Endangered Species & Wildlife / Public News Service

Conservationists say the Recovering America's Wildlife Act could support improvements to water quality in the Ozarks, including the Buffalo National River. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Wildlife Act Could Boost AR Conservation, Advocates Say

ST. JOE, Ark. -- More than a decade of restoration efforts in a section of Northern Arkansas' Ozark National Forest have led to 40 new species of …

The proposed Western Riverside County Wildlife Refuge is key habitat to the federally endangered Quino checkerspot butterfly. (Eric Porter/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Conservation Groups Build Support for Riverside County Wildlife Refuge

HEMET, Calif. -- Public-lands groups are asking Congress to support the proposed Western Riverside County Wildlife Refuge, a 500,000-acre swath …

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed endangered-species protections for gray wolves in 2020. (Dennis Donohue/Adobe Stock)

Conservation Groups: Tribal Nations Should be Partners in Wolf Management

HELENA, Mont. -- To honor the Biden administration's steps toward greater ties with tribal nations, conservation groups are calling on it to list the …

One way climate change affects the western monarch butterfly is by changing the times that certain flowers bloom, which may not match up with monarchs' migration patterns. (LisaLeo/Morguefile)

Western Monarch Butterflies Rebound from Edge of Extinction

GOLETA, Calif. - The western monarch butterfly appears to be pulling back from the edge of extinction - with more than 100,000 counted so far in the 2…

Black-footed ferrets rely exclusively on prairie dogs for prey and on prairie-dog burrows for shelter. (Adobe Stock)

Suit Filed Over Plan to Poison Thunder Basin Prairie Dogs

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Wildlife advocates are taking the U.S. Forest Service to court over a plan to eliminate prairie dogs from the Thunder Basin …

Experts estimate the Gulf of Mexico lost between 4 billion and 8 billion oysters due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and loss of reproduction in ensuing years. Places like Suwannee Sound in Florida and other Gulf states are tapping settlement money to help populations rebound. (macayran/Pixabay)

Settlement Funds from Oil Spill to Help Restore FL Oyster Reefs

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Storm damage, pollution and other factors - some related to climate change - are reducing the oyster population. But settlement …

Environmental advocates say drift gillnet fishing gear is a significant threat to the endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle. (NOAA)

Report: Fishing Crews Greatly Under-report Endangered Bycatch

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- California swordfishing crews failed to self-report any of the sea turtles and more than 98% of the marine mammals they …

Pumpkin seeds germinate best in soil that is between 80 and 85 degrees. (encierro/Adobe Stock)

Naturalist: Recycle Jack-O-Lanterns, Use Pumpkin Seeds as Birdfeed

BOSTON - Now that Halloween has passed, groups recommend recycling leftover jack-o-lanterns, rather than sending them to landfills. Pumpkins are 90% …

The Great Meadows Marsh is an important habitat for horseshoe crabs, blue crabs and fish such as the Atlantic silverside and menhaden. (Audubon Connecticut)

Restoration Project at Great Meadows Marsh Aims to Invest in CT's Coastline

STRATFORD, Conn. -- A restoration project broke ground yesterday that will revive one of Connecticut's largest salt marshes thanks to a $4 million …

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 …

The Lower Granite Lake Dam on the Snake River is among the dams conservation groups want removed to help salmon. (davidrh/Adobe Stock)

Columbia, Snake Rivers Litigation Pause Puts Spotlight on NW Salmon

BOISE, Idaho - Action on behalf of Northwest salmon could be in the works after announcements from the Biden administration, leaders in Washington …

More than 70% of documented Mexican gray wolf deaths are human-caused, according to the environmental law firm Earthjustice. (Rebecca Bose/Wolf Conservation Center)

Judge: Plan for Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Must Address Poaching

ALBUQUERUE, N.M. - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has six months to develop new language in its Mexican gray wolf recovery plan, after a judge …

More than 100 Mexican gray wolves have been poached by humans since the lobos were added to the Endangered Species List in the 1980s. Fewer than 200 are left in the U.S. (Majurik/Adobe Stock)

Judge Orders Poaching Protections for Endangered Mexican Gray Wolves

TUCSON, Ariz. - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has six months to develop new language in its Mexican gray wolf recovery plan, after a judge ruled …

The planet lost an area of forest larger than the United Kingdom in 2020, according to research by the University of Maryland. (Adobe Stock)

New Scorecard Helps Consumers Find Responsibly Sourced Wood Furniture

HIGH POINT, N.C. - The National Wildlife Federation and Sustainable Furnishings Council have released the latest list of furniture retailers who rely …

Forests can play a big role in alleviating climate-change threats. Forests, harvested wood products and urban trees offset 11% of greenhouse-gas emissions in the United States each year. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Hunters, Anglers Have Stake in Climate-Change Solutions

DENVER -- Few people spend as much time in the wilderness and outdoors as hunters and anglers, and a new report aims to be a springboard to bring …

