How the plan to drain Nevada desert valleys suddenly collapsed

Legislation from 2003 had a hidden flaw-

The small oversight that threatens the valley’s big pipeline proposal. Nevada Supreme court cites a wording error in ’03 legislation. By Emily Green and Tom Gorman, Las Vegas Sun.

The seemingly unstoppable “water witch of the West” made an early mistake.

I hope it is truly dead, but Put Mulroy may have more cards up her sleeve. Pipeline not the sole option. Authority exploring other means as predictions for Lake Mead remain grim.By Stephanie Tavares. Las Vegas Sun.

As giant Lake Mead continues to dry up, and the drain-the-desert plan maybe dead, will the economic depression in Nevada keep the Las Vegas area wet?

Wolf population growth in ID/MT/WY halted in 2009

Increased mortality has stopped the wolf population growth says USFWS-

Tally shows wolves holding steady in region after Montana, Idaho hunting seasons. By Matthew Brown. AP

The 3 state wolf population growth has stopped. Wyoming’s population, where there was no wolf hunt, grew slightly. Montana’s population dropped slightly. Idaho figures are not in, but said to be comparable to last year. Although the article above attributes the halt to the hunt, it should be noted that wolf population growth had been dropping on its own for several years.

The article says “The number of breeding packs increased slightly, from 95 to 111.” [emphasis added]. This could be because increased mortality, especially with hunting might be expected to result in more pack, but smaller packs. However, the delisting plan requires each state to count its breeding pairs, not breed packs. They are not the same. A breeding pack is a group of wolves with some pups at the end of the year. The definition of a breeding pair is different. It has to be two or more wolves with 2 pups at the end of the year and the individual wolves that produced the pups have to also be alive too at the end of the year.

Here is an opposing view from the NRDC. Big Problem: Wolf Population Declining [see note] in Northern Rockies. By Matt Skoglund. Opposing Views. Note that this headline is wrong because NRDC doesn’t say in the article that the wolf population is declining. Skoglund had originally entitled it “The Northern Rockies Wolf Population Has Stopped Growing.” It was changed when Opposing Views picked it up.

New federal grazing fee announced. No change this year, already at lowest allowed by law

Grazing formula again dictates $1.35 a month to graze a cow and a calf or 5 sheep-

A formula to set federal grazing fees designed to partially insulate grazers of federal land from the market became law in 1976. It was supposed to go up and down according to livestock prices and costs of doing business, but it was rigged in favor of costs of doing business. In 1978, $1.35 was set as the lowest possible fee for an AUM (Animal Unit Month).  Every once and a while the formula has required  higher grazing fees, but never much more.

The rock bottom fee now in force has never been adjusted for inflation. So $1.35 in 1976 is now about like 50 cents. Think about this the next time you are charged $5 or $10 to merely park your vehicle at some federal recreation site such as a trailhead.

Oh, and you can’t pay the grazing fee yourself and get the livestock removed. If this was allowed, I’d write a personal check today plus a bonus and pay the grazing fees for all the livestock grazers who pay them on the local Forest Service ranger district and get the livestock removed. I’m not a rich person. I’m merely middle class, but I have enough money in my checkbook right now to pay all of their grazing fees. They are that low — that overprivileged!

Grazing fees on public lands unchanged for 2010. Seattle Times. AP
Federal Grazing Fee Announced for 258 Million Acres: Public to Subsidize Public Land Destruction, Species Endangerment. Center for Biological Diversity.

Controversial wolf hunt over, Sweden now wants to import wolves

Purpose of import is not due to excessive wolf mortality during the hunt. It is lack of genetic diversity-

Sweden wants to import 20 genetically diverse wolves over the next five years.  Although the Swedish Parliament wants to limit the wolf population to about 200 wolves, and so had their first wolf hunt this year, apparently the population is based on too few founding wolves and suffers from inbreeding.

The ill effects of inbreeding do not go away when a population based on just a few animals grows in size. Therefore, the importation of new wolves and the hunt are not related. Regardless of one’s opinion about the wolf hunt, bringing in unrelated wolves will benefit the health of the 200 or so Swedish wolves.

The official number of wolves killed in the recent wolf hunt was 27.

Sweden to import wolves. UPI.com

There is a lesson here for all those people who prefer a “natural” (unassisted recovery) of any animal — unless there is a large in-migration, the renewed population is not likely to be genetically healthy even if it becomes fairly large.

Mange in the mountains

Here is the story how mange came to be in the Northern Rockies-

There has been a lot of discussion of mange in this forum lately, including one thread that got out of hand. Fortunately,  Mike Stark of the Billings Gazette wrote a story about it in 2007.

Mange in the mountains. Disease used to help wipe out wolves century ago plagues animals today.

This is truly a sorry story and for more than the wolves.

Editorial on Idaho Cattle Association plan to cradle ranchers on state lands

No on a constitutional amendment to protect ranchers from competitive bidding on state lands-

Lake Creek was the straw the broke the bovine's back - it prompted the organization of Idaho Watersheds Project (now Western Watersheds Project). Left: Condition of state land on Lake Creek, July 24, 1994 © Lynne Stone; Right: Condition of state land on Lake Creek July 18, 2007

Idaho was given over 2-million acres of federal land at statehood to be managed to provide maximum income for the public schools.. These school endowment lands do make money for the schools, but almost all of it comes from timber sales in northern Idaho.

The bulk of the stand land acreage, however, has been devoted to livestock grazing. In many years it returns nothing to the schools after administrative costs.  It is a nice thing for a few well placed ranchers — low grazing fees and no competition except when once in a while one outfit bids against another to graze the land when the 10-year lease expires.

Jon Marvel and the Idaho (now “Western”)  Watersheds Project changed this after a long battle to allow conservation and others to bid to use the land for 10 years.

Despite outbidding the ranchers only to have their winning bids overturned by the Land Board, the Land Board finally relented after losing lawsuit after lawsuit in state court. In 2007 they formally recognized the right of conservationists to bid and win some of these lands for a decade.  This not only protects and restores the usually overgrazed land;  it puts more money into the public schools. Conservationists are hardly going to snap up all the state lands. They have far too little money for that.

Nevertheless, the powerful Idaho Cattle Association, which nearly rules the Idaho legislature, wants an amendment to the state constitution to allow only ranchers to use these lands. This is at a time the public schools are reeling and Idaho school children even more disadvantaged than usual.

The Magic Valley Times-News editorializes on this latest effort on behalf of welfare ranching. Editorial: Land Board got it right: State lands open to all Idahoans.

Prepare for a disinformation battle. The livestock lobby will be talking about how a little competition will push ranch families off  “their” lands.

Yea! Nevada Supreme Court Rules Against Vegas Water Claim

A great victory for rural Nevada and the land and wildlife over Pat Mulroy and Southern Nevada Water Authority-

“Plans to siphon billions of gallons of groundwater from rural Nevada were tossed out today by the Nevada Supreme Court.” Nevada Supreme Court Rules Against Vegas Water Claim. LasVegasNow.com

~more~

Nevada water pipeline: In jeopardy? Greenspace: Environmental news from California and beyond. LA Times.

