentally for Northwest

Kelp forests in Puget Sound play an integral role environmentally and culturally, but they're in steep decline. There are more than 20 species of …

An ocean pattern known as La Ni�a is providing colder waters for salmon in the Pacific Ocean. (Naturecolors/Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Good Ocean Conditions Not Enough to Recover Salmon

Recent data on ocean conditions could be good news for struggling salmon in the Northwest. But advocates for the species warn this isn't enough to …

The Clark County Clean Water Restoration Fund distributed nearly $4.5 million to 25 projects on the Columbia River. (Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership)

Seven Years On, Columbia River Benefits from Water Pollution Lawsuit

A fund created seven years ago in the wake of Clark County's violation of the Clean Water Act is helping improve salmon habitat and cleaning up stormw…

Ensuring that stormwater is recycled quickly is key to preventing polluted water from reaching salmon. (PNPImages/Adobe Stock)

"Salmon in the City" Explores Urban-Design Approaches to Clean Water

SEATTLE -- How water flows in cities affects salmon swimming far away. An event this week is exploring how urban centers can better treat their water …

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., has proposed $1 billion in culvert removal and restoration for salmon in the budget-reconciliation bill. (Bill Perry/Adobe Stock)

Outfitters, Guides Close Doors as Salmon, Steelhead Numbers Drop

SEATTLE -- Closed fisheries from imperiled fish runs in the Columbia River Basin are prompting calls for action before it's too late. Steelhead …

Struggling salmon also are bad news for the orcas of the Northwest that rely on them. (Conrad Gowell/Columbia Riverkeeper)

NW Heat Boils Salmon, Drives Rallies Across Region

SEATTLE -- Rallies are taking place across the Northwest to support salmon, which face dire conditions in the Columbia River Basin. Saturday…

The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe is helping plant life come back to areas near the former site of the Elwha River Dam. (Mike McHenry)

After Tribe's Century-Long Fight, WA River Dam Removal Helps Nature

By Lindsay VanSomeren for Yes! Media. Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Washington News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News …

A new report looks eelgrass restoration projects on the West Coast, including 14 in Washington state. (Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock)

Report: Vital Seagrass Restoration Needs Real Estate to Thrive

EVERETT, Wash. -- Eelgrass plays a vital role in marine habitats, but along the West Coast, it's disappearing at alarming rates. A new study found …

Twenty sturdy food-storage lockers to keep bears away from campsites will be installed in the Colville National Forest by fall 2021. (U.S. Forest Service/Flickr)

WA Forest More "Bearable" with Food-Locker Protections

SEATTLE - With the addition of food-storage lockers to the Colville National Forest, campers will be able to deter grizzly bears - and in turn…

By 2025, 77% of Snake River Chinook salmon could be on the brink of extinction, according to a report this year. (randimal/Adobe Stock)

Dry Summer Warnings Signal Trouble for NW Salmon

SEATTLE - There are signs this summer could be a bad one for the native salmon of the Northwest. Already, drought has gripped the region, causing …

The Ice Harbor Dam in southeast Washington would be breached under a proposal from Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho. (salmonrecovery/Flickr)

WA Groups: Infrastructure Plan 'Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity' for NW

SEATTLE - Groups are urging Northwest leaders to act on U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson's infrastructure and Snake River dam proposal. It aims to restore what …

Some Seattle restaurants secure their salmon supplies months in advance, to ensure they can serve this iconic Northwest fish. (Aldo/Adobe Stock)

NW Infrastructure Plan Could Bolster WA Restaurants

SEATTLE -- If the Pacific Northwest has a taste, it's for the region's salmon, but as the iconic fish species dwindles, it also effects a food chain …

Some groups in the Northwest say four dams in southwest Washington need to come down in order to save the region's native salmon populations. (Ryan Hagerty/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

After ID Salmon Workgroup, a Push for Regional Recovery

SEATTLE -- Idaho Gov. Brad Little's workgroup to consider what to do about dwindling salmon numbers has wrapped up, as conservation groups in …

Parts of the Emerald Edge could sequester 3.5 million tons of carbon dioxide, if protected. (Bryan Evans/The Nature Conservancy)