The National Wildlife Federation warns hunters and anglers in Arizona and elsewhere to act now to save their favorite outdoor habitats from the dangers of climate change. (Christine Glade/Adobe Stock)

Conservation Group Urges Hunters, Anglers to Fight Climate Change

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- A new report found climate change is affecting public lands used by Arizona hunters and anglers, and encouraged them to join the …

The Mashomack Preserve is one of more than 100 nature preserves in New York under the care of The Nature Conservancy. (Carl Heilman/The Nature Conservancy)

Partnership Mixes Traditional & Western Ways to Protect NY Preserves

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - New York environmental groups are teaming up to blend Indigenous knowledge of the land with Western scientific knowledge to …

The proposed reserve includes a section of the Connecticut River, which contributes 75% of the freshwater found in the Long Island Sound. (Adobe Stock)

CT Close to Establishing Its First Natural Estuarine Research Reserve

OLD LYME, Conn. -- Connecticut soon will join a majority of East Coast states in having a federally recognized estuary, which could help identify …

Wolves had made a major comeback in the West, but wildlife managers say policies in Montana threaten to roll back that progress. (jimcumming88/Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Professionals Decry Direction of MT Management

HELENA, Mont. -- Wildlife managers and biologists in Montana are airing their frustration over how the state is managing its natural resources…

As many as 30 million pronghorn once roamed the plains and grasslands of North America. (magazine.wildlife.state.nm.us)

At-Risk Pronghorn Make Other Species Vulnerable

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Millions of pronghorn used to roam the West freely. But impediments such as roads and fences, as well as a changing climate…

Pronghorn today inhabit a fraction of their historic range, which used to stretch from Canada to Mexico. (BGSmith/Adobe Stock)

Challenges for Pronghorn Highlight Importance of Connected Landscapes

BOISE, Idaho - Millions of pronghorn used to roam the West freely. But impediments like road and fences, as well as a changing climate, threaten the …

The grasslands of the West are critical habitat for migrating pronghorn. (hdsidesign/Adobe Stock)

Impacts from Imperiled Pronghorn Migration Routes Reach Beyond Species

HELENA, Mont. - Millions of pronghorn used to roam the West freely. But impediments like road and fences, as well as a changing climate, threaten the …

Pronghorn numbers have dropped precipitously but still can be found in Colorado. (RachelKolokoffHopper/Adobe Stock)

Barriers to Migrating Plague Pronghorn in West

DENVER - Millions of pronghorn used to roam the West freely. But impediments like road and fences, as well as a changing climate, threaten the …

Pronghorn migrate hundreds of miles across the West's grasslands each year. (ichard Wright,Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock)

Flourishing, Open Grasslands Support Pronghorn, Other Wildlife

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Millions of pronghorn used to roam the West freely. But impediments like road and fences, as well as a changing climate, threaten …

The summer tanager is a migratory species that has been restored to its original habitat along the Lower Colorado River Basin. (Flickr)

States Jointly Restoring Wildlife Habitat Along Lower Colorado River

PHOENIX -- A cooperative effort to restore habitats along the Lower Colorado River Basin is seeing the re-emergence of several threatened and endanger…

Run the Red begins in the former gold mining community of South Pass City and takes runners through the northern Red Desert - a maze of buttes, canyons, badlands, wilderness study areas and miles of open country. (Adobe Stock)

Runners Celebrate Wyoming Public Lands Day in Red Desert

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. -- This weekend, athletes from across the nation gathered in South Pass City to Run the Red, a series of marathons through the Red …

The least tern is among nearly 500 species under threat of decline in North Carolina. (Don Henise/Flickr)

NC Senators Sponsor Bipartisan Wildlife Protection Bill

RALEIGH, N.C. - A bipartisan bill to protect wildlife species before they're imperiled has gained the support of North Carolina's senators. It's the …

The Truckee River is considered exceptional for its water quality and importance to wildlife. (Lauren Kuhlman)

NV Rivers, Streams Singled Out for Protection

RUBY MOUNTAINS, Nev. -- Nevada is the driest state in the nation, yet few of its rivers and streams have federal protections. Now a new report …

The Bridger-Teton National Forest occupies the traditional lands of the Shoshone-Bannock, Eastern Shoshone and Cheyenne people. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Court Rules Against Elk Feedgrounds

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- A federal court agreed with conservationists this week, ordering winter feeding of elk on the Bridger-Teton National Forest …

Anglers in the Columbia River Basin have been packing up earlier than normal this year. (ftfoxfoto/Adobe Stock)

Columbia River Basin Closures Put Fishing Jobs 'On Hold'

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

This, year the theme of Sea Otter Awareness Week is the species' key role in the mosaic of the ecosystem. (Wikimedia Commons)

Groups Push for Progress During Sea Otter Awareness Week

MONTEREY BAY, Calif. - This week, conservation groups are celebrating Sea Otter Awareness Week with online and in-person events across the state…

Rep. Mike Simpson, R-ID, has proposed a $33.5 billion plan to save Chinook salmon and other endangered fish in the Columbia River Basin. (BLM/Flickr)