Alert on Utah wolves

What you can do if you oppose Utah state senator Allen Christensen’s wolf killing bill-

Note I made a serious error in the original headline. The sponsor is Allen Christensen, not Kirk Robinson. Dr. Kirk Robinson is Director of Western Wildlife Conservancy, an organization that advocates for the full range of wildlife not just a couple of big game animals. My apologies. Ralph Maughan

– – – – –

Alert

Wolves urgently need your help.  Please send the following alert to as many people as you can.  Use your organization’s email list if you can!  Do it right away, then act on it yourself!

The organization Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife has a bill before the Utah legislature that would require the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to prevent wolf packs from becoming established in the Utah portion of the Rocky Mountain gray wolf recovery area.  This part of the recovery area is where dispersing wolves from the Yellowstone country have been entering Utah, some of them traveling on to Colorado.  If this bill passes, any wolves entering Utah in this area will be subject to capture and return or death.

Utah: Citing possible prison time, DWR boss speaks out against wolf-removal bill

Sen. Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, doing the apparent bidding of Don Peay*  has sponsored SB36, a bill to kill any wolves that migrate to Utah.  The bill would be a violation of U.S. law. Defending it in court will just cost Utah taxpayers money. Except for northern Utah, wolves in the State are fully protected by the endangered species act.  The head of the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources told the truth. No doubt some legislators will threaten him . . . today’s politics!

Citing possible prison time, DWR boss speaks out against wolf-removal bill. By Patty Henetz. The Salt Lake Tribune

– – – –
*Peay is the founder of Sportsman for Fish and Wildlife. He pretty much sets Utah wildlife policy, according to some commentators.

Kathie Lynch: Yellowstone wolf notes Dec to Jan 2010

It looks like the Blacktails are now the largest pack on the Northern Range-

Kathie Lynch has written another report on the Yellowstone wolves (actually those on the Park’s northern range). My subhead above is just one of the many interesting facts I read in her report such as the Mollies alpha male is largest wolf in the Park.

– – – – –

Yellowstone Wolf Notes. Dec. 09; Jan. 10. By Kathie Lynch
© Kathie Lynch

♦ Trips to Yellowstone in December 2009 and January 2010 provided better than expected wolf watching, considering the continuing decline in population size.

January 12, 2010, marked the fifteenth anniversary of the reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park. The year 2009 ended with less than 100 wolves in Yellowstone Park, down from 124 a year ago and close to half of the 171 counted just two years ago. The number has not been this low since just a few years after 31 wolves were reintroduced in 1995 and 1996.

The biggest current challenge some wolves are dealing with is sarcoptic mange, caused by a mite. It causes terrible itching and can kill through infection or hypothermia due to hair loss. However, wolves can recover from even severe cases, as the Mollies pack did last year.

The famous Druid Peak pack is currently the most severely affected. Every Druid wolf exhibits some degree of hair loss, especially on the tail, rear, back, legs and abdomen–anywhere they can bite and scratch at the itchy mite. It is a common sight to see them trying to sleep standing up to avoid exposing their bare spots to the cold, snowy ground.

The Druids have undergone big changes since the death of alpha female 569F last fall and the subsequent dispersal of alpha male 480M. These two wolves deserve immense credit (along with Druid 529F and Leopold/Druid/Blacktail 302M) for resurrecting the Druid Peak pack after it dwindled down to only legendary alpha 21M’s last two daughters (529F and 569F) in 2004.

The wolf tapeworm scare

Montana official says it boils down to anti-wolf propaganda-

This is about the 4th time I have written about Echinococcus granulosus, but here is more information.

It made the news in the Bozeman Chronicle today. “Tapeworm in wolves causes stir, but biologists say there’s little to fear.” By Daniel Person.

This week the Montana State official wolf news — “the Wolf ‘Weekly” — contained the following about tapeworms and wolves.

Echinococcus granulosus was recently documented in Montana and Idaho wolves in a peer reviewed journal article, although it is not known for sure where the E. granulosus originated.  It is considered baseline information for wolves in Montana and Idaho.  FWP has recently completed a fact sheet on Echinococcus, a tape worm.  Here is a short summary.

Two different species of the tape worm are known to exist in Montana wildlife and the environment.  The life cycle requires two different “hosts” – typically a definitive canine host where the worms live in the intestinal tract and from which eggs are shed in feces (wolf, coyote, fox, or domestic dog) and an intermediate host (rodents, domestic or wild ungulates, or occasionally a human) that ingests the eggs previously shed in the definitive host’s feces.  In the intermediate host, eggs can turn into cysts in the organs (liver, lung, or brain).  If the organ tissue of an infected intermediate host is eaten by a wild or domestic canine, adult tapeworms can develop in the intestinal track of the canine and be shed in feces.  Cysts are rarely documented in muscle tissue of the immediate host.

Bighorn east of Missoulia are dying like flies

Pneumonia in bighorn has now spread to Rock Creek-

It just keeps getting worse for the bighorn hit by the pneumonia outbreak near Missoula. Bighorn sheep in Rock Creek latest hit by fatal pneumonia outbreak. By Rob Chaney. Missoulian.

Official Wyoming wolf numbers for ’09 released

319 wolves in Wyoming, but as in ’08 only six breeding pairs in Yellowstone Park-

I think it’s clear that Wyoming’s anti-wolf legislature had hoped that the requirement of ten breeding wolf pairs in the state could be met by Yellowstone Park alone, but yesterday’s USFWS release of the 2009 wolf figures for the state show that to be a pipe dream.

The official estimate is 319 wolves in the state, including just 96 in Yellowstone. Several years ago there were over 170 wolves in Yellowstone. As the Yellowstone population has been shrinking the Wyoming wolf population outside the Park is growing. There are now 223 wolves outside the Park with 21 breeding pairs.

If we look at wolf packs (groups of wolves + groups of wolves with a breeding pair) there were 30 packs outside Yellowstone and 14 inside the Park. The average Wyoming pack size is about 7 wolves. The Park size is also about 7 wolves.

At the end of 2008 there were 178 wolves outside Yellowstone in Wyoming and 124 wolves inside Yellowstone for a total of 302. As in 2009, in 2008 there were only 6 breeding pairs in Yellowstone.

Because of the much greater observational accuracy of packs inside Yellowstone Park, I would judge the number of official breeding pairs there (six) to be more accurate than those outside the Park (officially 21).

If you look at the Wyoming wolf pack map, you will see that the NW corner of the state is pretty well saturated with wolves. Any significant future wolf population growth will depend on reduced  mortality in the numerous and usually transient small packs south of Jackson Hole which are continually disrupted by WS livestock control actions.

Yellowstone quake swarm continues

After dropping off some, quakes increase again-

This time around, fortunately,  fewer folks are predicting doom. 😉

These swarms happen every year or so. With the development of the Internet, blogging, and the realization of the catastrophic potential of the Yellowstone supervolcano, news of these earthquake swarms began to spark alarm when they were reported.  In fact they have come and gone each time making little observable difference.

Large quakes are possible in and near the Park, but not common. The largest since seismology developed was in 1959. This 7.4 quake just northwest of West Yellowstone caused a huge landslide at the mouth of the Madison River Canyon. It dammed the river, buried a number of campers, and created what is now named Quake Lake. In total 35 people died. More information on that quake.