Bezos Earth Fund to Help Protect NW's 'Emerald Edge' Forest

SEATTLE -- The Nature Conservancy has been chosen as one of the first recipients to benefit from Jeff Bezos' $10 billion fund to fight climate change…

Brown bears on the Kenai peninsula in Alaska are an isolated and at-risk population. (Berkely Bedell/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

WA Rep Opposes Brown Bear Rule Change in AK

SEATTLE -- Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal is among the members of Congress calling for the withdrawal of a proposed rule that would open up brown …

Temperatures have been above 68 degrees Fahrenheit at dams along the Columbia and Snake Rivers, which is dangerous for cold-water fish species. (Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife/Flickr)

Salmon Struggle to Beat Heat in Columbia River Basin

SEATTLE -- Salmon in the Columbia River basin have been feeling the heat -- and experts say it's pushing fish species to the brink of extinction…

The sockeye salmon runs of Bristol Bay, Alaska, are world-renowned. (BB Armstrong/The Nature Conservancy)

Feds' Approval of AK Mine Raises Concerns for Salmon, Environment

SEATTLE - Conservation, tribal and fishing groups are condemning the Army Corps of Engineers' recommendation to permit the Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay…

Commercial and recreational fishing supports about 60,000 jobs on the Washington coast. (Bill Perry/Adobe Stock)

Coastal Restoration: A Lifeline for WA Communities

SEATTLE -- An infrastructure bill in Congress would give a big boost to restoration projects along the Washington coast. Dr. Erin Meyer, director of …

The Nooksack River is crucial salmon habitat for the Northwest. (Patrick McNall/Flickr)

WA Dam Removal Brings Hope for NW Fish, Orcas

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- Construction crews have begun work to remove the Middle Fork Nooksack Dam near Bellingham, restoring a crucial river for salmon…

The Washington State Department of Transportation has completed a wildlife crossing on I-90 near Snoqualmie Pass. (WSDOT/Flickr)

Congress Could Help Wildlife Cross Treacherous Highways

SEATTLE -- The perils of traffic aren't just a human concern. Wildlife advocates say animals need highway crossings to survive. Mitch Friedman's …

Nine Washington state wolves were removed because of conflicts with livestock in 2019. (WDFW/Flickr)

WA Wolf Count Up, But Species Isn't Out of Woods Yet

SEATTLE -- Washington state's wolf population is on the rise, according to a new count, but conservation groups say the species still has a long road …

Northwesterners are concerned salmon fishing could be a dying industry if historically low return rates continue. (Nan Palermo/Flickr)

NW Residents Concerned Feds Not Doing Enough to Save Salmon

SEATTLE -- Federal agencies have released a report on management plans in the Columbia River basin to save endangered salmon species, rejecting …

Dwindling salmon numbers in the Pacific Northwest have hit Southern Resident orca populations hard. (j.c. winkler/Flickr)

Conservation Groups, Utilities Partner Up on Snake River Dams' Future

SEATTLE -- Energy companies and conservation groups want to bridge the divide on a contentious issue in the Northwest: the future of four Snake River …

Gov.Inslee's Southern Resident Orca Task Force has recommended considering the impacts of four lower Snake River dams on salmon populations. (Bonneville Power/Flickr)

Gov. Inslee Report Weighs Future of Snake River

SEATTLE - A report on the future of the Snake River in southeast Washington comes out today. The Lower Snake River Dams Stakeholder draft report …

The Washington state Department of Natural Resources oversees about 2 million acres of state-owned forest land. (rnjacobs/Flickr)

Report: WA Agency Makes Progress on Climate, Has Work to Do Elsewhere

SEATTLE – The Washington state Department of Natural Resources is making progress on high profile issues facing the state, but that could be …

A new film underscores the plight of the remaining 73 Southern Resident orcas in the Northwest, by examining their primary food source. (Peterson Hawley Productions)

Film Finds Momentum for Removing Dams to Save Orcas

SEATTLE – A new documentary film argues that removing dams in eastern Washington would help the Northwest's dwindling population of orcas…

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PNS Daily Newscast - May 8, 2024

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WA: Endangered Species & Wildlife