Morning photo: Manatee madness

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Florida wildlife

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A manatee comes up for air in Florida’s Crystal River.

CRYSTAL RIVER — Getting a closeup look at marine mammals is always a treat. I believe we have a lot more in common with our ocean-going friends than we realize, and we should be trying to listen to what they have to say. This week, I had a chance to visit the Crystal River in Florida this week to look for manatees. The gentle vegetarians are protected by various federal and state laws, but they are still struggling due to extensive development and other human activities along the Florida coast. One of the best places to catch a glimpse of manatees is at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park about 45 minutes north of Tampa, Florida. Biologists at the park help rehabilitate manatees that have been injured by boat strikes, and from the park’s manatee observatory, it’s easy to see the deep scars on their backs. We’ve made some progress on protecting these magnificent marine mammals, but there’s more work to be done. (more…)

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Colorado: River otters, bald eagles move into Summit County

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
One of a pair of dead rivers otters recently found along Dillon Dam Road (foot shown for size).

One of a pair of dead rivers otters recently found along Dillon Dam Road (foot shown for size). Bob Berwyn photo.

Rare species find a home in the heart of a mountain resort community

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO — Along with the well-documented saga of threatened Canada lynx making a comeback in Summit County, the local mountains are also home to several other rare species that are making comebacks.

It’s a sure sign that Summit County is a key biodiversity crossroads— something worth remembering on Endangered Species Day.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Colorado Parks and Wildlife district manager Sean Shepherd confirmed the first sighting of river otters in the Upper Blue Basin. Unfortunately, the pair of otters was found dead along Dillon Dam Road, most likely hit by cars.

But the fact that they are showing up in new places is nonetheless an encouraging sign, Shepherd said, adding that another otter was also killed recently along Highway 9 north of Silverthorne, near the Blue River campground.

Bald eagles, which can be spotted frequently along the Lower Blue River, have recently been reported around Dillon Reservoir, where a pair is setting up a nest on a platform built for ospreys. A pair of nesting ospreys, meanwhile, has built a nest atop a dead lodgepole pine in the vicinity of Heaton Bay campground. Wildlife biologists say bald eagles will sometimes kick osprey out their nest and take it over. (more…)

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Conservation groups challenge federal wolverine plan

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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Can wolverines survive global warming? Map courtesy USFWS.

More protections needed to preserve North America’s rarest mammal

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A federal proposal to list wolverines as threatened under the Endangered Species Act doesn’t go far enough to protect the rare species, according to the Western Environmental Law Center, which called on the agency to use a “threatened” listing to ensure survival of North America’s rarest mammal.

The comment letter to the USFWS was submitted on behalf of 26 conservation groups  from across the wolverine’s range in the West. Federal biologists proposed listing wolverines in early February, responding to a court-ordered deadline. Global warming and habitat loss are seen as the main threats.

After being nearly extirpated from the contiguous 48 states by poisoning and trapping, populations started to recover, but there are only an estimated 250 to 200 individuals. (more…)

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Biodiversity: Draft wolverine plan gets mixed reviews

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Draft listing proposal ends with mixed reviews

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The USFWS takes another step toward finalizing a wolverine recovery effort. Photo courtesy USFWS/Steve Kroschel.

By Bob Berwyn

*Click here for more Summit Voice wolverine stories

FRISCO —A draft federal proposal to list wolverines as threatened under the Endangered Species Act elicited mixed reviews as the formal comment period ended May 6. Some states  in the northern Rockies opposed the proposal, saying that wolverines don’t need federal protection, but Colorado is generally supportive of the plan. At the same time, coalition of conservation groups asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ratchet up protection with an “endangered” listing.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will now consider all the comments and finalize a listing decision during the next year.

Wolverines are the largest member of the weasel family. They were hunted, poisoned and trapped to near extinction across much of their range in the early 20th century. Since then, populations recovered in the North Cascades, as well the Northern Rocky Mountains in Idaho, Montana, Oregon (Wallowa Range), and Wyoming. (more…)

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Ocean protection pays off for green sea turtles

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Study confirms that turtles are using protected areas around Florida

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Green sea turtle. Photo courtesy Andy Bruckner/NOAA.

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — U.S. Geological Survey scientists say they’ve tracked endangered green sea turtles in Dry Tortugas National Park and the Florida Keys Marine National Sanctuary, showing that efforts to protect marine habitat are paying off.