There have been a number of moderate quakes since, and one other large one, a 6.5 quake in 1975 centered near Norris Geyser Basin. None have resulted in any volcanic activity.

More than 1,200 tiny quakes hit Yellowstone Park, but jitters are few.  By Mead Gruver. Associated Press.

~more~

Link to current Yellowstone earthquakes. Yellowstone National Park Special Map

Feb. 10, 2010. Yellowstone earthquake swarm dwindles. Series of quakes is the largest in park since 1985. Jackson Hole News and Guide.

Wood fired (biomass) generation is not a clean and green technology

A new use for the bankrupt Missoula paper mill might save jobs, but beware of “greenwashing”-

“Biomass” fuel, as it is often called, is said to be environmentally friendly and carbon neutral. It may be that way sometimes, but cutting down dead forests, hauling them off and burning them to make steam for electricity is not.

Dr. Thomas Power discusses why this is so.

Guest Column (in New West). Biomass Potential for Old Montana Mill Raises Many Questions. By Thomas Power.

One additional problem Dr. Power doesn’t mention is what happens when the beetle killed forest fuel is exhausted or too much decayed and a green stand of trees is on the horizon?
– – – – – –

More recent wildlife relevant news on biofuels.
Both of these article say monocultures of biofuels are environmentally harmful projects.

Diverse Landscapes Are Better: Policymakers Urged To Think Broadly About Biofuel Crops. Science Daily
Jan.26, 2010. Biofuel Crop Diversity Adds Value, Researchers Say. Science Daily.

Idaho Statesman editorial: [State] Parks get a reprieve, at a cost

State Parks Dept. to stay. No parks will close. They will cost more-

Otter suffered a big defeat on his plan to hand the parks over to the State Lands Department. Nevertheless, things won’t be the same in the Idaho Parks Dept. or inside the Parks.

Thunderstorm over Harriman State Park. Photo copyright Ralph Maughan

Here is the editorial view of the Idaho Statesman and some details. Our View: Parks get a reprieve, at a cost.  Idaho Statesman

More on the jaguar

Panthera, devoted to conserving wildcats, not thrilled by decision to set aside “critical habitat” for jaguar-

In his NYT op-ed piece yesterday,  “Jaguars Don’t Live Here Anymore,” Alan Rabinowitz, head of Panthera, is not thrilled that USFWS has finally decided to start the ESA process of designating critical habitat for the jaguar in the United States. It is now possible there are no more jaguar here.

Rabinowitz argues that the United States has never been more than marginal jaguar habitat and the money should be spent recovering and protecting the real, and large, but declining jaguar population of Mexico, Central and South America.

It is true that money spent in the U.S. may be pretty marginal to conserving the species, but it’s not like there is one pot of money for the jaguar and designating critical habitat siphons money out of protecting the true jaguar population.

I would say that if USFWS completely ignored any protection for American jaguar, not an extra dime would be generated for south of the border efforts. On the other hand, efforts at  jaguar restoration where Americans live will likely generate interest and support for jaguar conservation in general.

On the great Slickspot Peppergrass Controversy

Various players reflect on the recent listing of the plant, the ESA, conservationists, and the government-

Slickspot Peppergrass (Lepidium papilliferum) covered in cow flop © Brian Ertz

I think this is a big issue for Governor Otter because the plant grows where a lot of his pals graze.

I wish so much attention was paid to Idaho’s staggering education education system and all the unemployed people.  The plant grows in the least populated county in Idaho (lowest population density).

Endangered species clashes: far from extinct. By Nate Poppino.  Magic Valley Times-News writer

Arizona Intentionally Snared Last Jaguar, Inquiry Finds

Does this mean they deliberately killed the state’s last jaguar?

Arizona Intentionally Snared Last Jaguar, Inquiry Finds. By Leslie Kaufman. New York Times.

Wolf lawsuit briefs keep coming into Judge Molloy’s office

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has now filed their brief-

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, conservation groups file briefs in wolf lawsuit. By Rob Chaney. Missoulian

Conservation groups filed their brief (set of or arguments) on Dec. 31. There are other briefs that have been filed as ” friend of the court” (amicus curiae) briefs. These are third party arguments — groups that are neither plaintiff nor defendant.

New Yellowstone Park earthquake swarm

No. It doesn’t mean the end is near 😉

University of Utah seismic station.

Earthquake swarm in park tops 1,000. Billings Gazette.

Note added 1-24.  As expected, the swarm has dropped off a lot.

The explorers’ club

Meet the scientists risking their lives to find Earth’s rarest species

This is an interesting article about cryptozoology, the “study of hidden animals”. One of the scientists mentioned is Dr. Jeff Meldrum, associate professor of anatomy and anthropology and my old college advisor at Idaho State University in Pocatello, who spends part of his time searching for sasquatch. I remain skeptical about their existence but I don’t dismiss it entirely. I had many long conversations with him about his hypothesis and also encountered a few pranksters who visited his office or sent him information. He’s a very intelligent scientist who knows his stuff.

The article also talks about the many unusual discoveries in recent years.

The explorers’ club
By Helena de Bertodano – Telegraph UK

New Sierra Club chief brings confrontational style to the job

Michael Brune is a big foe of industrial polluters-

He has a hard job ahead after yesterday’s Supreme Court decision giving corporations more political power than they have had in a hundred years.

New Sierra Club chief brings confrontational style to the job. “The new leader of the US’s largest environmental group will come to the job with a record of ‘environmental agitation’ against big industrial polluters. From Grist, part of the [U.K.] Guardian Environment Network”  

Pneumonia outbreak widens; FWP will kill 95 sheep in West Riverside herd

Four recent outbreaks of disease in the west

Bighorn Sheep from the Bonner herd © Ken Cole

There are four disease outbreaks among bighorn sheep herds in the news this winter, two in Montana, one in Nevada, and one in Washington State. This is the time of year when bighorn sheep are concentrated so diseases are more easily transmitted.

There has been no mention of where these sheep contracted pneumonia but, as I mentioned in the recent story about this, there is domestic sheep grazing in an effort to control weeds in the nearby mountains. Could this be the cause?

Pneumonia outbreak widens; FWP will kill 95 sheep in West Riverside herd
By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian

Yet another plane crash for wildlife counters

These 2 were not as lucky as the Idaho counters/wolf darters-

Fish and Wildlife plane crash in Oregon kills 2. News-Times.com. AP

Servheen predicts Glacier National Park area grizzlies could be delisted in next 5 years

Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem griz said to be doing well-

The Greater Yellowstone ecosystem grizzlies were delisted a couple years ago, but then relisted by Judge Molloy. Now the head of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee foresees delisting the larger population of Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem grizzlies. That is Glacier National Park, the Great Bear Wilderness, the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Scapegoat Wilderness, the Rocky Mountain Front, the Mission Mountains Wilderness, the Whitefish mountain range, and other lands around them — a big area.

I think he is likely right. This ecosystem is much more productive of grizzly bear food than the Greater Yellowstone, and it hasn’t taken as many habitat hits as the Greater Yellowstone.

Biologist predicts grizzly bears’ removal from endangered list. By Chris Peterson. Hungry Horse News

Otter backing off doing away with Idaho Parks and Recreation?