ID Salmon Industry Feels the Pain from Dismal Runs

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

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 …

A new report examined 15,221 miles of Colorado's rivers that currently lack any conservation designation, but that also met criteria for protections under state law. (Adobe Stock)

Report Spotlights Key Colorado Rivers for Protections

DURANGO, Colo. - Colorado's rivers and streams supply drinking water and outdoor recreation opportunities, and support biodiversity and wildlife…

In 2018 an unknown hunter killed and skinned one of the few remaining jaguars in Arizona, a male named Yo'oko. (Center for Biological Diversity)

Groups Look to Expand Jaguar Habitat After Victory Against Proposed Mine

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The battle against copper mining the Santa Rita Mountains outside of Tucson continues - even though the feds just handed a …

During late summer and fall, bears eat and drink nearly nonstop in preparation for winter hibernation, a process known as hyperphagia. (Adobe Stock)

Safety Tips Offered for Pre-Hibernation Bear Sightings

JACKSON, Wyo. - Bears throughout Wyoming, including celebrated Grizzly 399 and her four adolescent cubs, are becoming increasingly active in search …

The jaguar named "El Jefe" is one of only two of the species known to cross from Mexico into Arizona. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Copper-Mining Fight in Santa Ritas Continues After Feds Protect Jaguars

TUCSON, Ariz. - The battle against copper mining the Santa Rita Mountains outside of Tucson continues - even though the feds just handed a victory to …

The Bridger-Teton National Forest is home to 1.3 million acres of wilderness and thousands of miles of free-flowing rivers. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Migration Key to Conserving Big Game in Bridger-Teton Forest

JACKSON, Wyo. -- A report published today focuses on data-driven efforts to conserve big-game migration in Wyoming's Bridger-Teton National Forest…

During a special hunt in February, Wisconsin hunters killed 218 wolves, well above the state's quota of 119. (Adobe Stock)

WI Faces Lawsuit Over Wolf-Hunt Program

MADISON, Wis. - Animal protection groups hope to overturn Wisconsin's controversial law allowing wolf hunts. A newly filed lawsuit follows months of …

A report on ecologically important rivers in Oregon highlights the Chetco River in the southwestern part of the state. (Zachary Collier/Flickr)

Research Pinpoints 'Best of the Best' Oregon Rivers to Conserve

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A new report identifies some of the most ecologically important rivers in Oregon. Conservation Science Partners looked at 54,000 …

According to the Connecticut Audubon Society, the most common species with symptoms of the unidentified disease range from bluebirds to American robins and European starlings, to songbirds and hummingbirds. (Adobe Stock)

CT Bird Deaths Decrease; Cause of Illness Remains a Mystery

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Fewer wild birds are dying in Connecticut than earlier this summer, but experts are still trying to pinpoint the cause and are …

About 12% of the nation's lands and one-quarter of its waters are currently protected, according to research by the Center for American Progress. (tn.gov)

New Mexico Joins Other Western States in Conservation Challenge

SANTA FE, N.M. -- As Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order to adopt what is known as the "30-by-30" plan promoted by the Biden …

Wildlife overpasses such as this one help mule deer on their migration, which can be up to 100 miles long. (Nevada Department of Wildlife)

NV State Agencies to Prioritize Wildlife Migration Corridors

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Sage grouse, pronghorn, mule deer and bighorn sheep are just a few of the species expected to benefit from a new executive order …

This summer's unprecedented heat waves, droughts, fires and severe storms are occurring now, where global temperatures have only risen 1.2 degrees Celsius. Scientists project that average temperatures will rise by 2 degrees Celsius in the next two decades. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Less Than a Decade Remains for Action on Climate Change

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Less than a decade remains to avoid potentially catastrophic impacts of a warming planet, according to the latest report from top …

Wyoming Business Leaders Urge Feds to Take Action on Climate

LANDER, Wyo. - Less than a decade remains to avoid potentially catastrophic impacts of a warming planet, according to the latest scientific reports…

Radio telemetry can identify radio-tagged animals 10 or miles away. (West Virginia Department of Commerce)

WV Using Radio Technology to Track Wildlife Migratory Patterns

UNION, W.Va. -- West Virginia researchers are utilizing old-school radio technology to study the migratory patterns of wildlife in remote areas of …

Protecting chickens from bears is one of the top reasons people have used the Electric Fence Incentive Program. (Russ Talmo)

Electric Fencing Incentive Program Provides Bear-Prevention Tool

MISSOULA, Mont. -- Got a grizzly problem? A Defenders of Wildlife program is helping folks deter bears from their property, by reimbursing …

Together, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests are home to many diverse ecosystems, with elevations ranging from 5,000 feet to more than 14,000 feet. (P Owens/usda.gov)

Groups Urge More Wilderness in GMUG National Forests' Draft Plan

DELTA, Colo. - The U.S. Forest Service has released its draft management plan for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests. The plan …

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PNS Daily Newscast - November 30, 2021

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