The researchers confirmed the turtles’ use of the protected areas by tracking nesting turtles with satellite tags and analyzing their movement patterns after they left beaches. Until now, it was not clear whether the turtles made use of existing protected areas, and few details were available as to whether they were suited for supporting the green sea turtle’s survival.

“Our goal was to better understand what types of habitats they used at sea and whether they were in fact putting these designated areas to use. This study not only shows managers that these designated protected areas are already being used by turtles, but provides insight into the types of habitats they use most,” said the study’s lead author, USGS research ecologist Kristen Hart. (more…)

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Biodiversity: Wildlife advocates howling mad about draft federal plan to take wolves off the Endangered Species List

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Wolves may not be in danger of extinction, but are they recovered?

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The current legal status of wolves in the U.S.

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A gray wolf follows a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. Photo courtesy NPS/Doug Smith.

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO —An oft-discussed proposal to remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species List has progressed to the point that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has developed a fairly detailed draft version of the plan. The draft rule proposes removing all protections for wolves in 29 eastern states but maintaining endangered status for the Mexican wolf by listing it as a subspecies.

“We propose these actions because the best available scientific and commercial information indicates that the currently listed entity is not a valid species under the Act and that the Mexican wolf (C. l. baileyi) is an endangered subspecies,” the agency wrote in the draft. (more…)

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Study: Greater sage-grouse need wide-open spaces

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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Greater sage-grouse. Photo courtesy USFWS.

Biologists take close look at sage-grouse habitat requirements

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A new U.S. Geological Survey-led study illustrates some of the challenges associated with conserving greater sage-grouse in western landscapes that are increasingly fragmented by human activities, including exurban sprawl and energy development.

Within their sagebrush habitat, the scientists documented very specific environmental conditions showing that the birds prefer to breed in drier-than-average regions within a small temperature and precipitation range. The findings suggest that predicted changes in climate may cause lek locations to change depending on where there are optimal arid conditions.

After taking a close look at most of the data available for more than 3,000 active breeding areas, the biologists concluded that the large birds do best in “landscapes with extremely minimal levels of human land use.” (more…)

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California gillnet fishery eyed as threat to whales

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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Spem whale photo by Tim Cole, National Marine Fisheries Service.

Endangered whales perishing in mile-long nets

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — California’s drift gillnet fishery may be classified as one of the most deadly to marine mammals, the National Marine Fisheries Service said this week, announcing its proposed list of fisheries classifications in the Federal Register as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

According to federal biologists, more than three sperm whales die inadvertently each year after being entangled in the drifting nets along with other non-target species like sharks, turtles, dolphins and sea lions. The loss of sperm whales isn’t sustainable considering the small overall population, according to the proposed listing. (more…)

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Biodiversity: More condors die of lead poisoning

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Conservation advocates want to phase out lead ammunition

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Majestic California condors are dying of lead poisoning on a regular basis.

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — With another three endangered California condors dead from lead poisoning in Arizona, conservation advocates are ramping up their call to phase out the use of lead ammunition.

Three condors may not sound like many, but that’s nearly 5 percent of the entire Arizona-Utah population, which numbers only about 80 birds. Seven of the birds have died since December, and three of the deaths are definitively linked with lead poisoning, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

Since condors eat carrion, they ingest spent lead ammunition fragments as part of their diet. Lead poisoning is also suspected in the other four deaths. At least 38 condors have been killed by lead poisoning in Arizona and Utah. Lead poisoning recently killed the female of Utah’s only breeding pair of condors. Each year, up to half of the wild Grand Canyon condors must be given life-saving, emergency blood treatment for lead poisoning. (more…)

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Scientists call for phase-out of lead hunting ammunition

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

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Condor recovery efforts have been hampered in part by numerous cases of lead poisoning. Photo courtesy USFWS.

California considers ban, as studies show that switching to non-lead ammunition is viable

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — Ammunition used by hunters is probably the biggest single source of toxic lead in the environment, according to a statement from leading scientists, who said that lead ammo  poses a serious danger to people and wildlife and ought to be phased out.

Lead is an extremely toxic substance that is dangerous to people and wildlife even at low levels. Lead exposure can cause a range of health effects, from acute poisoning and death to long-term problems such as reduced reproduction, inhibition of growth, and damage to neurological development. (more…)

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