Rocky Barker says State Land Board meeting indicates he is-

Land board doesn’t even discuss parks proposal. By Rocky Barker. Idaho Statesman.

New. 1-22-10. But does Otter even want to allow the Parks Dept. to survive? By Rocky Barker. Idaho Statesman.

True Grit: Jon Marvel

University of Chicago Magazine does a feature on an alumni who shows true grit-

True grit “In a heated showdown with Western cattlemen, Idaho environmentalist Jon Marvel, AB’72, tries to outlaw livestock grazing on public lands” By Lydialyle Gibson. Photography by Dan Dry.

Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton manage roadside griz differently

Which method works best?

Actually it seems to me that there are too few differences in result so far to make a determination.

Glacier hazes roadside bears; Grand Teton, Yellowstone let people close. By Cory Hatch, Jackson Hole News and Guide.

Back in the days before 1970, Yellowstone let people feed sandwiches and twinkes to bears along the roadside. About 60 tourists were injured a year as a result. Yet there was a great outrage from the public when the practice of roadside feeding was stopped.

Today bears are coming back to the edge or roads, but feeding is not allowed. Injuries are few to none. If injuries increase, how will the public and Park Service react?

Some Yellowstone wolf news-

I’ve been in the Park the last several days, the first time in well over a year.  I didn’t expect to see wolves because their number is down and until Jan. 19 I hadn’t visited Lamar Valley.  Yesterday I did show up in the Lamar just after mid-day. Using my “expert wolf spotting skills,” I quickly found an unusual mid-day collection of vehicles and people with spotting scopes. It had to be a major wolf appearance. It was!

Rick McIntyre filled me in, while his scope showed me a view similar to the famous acceptance of wolf 21M by the all female Druid Pack, way back in the day, although the actual interactions were not a new acceptance ritual.

The wolves were visible under some cottonwood about a half mile away — four Druid females, who had been without an alpha male in the pack, were facing a big black. healthy-looking  male wolf.  He actually had first appeared with the pack on December 2. Then on January 17, an equally glossy black fellow joined him. They are probably brothers.  His apparent brother was bedded in the snow 50 yards away. The Druid females themselves were not the prettiest wolves because they suffer from mange. McIntyre told me it appeared to be mostly on their tails, but in fact had also infested some of their rears and bellies. Nevertheless, they are hanging on.  The origin of the two fine black wolves is not known, but the one I saw with the females seems to have become the new alpha. The Druid alpha female is thought to be a wolf informally called “white line.”

Court won’t close shipping locks to keep out carp

This could be very bad news for the Great Lakes

The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to allow Michigan’s request to close a lock which would keep Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. The whole case has not been decided yet so there may still be hope.

Court won’t close shipping locks to keep out carp
By JOHN FLESHER
AP ENVIRONMENTAL WRITER

Plans to release 40 Utah bighorn in Wyoming’s Seminoe Mtns Canceled

Utah doesn’t have enough sheep-

Several months ago we reported on this plan to augment a dwindling population of bighorn in these relatively unknown south central Wyoming mountains. At any rate, Utah  bighorn haven’t done well this year, so the project is canceled.

Plans to release 40 Utah bighorn in Wyoming Seminole Mtns Canceled. AP

Great White: Rare worm vs. farmers

The giant Palouse earthworm can’t be found—yet it’s dividing the Palouse

An interesting article about an earthworm that hasn’t been seen more than 4 times in the last 100 years. The Palouse is a region of Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington which was predominated by prairie but is now predominated by winter wheat and other crops. This is also the area where the appaloosa breed of horses originated.

Great White: Rare worm vs. farmers
by Leah Sottile – Boise Weekly

Oregon biologists fear small moose herd may be infected with deadly parasite

Carotid artery worm is one of the suspects

Moose © Ken Cole

The worm is thought to be behind the declines in Wyoming moose populations as well.

Oregon biologists fear small moose herd may be infected with deadly parasite
By Richard Cockle, The Oregonian

Wildlife Services Releases Strategic Plan

Inadequate funding, lack of understanding and support cited in report

The agency that touts that it “provides Federal leadership and expertise to resolve wildlife conflicts and create a balance that allows people and wildlife to coexist peacefully“ has released its Strategic Plan for 2010 – 2014.

They have a list of “Key Challenges” where they lament that people are becoming detached from the interests of agriculture.

1. Limited Resources for Wildlife Damage Management and Research:
2. Increasing Suburban Growth and Detachment from Agriculture and Wildlife:
3. Strengthening Communications with Stakeholders:
4. Increasing Wildlife Populations:

Populations of Canada geese, white-tailed deer, double-crested cormorants, coyotes, bears, mountain lions, wolves, beaver, and other wildlife species have increased significantly in many parts of the United States. The increases have been the result of land use changes, relocations by State wildlife agencies, and decreased hunting and trapping by the public, in addition to a variety of other reasons. These overabundant populations [emphasis added] of animals in close proximity to humans often result in increased wildlife damage to property and increased human health and safety concerns.

5. Increased Role in “Emergencies” Lead to Erosion for WS
6. Keeping Pace with Evolving Information Technology
7. Workforce Diversity in the Wildlife Management Field:

You can read it here: Strategic Plan for 2010 – 2014

Landowner group tries to block wind development in Northern Laramie Range

Conflicting landowner positions on wind development is scrambling Wyoming politics–

If you look at a wind map of the U.S., the Laramie Mountains are perhaps the best wind area in the United States. That doesn’t mean wind gets to override property rights, however.

Landowner group tries to block wind development in Northern Laramie Range. By Dustin Bleizeffer. Casper Star-Tribune energy reporter.
Tilting at Windmills: The Strange Politics of Wyoming Wind Power. WyoFile. By Jonathan Thompson

Montana gets first statewide bighorn sheep plan

Montana gets first statewide bighorn sheep plan. AP

Here is the plan:
Bighorn Sheep Conservation Strategy

Bison after rationality about brucellosis. Restoration?

The decreasing belief that Yellowstone bison are inherently brucellosis spreaders might open way for plains restoration-

Today there is an optimistic article about bison by Daniel Person the Bozeman Chronicle.

The bison cause brucellosis in cattle story has been under attack here and many other places now for a long time, and it is clear that all the actual cases of brucellosis spread in the Greater Yellowstone have come from elk or cattle.

Person talks about restoration of bison to the plains as a real possibility, but with a lot of questions. One of them is will they eat the grass that cows could be eating?  Of course, that is one reason why there are efforts to create a large reserve by purchasing land so the bison can roam free and not compete with cattle.

For over a decade now, my explanation of the hostility of cattle organizations to bison, however, has been that their opposition is really based on the idea that killing bison as they leave the Park (and even trying to kill them in the Park) is really to show the rest of the West who is still boss around here. The problem with bison restoration is not brucellosis; it is the politics of cultural domination.

Grizzlies in central Idaho is a politically difficult thing

Evidence is grizzly restoration would be much easier if some would just migrate in as opposed to reintroduction-

This article covers a lot of topics about grizzly recovery, bear tracking, restoration, and politics.

Grizzlies in the Bitterroot Mountains politically thorny. By Rob Cheney.  Missoulian

Wolf sightings rise in Oregon Cascades!

Incredible good news!

Wolf sightings on rise in Oregon Cascades. By The Associated Press

Note, I updated the link to a longer version of the story.  Ken

Arizona might close 2/3 its state parks-

Idaho’s governor wants to transfer state parks to Dept. of Lands. Folks fear loss of access to the Henry’s Fork-

Arizona may shut down two-thirds of state parks. Associated Press

The deep recession is taking a big hit on state parks in many states; even those parks that are big money makers.  Arizona has already closed 5 parks and might close 2/3 of them.

Last year in California, the governor wanted to close most of its huge state park system. He was rebuffed.

In Idaho, Butch Otter, wants to abolish the State Department of Parks and Recreation and transfer the function to the State Department of Lands whose mission has been resource extraction, land sales, and which has a close relationship to the grazing land barons.

One of the gems of Idaho’s state park system is Harriman State Park in Island Park. Its 11,000 acres was a donation from the Harriman family. The Henry’s Fork Foundation is worried that the terms of the gift might require the park be taken back.

Idaho governor puts Harriman Park access in jeopardy. West Yellowstone News. Given the large number of visitors, including access to 8 miles of Henry’s Fork, one of the world’s greatest trout streams, this is false economy.

Feds Propose Expanding Bush’s Bull Trout Habitat

This is the second good Administration wildlife decision in recent days-

Bull Trout © Ken Cole

The other one is the protection of the jaguar.

Feds Propose Expanding Bush’s Bull Trout Habitat. Fish and Wildlife proposes another reversal of Bush policy, this time on bull trout habitat. By Jeff Bernard. AP Environmental Writer

Montana Wolf Attacks Spike in ‘09, Sparking Backlash

There might be a backlash, but it is doubtful related to a spike in wolf attacks on livestock-

Matthew Brown from AP wrote this story. It has some good facts in it and a lot of wild anger from livestock owners.

I think what sparks backlashes are not the number of livestock killed. It is the number of news stories about it.

I think if someone did a content analysis of the news about wolves and livestock and compared it to the number of wolf-killed livestock each year since the reintroduction, there would be no relationship.

Matthew Brown points out that “The sharp increase over 2008 livestock losses, reported Thursday by state officials, was fueled largely by a wolf pack ravaging 148 sheep in southwestern Montana near Dillon in August.”

This single story got a lot of media attention, and I never read a single good account from the media or the Montana government giving the details of how this happened. At the time on this blog, I complained day after day about the lack of facts, except that a lot of sheep were dead.

As far increasing the hunt quota next because of the perception of large livestock losses, Montana FWP’s report was very clear that the hunt removed far fewer wolves in areas with livestock than they hoped, and more in livestock-free parts of the backcountry.  Therefore, increasing the quota would be purely a political move unrelated to wolf depredations in fact.

Wolf supporters have got to win the delisting case, as the state wildlife agencies are nothing but political pawns. I am sick to death and furious!

– – – – – – – –

The statement that there are 8 dead livestock by wolves for every one found is often repeated as in this story. It seems to me they used to say “1 in 5,” but at any rate in checking, this all seems to come from one small study by John Oakleaf.  The area studied was hardly representative — a remote section of public land leased for grazing that was  known to have a high density of wolves. No doubt in less rugged and accessible country the number not found would be less.

If you think about it, the broad statement is absurd. The percentage of livestock killed by wolves and not found would vary everywhere. Every season cattle and sheep are simply missed (not rounded-up). They linger and die of the cold. They are also lost to accidental injury, sickness, poison plants, and other predators. Most carcasses would be scavenged by many scavengers, including wolves.

To sum it up, this “one in eight” figure appears to be an effort to inflate a relatively small problem for political purposes, and is based on a single unrepresentative study.

FWP kills seven bighorn sheep after pneumonia confirmed in Bonner herd

Second outbreak in Montana this year.

Bighorn Sheep from the Bonner herd © Ken Cole

This is near an area where domestic sheep have been grazed to control weeds during recent years. The New York Times wrote a story about it here.

FWP kills seven bighorn sheep after pneumonia confirmed in Bonner herd. By Rob Chaney of the Missoulian

1-16-10 5 more bighorns killed in West Riverside in effort to stop pneumonia. By Rob Chaney. Missoulian

Victory for Jaguars: Obama Pledges Recovery Plan, Habitat Protection

Good news below in the press release from the Center for Biological Diversity-

Capping a 13-year battle to save the American jaguar from extinction, this week the Center for Biological Diversity won a decision from the Obama administration to develop a recovery plan and protect essential habitat for North America’s largest and most endangered cat.

The Bush administration had twice declared that it would not recover, reintroduce, or do anything to protect jaguars in the United States. Twice the Center’s legal team filed suit and struck down the illegal decisions. This left the final decision up to Obama, but until the last moment, we were uncertain he would do the right thing as he has not made endangered species a priority to date.

Now that the Obama administration has committed to developing a federal recovery plan and mapping out the jaguar’s critical habitat, the long, hard work of saving the American jaguar can begin.

Read more in the Arizona Daily Star.

– – – – –
Earlier we had reported bad news. U.S. Fish and Wildlife misses deadline on jaguar recovery plan

Trapped on public lands

Montana ballot initiative (I-160) would outlaw trapping on public lands-

A grassroots effort to protect pets from traps set on public lands has grown into a larger movement to ban trapping (by ballot initiative) on public lands.

Trapped on public lands. By Martin J. Kidston. Helena Independent Record

Badger-Two Medicine motorized travel ban upheld

Judge denies an injunction request from off-roaders in a key wildlife area just south of Glacier National Park-

There have been a lot of battles fought over the use of the Badger/Two Medicine area on the national forest just south of Glacier National Park. A good portion of this is roadless, but vehicles use some trails and old roads. All of the area is important for wildlife, especially because it is more gentle than Glacier National Park (better habitat, at least in principle).

Recently the Forest Service adopted a new travel plan for the area. Like most travel plan revisions nowadays, the revision has been heated and the off-roaders went to court alleging violations of the law and the U.S. Constitution. The judge has now rejected some, but not all of the off-roaders’ claims and refused to give an injunction on the new travel plan.

Badger-Two Medicine motorized travel ban upheld. By Karl Puckett. Tribune Staff Writer. Great Falls Tribune.

Advocates push change in working conditions for isolated immigrant sheepherders

Workers only paid $750/month to live in extremely isolated conditions and are exposed to many dangers

Public Lands sheep grazing not only creates conflict with bighorn sheep, wolves, grizzly bears, black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, numerous other wildlife species, habitat degradation, weed proliferation, human conflict with guard dogs, and disease spread, it is responsible for the exploitation of migrant workers who “don’t speak English, don’t know where they are, and depend entirely on their employers for food, water and contact with the outside world.”

A job search for the word “herder” brings up a list of 10 jobs in Idaho and Wyoming which pay $750/month except for the job in Wyoming which pays $650/month.
https://labor.idaho.gov/idahoworks/es/jobsearch/default.aspx

There is another, less talked about, issue relating to sheepherders. Q-fever, which is carried by sheep, is known to cause infections in humans and possibly result in death. The spores can persist in the environment for years and people and livestock can become infected by breathing dust. These immigrant workers are disproportionally exposed to Q-fever and are at risk of becoming infected.

Advocates push change in working conditions for isolated immigrant sheepherders
IVAN MORENO
Associated Press Writer in the LA Times

Well-known female cougar dies from plague. Carcass found in Grand Teton National Park.

This cougar was the fifth plague victim in recent years in the Greater Yellowstone-

Well-known female cougar dies from plague. Carcass found in Grand Teton National Park. By Cory Hatch. Jackson Hole News and Guide.

The plague is generally carried by rodents. I wonder how common it is among the rodents of the Greater Yellowstone.

IGBC meets on new grizzly plan for North Casades

Focus today, Jan. 12, is on Yellowstone grizzlies after Judge Molloy relisted them-

Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee drafts new plan for grizzly bear recovery in Rockies, Cascades. AP

More on the meeting: Grizzly panel [IGBC] says it can’t meet judge’s requirements for delisting. By Rob Chaney. The Missoulian.

I have been reading this claim ever since Judge Molloy relisted the Yellowstone grizzly, but the news stories never report much of a reason why the IGBC keeps saying this.

Pickup driver kills 8 bighorn on highway west of Anaconda, Montana

Driver given a misdemeanor. Said sun in his eyes-

Eight dead bighorn, including two trophy rams. By John Grant Emeigh. Montana Standard.

Here are some of the dead bighorn. The photo was sent to me by elk275.

Utah Senate Bill calls for removal of all wolves that may enter the state.

It appears that some Utah legislators are reactionary too.

One line of the bill states that “[t]he division shall capture or kill any wolf it discovers in the state, except for a wolf lawfully held in captivity.”

At the bottom of the bill is the Legislative Review, which is written by the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, which states “This bill has a high probability of being held to be unconstitutional under the Supremacy Clause to the United States Constitution because federal law and regulations prohibit conduct allowed by this bill.”

Read it here: S.B. 36

260 Human Caused Wolf Mortalities in Idaho for 2009

Preliminary wolf mortality numbers from the Idaho Fish and Game released.

Wolf © Ken Cole

Officially, a total of 273 wolves died in Idaho from all causes. 260 were human caused mortalities which is up 120 from last year resulting in a 178% increase in overall mortality.

Also from the report:

From September 1 through December 31, 135 wolves were legally harvested. During this period three wolves were documented to have been either shot illegally or wounded and not retrieved, another was killed in a closed area, and a fifth wolf was accidentally killed in a snare legally set by a trapper. These wolves were all counted against the harvest limit for the zone in which they were killed. The heaviest harvest occurred October 10-12 when 16 wolves were taken by hunters over the three-day weekend when deer season opened in most of the state. Hunters harvested 21 wolves in December.

94 packs present in Idaho at the end of December. Reproduction was confirmed in 62 packs, and 50 packs are believed to meet Breeding Pair criteria (at least two pups produced and currently surviving). Biologists documented 15 new packs during 2009. Three packs were eliminated by control actions to address livestock depredations, and five previously documented packs were dropped from the count because of a lack of confirmed activity during the year.

Idaho Wolf Management Progress Report December 2009
Idaho Fish and Game Department

U.S. Fish and Wildlife misses deadline on jaguar recovery plan

On last day of court-ordered deadline, USFWS does not announce plan, but asks for an extension-

U.S. Fish and Wildlife misses deadline on jaguar recovery plan. By Susan Montoya Bryan. Associated Press.

Idaho biologists recovering from helicopter crash

Cause of crash is still not known-

Idaho biologists recovering from helicopter crash.  The Associated Press

Although this has been discussed and we have been told a good investigation of matter has taken place over the last three days, the AP article says the cause of the crash is not know. It was a wolf, elk, and moose darting flight.

Let’s hope the biologists and pilot recover from the accident and that their hospital costs are paid. State employees often don’t have much in the way of health insurance anymore.

Giving bison to Turner isn’t legal

Buffalo Field Campaign and Gallatin Wildlife Association speak

Stephany Seay, media coordinator for the Buffalo Field Campaign, writes a letter in response to the Casper Star Tribune’s poorly researched op-ed of December 30th titled “Turner ranch plan is the best way to save bison“.

Giving bison to Turner isn’t legal
Stephany Seay – Buffalo Field Campaign

It’s not legal: according to the permit from Yellowstone National Park (Permit #YELL-2007-SCI-5506) “Yellowstone National Park bison transferred to quarantine shall not be used for commercial or revenue-generating purposes.”

The Gallatin Wildlife Association speaks out as well.

Wildlife group explains position
JIM BAILEY, Belgrade, Mont.
Gallatin Wildlife Association

Utah governor to sign Snake Valley water pact with Nevada

Does he care that it will turn the Nevada/Utah border into a dustbowl?

Guv ready to make Snake Valley water deal with Nevada. By Brandon Loomis. The Salt Lake Tribune

Don’t sign, governor. Snake Valley water pact needs work. Salt Lake Tribune Editorial.

We hoped the recent court loss by the Southern Nevada Water Authority would stop Utah’s new governor from buying into this corrupt bargain. Utah’s governor no doubt wants his own destructive water pipeline from Lake Powell across southern Utah to feed urban sprawl at St. George, UT.

Photos of how the Southern Nevada Water Authority deals with desert plants on the land is has grabbed. Does soil look like it isn”t going to just blow away?

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/29659698
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/29653768
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/29659249
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/29659808

Charges dropped against N. Idaho man who shot wolf

The wolf was 170 yards away when it was shot

I think this is pretty serious. It goes to show the lack of an adequate regulatory framework on behalf of the State of Idaho. The wolf was 170 yards away when the guy shot it. If they can’t prosecute a case like this then they can’t prosecute any case of illegal wolf killing. Idaho is not upholding their responsibility to enforce laws protecting wolves.

The article is vague about the circumstances of the incident but one is left to wonder what the “valid” defense is.

Recall the incident in 2008 when there were “No Charges Filed in Wolf Killing Near Ashton, Idaho”

Here are the factors in the ESA which are considered when a species becomes listed as endangered or threatened:

DETERMINATION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES AND THREATENED SPECIES
SEC. 4. (a) GENERAL.—(1) The Secretary shall by regulation promulgated in accordance
with subsection (b) determine whether any species is an endangered species
or a threatened species because of any of the following factors:

(A) the present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of
its habitat or range;
(B) overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational
purposes;
(C) disease or predation;
(D) the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or
(E) other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence.

Charges dropped against N. Idaho man who shot wolf
Idaho Statesman

Outdoor Recreation slows the passage of time

The perception of time is subjective, and you can slow it down-

Today I read this article, “Where Did the Time Go? Do Not Ask the Brain.” New York Times. It is about the sensation of passing time. Sometimes days, months, decades seem to whiz by. People commonly say that time passes more rapidly as you age, but I know the passage of time for me at least, slows when I am outdoors.

Late yesterday afternoon I drove out to American Falls Reservoir, which is currently frozen and windswept. I can barely remember the details of what I did when I came home or before I left.  On the trip to the reservoir I can remember almost everything — the number of geese flocks that flew overhead, the nondescript agricultural roads I drove, how far I walked in the freezing wind, every photograph (including those I deleted), my side trip to Bannock Creek (and the lone duck on its half frozen waters). You get the idea.

Just after sunset on Jan. 8, 2010. American Falls Reservoir. Copyright Ralph Maughan

I can remember the details of hundreds of outdoor trips, including not so eventful ones like yesterday.

My conclusion is spend part of each day outdoors, you will live longer.

Now what did I do this morning? It’s already after 2 PM.

Otter guts state agencies while pursuing expensive attacks on ESA listings

Idaho Statesmen is not amused by the governor’s priorities-

Our View: Lawsuits: An Idaho growth industry? – Idaho Statesman

Disease reported in Nevada’s bighorn sheep

Bighorn Sheep in the East Humboldt and Ruby Ranges are showing signs on pneumonia

Bighorn Sheep Lamb © Ken Cole

This is very bad but expected news. Both the BLM and the US Forest Service authorize domestic sheep grazing in areas near these bighorn populations. While there has been no mention of any interaction between domestic livestock and bighorn sheep there have been goats used to control weed in the Clover Valley just east of the East Humboldts.

In 1997 there was a die-off of both bighorn sheep and mountain goats in the Ruby Mountains where a large percentage of the animals were lost.

It bugs me that both the USFS and BLM are waiting on the Payette Forest to determine what they are going to do about sheep grazing in bighorn sheep habitat before they develop a policy to address this issue in other areas. The science is clear and the need for a strong policy is obvious. Why are they waiting?

Disease reported in Nevada’s bighorn sheep
Reno Gazette Journal

Bighorn sheep monitored for disease in NV
Associated Press in the Las Vegas Sun

DISEASE REPORTED IN BIGHORN SHEEP NEAR WELLS
Nevada Department of Wildlife Press Release

Activists call for bison on state land

State of Montana wants to give them to Ted Turner

Buffalo in quarantine - Kim Acheson

As is typical with this issue, the State of Montana has set up a false dichotomy with the bison in the quarantine program. They say that the bison need to be given to billionaire Ted Turner or slaughtered because they have no other options. This is nonsense.

As I have discussed before, there are other options including working with the Fort Belknap Reservation to locate the quarantined buffalo there, placing them back into the Park, or placing them on a state wildlife refuge, all of which would keep these bison in the public domain which was required under the plan. If Ted Turner receives these 78 buffalo he wants 190 of their progeny in return for his own commercial operations which also violates the agreement with the National Park Service to keep them in the public domain.

“There’s land in Montana,” said Stephany Seay with the Buffalo Field Campaign. “The alternatives are not Turner or slaughter. But that’s what we are being fed.”

Activists call for bison on state land
By DANIEL PERSON Chronicle Staff Writer

In New England they should called “coywolves,” not “coyotes” or coydogs”

Important genetic study confirms Massachusetts coyotes are part eastern wolf-

Dr. Jon Way who often comments on this forum is the lead author of a paper about to appear entitled, “Genetic Characterization Of Eastern “Coyotes” In Eastern
Massachusetts.” He has allowed me to post a draft of this paper.

These relatively large canids are hybrids of western coyotes colonizing the area and eastern timber wolves, canis lycaon. None of animals’ DNA showed a mixture of coyote and domestic dog. So the term “coydog,” which is in common use, is not appropriate.

Here is the draft of the paper. coywolves-jonway

Buffalo Battle Airs Again Tonight & Thursday, Jan. 7

In case you missed the original airing of the documentary about the buffalo and the Buffalo Field Campaign

Here is a little shameless promotion for the Buffalo Field Campaign

From the BFC Weekly Update:

Tune in because it’s on again! Late tonight and on Thursday, January 7th, Discovery’s Planet Green will once again air Buffalo Battle. This Planet Green program, produced by Matthew Testa, tells the continuing story about the plight of the Yellowstone bison population and work of Buffalo Field Campaign. Buffalo Battle has been getting tremendously positive feedback, so Planet Green is giving the public more viewing opportunities. The more viewers they get, the more likely it is they’ll want to make a series and this will certainly help tell the world about what is happening to the last wild buffalo. Please check your local listings for showtimes and invite your friends and colleagues to watch Buffalo Battle with you late tonight and again on Thursday, January 7th. For more information visit Planet Green.

Wyoming relocated 22 grizzlies in 2009

22 were moved, 4 killed, and three put in zoos-

State relocates 22 grizzlies. By Gib Mathers. Powell Tribune as reproduced in the Casper Star-Tribune

Salazar gets White House OK for run

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar may leave his post to run for Colorado Governor’s post

Salazar gets White House OK for run
By Michael Riley
The Denver Post

University of Idaho clears itself of pesky “scientific misconduct” charges

University of Idaho attempts to save face – instead, loses it further

Bighorn Sheep © Ken Cole

UI professor cleared of “scientific misconduct” – Idaho Statesman
Update 1-9-2010. U of I ruling on sheep researcher’s ethics isn’t credible. Opinion of the Magic Valley Times News.

It’s probably safe to say Marie Bulgin didn’t kill Kennedy either … but that’s it isn’t it?  It’s an easy thing to secure an acquittal when you get to choose the charges …

Eric Barker of The Lewiston Tribune (subscription only) :

The university investigated Bulgin’s statements and compared them to the known scientific record. said Jack McIver, vice president of research. He said the scope of the investigation was narrow.

“It was pretty cut and dried,” he said. “It really boils down to was there fabrication of data, which there was not.”

WWP & Wolf Recovery Foundation Litigates Big to Protect Wolves in Central Idaho

~ by Jon Marvel

Friends,
On December 31, 2009 Western Watersheds Project and the Wolf Recovery Foundation welcomed the New Year by filing litigation in federal court challenging the federal government’s mismanagement of public lands and wolves in Central Idaho.

Read the Associated Press article :

Groups Sue to End Idaho wilderness copter landings – John Miller, AP 1/06/10

Sawtooth Mountains - Sawtooth National Recreation Area © Lynne Stone

This important litigation aims to protect Idaho wolves by asking a federal court to halt mismanagement in three key ways :

Group launches initiative to ban trapping in Montana

Montana Trap-Free Public Lands gathers signatures for ballot initiative-

Group launches initiative to ban trapping in Montana. New West Unfiltered By Anja Heister and Connie Poten

Wilderness. Wild and free, or to be a surveillance zone?

Idaho Fish and Game Proposal defeats the purpose of Wilderness-

What could more opposite, animals and people roaming freely in the great outdoors; or struggling through rough country under the never sleeping watch of souless technology, subject to summary execution from the air on the order of distant bureaucrats?

That’s what is a stake in the Forest Service approval of radio collaring wolves in the lower 48 states’ largest Wilderness area. Does anyone think this will stop with wolves and other animals, or with the Frank Church Wilderness?

The photo shows a small part of the 2.4 million acres of the Frank Church/River of No Return Wilderness. Is this to be a killing zone and a place of government watching?
Photo by Lee Mercer.

Your average winter day at Cooke City — dead snowmobiler

A lot of people snowmobile the high country near Cooke City, MT. This happens every winter, usually more than once-

There is no real reason for this story except to remind people of the obvious. Avalanches and dead snowmobilers near Cooke City are as predictable as Old Faithful. The only question is what will the final tally be?

Snowmobiler killed in avalanche near Cooke City. AP

2010. Year of the grouse?

Yes, the sage grouse is likely to get protection under the Endangered Species Act-

Wyoming waits anxiously for federal decision on bird. Year of the grouse? By Dustin Bleizeffer. Casper Star-Tribune energy reporter.

. . .  an amazing quote!

“Industry and conservation leaders alike seem to agree that the restrictions of such a listing would have a chilling effect on the agriculture and minerals industries, which are the foundation of Wyoming’s economy . . . .” ‘I would love to believe we will not see a listing. But I am not as optimistic as I’d like to be,’ said Walt Gasson, executive director of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation.” [emphasis added]

The conservation groups haven’t been co-opted or anything. Yeh, give them a contribution.  😦

– – – – – –
More on sage grouse today. Wyoming BLM issues sage grouse guidelines. By Mead Gruver. Associated Press Writer.

Cougar jumps snowmoblier on West Slope of the Tetons

Another cougar attacks and kills llamas-

And Idaho Fish and Game doesn’t seem to need a better count of cougars or locations like they do wolves (not that I really want them collaring cougars too).

Mountain lions on the prowl. Feline killed in Alta, man jumped by cat near Jackpine Loop. Published: Thursday, December 31, 2009 12:16 AM MST. By Rachael Horne. Teton Valley News Staff.

For those not familiar with the Teton Range. This is on the “Idaho side” of the Tetons, most which is, nevertheless, still in Wyoming.

Federal agencies may have to consider climate before they act

The Obama administration may issue an order that would expand the National Environmental Policy Act’s scope to prevent global warming. The move could open up new avenues to challenge projects.

I review grazing allotment renewal documents and rarely, if ever, have I seen climate change discussed.  When it is discussed, and only in response to comments by WWP, the agencies claim that issues related to global warming and livestock grazing are beyond the scope of the project. Unfortunately, grazing compounds the effects of global warming by creating warmer and drier landscapes which, in turn, impacts wildlife.

There is a very good case to be made that eliminating grazing from public lands would also reduce the effects of global warming by 1) reducing desertification and 2) increasing carbon sequestration in soils. As Brian Ertz has illustrated in his post from last year, public lands can be very effective carbon sinks if allowed rest from livestock grazing. This is an important idea that needs to be kept in mind when discussing public lands ranching.

Federal agencies may have to consider climate before they act
By Jim Tankersley – L.A. Times

Heavily impacted soils and vegetation in Nevada's desert. © Ken Cole

Sage Brush with ancient soil crusts Cave Valley, Nevada © Ken Cole

Latest, Dec. 31, official Wyoming wolf report

Wyoming Gray Wolf Recovery Status Report. USFWS-

I notice livestock predation by wolves in Wyoming in 2009 was really trivial. Of the dead sheep, which was up in ’09, “three packs (Big Horn, Black Butte, and Dog Creek) were responsible for all of the195 confirmed sheep depredations. The Big Horn Pack consisted of 3 adults male wolves and all 3 wolves were removed in control actions. The Black Butte Pack consisted of 2 adults and 6 pups. Both adult wolves and 4 pups were removed. Six adult wolves and 6 pups made up the Dog Creek Pack. Five adults were removed.”

Too bad about the Dog Creek Pack. They could have sent more wolves into Eastern Idaho. They were a border pack.

WYOMING WOLF WEEKLY- Dec 21 through Dec 31, 2009.

Wyoming-Oregon gas pipeline to cross Nevada and Utah-

The “Ruby pipeline” is to be bad news for pristine desert, scenic canyons, wildlife-

In typical single-minded engineering mentality, this pipeline will be built cross-country  with little regard for anything else.

Reno Gazette-Journal on the Ruby Pipeline. By Susan Voyles.

This pipeline is one reason why Western Watersheds giant sage-grouse lawsuit is so important.

Mt. Rainier’s melting glaciers bring down many rocks

Warming climate has resulted in a big melt of glaciers on the giant volcano’s unstable slopes-

Although this article focuses on the effects to Rainier National Park, melting could result in a deadly mudflow downriver.

Rainier’s rocks are filling riverbeds. The fallout from Mount Rainier’s shrinking glaciers is beginning to roll downhill, and nowhere is the impact more striking than on the volcano’s west side. By Sandi Doughton. Seattle Times science reporter

Photo while Snowshoeing Today

Taken from Walker Creek toward the Portneuf Mountains, SE of Pocatello-

Toward the Portneuf Mountains from Walker Creek, SE of Pocatello, ID. Jan. 3, 2010. Copyright Ralph Maughan

Retired Forest Service NEPA legal compliance reviewer on landing in the Frank Church Wilderness

Well reasoned argument against approval of Idaho Fish and Game’s plans to chase wolves, dart them, land and collar them in Idaho’s sacred central Idaho Wilderness-

Wow, this fellow knows what he is talking about. Ralph Maughan
– – – – – – – – – –

January 2, 2010

Dear Mr. Tidwell Chief, U. S. Forest Service

ttidwell@fs.fed.us

I am a retired USFS forest planner from the Nez Perce National Forest in Idaho.  I have a masters degree in forestry from Oregon State University.  While still employed by the USFS I knew that in order to do my job effectively and efficiently, I must learn to quote several of the environmental laws of the United States from memory.  This included the Wilderness Act of 1964.

I’ll try to make this comment letter short.  I could write pages on this illegal action.

Fur flies over first Swedish wolf hunt

Wolves fall quickly in first Swedish wolf hunt in a half century-

Hunters kill 20 wolves in first Swedish hunt in 45 years. AFP.

Twenty out of the 27 wolf quota were killed the first day. There were 182 – 217 wolves. The Swedish Parliament limited the population to 210.

Ravens ‘boom’ around county

Article shows typical livestock owners hatred of any non-commercial animal-

Crows, ravens and magpies (corvids) in large populations are often the result of a disturbed environment. They are the smartest of birds. Like humans, they learn fast and thrive in changed circumstances, pushing out species that need a more stable environment.

This article in the Sublette Examiner (Pinedale, Wyoming) shows a typical hostility to them. These livestock people should look at their own practices if they don’t like the large number of ravens.

As for myself, me and my buddies used to shoot magpies when we were teenagers. There was no reason.  A friend said “they’re bad for farmers, and there’s a bounty on them.” We cut off a bunch of their heads, but could never figure out how to collect our damn nickel for each.

Now, I feel stupid for shooting birds that were probably smarter than some people (sarcastic exaggeration). Fortunately, now you can’t legally just shoot them (as the article bemoans). Of course, our old friends at the agency for wildlife killing can poison them.

Ravens ‘boom’ around county. By Mari Muzzi. Sublette Examiner.

Southern Mountains Idaho wolf hunt zone closes

The quota of ten wolves has been met. Five hunting zones now closed-

Here is the Idaho wolf hunt map data. 139 wolves have been legally shot. 81 remain in the total state quota.

Yakima Bighorn Sheep are Experiencing an All Age Die-off

Source of disease is unclear.

Bighorn Sheep © Ken Cole

The bighorn sheep in Central Washington’s Yakima River Canyon are dying of pneumonia. It appears likely that ODFW officials will try to stop the epidemic by killing the infected animals so that they won’t infect healthy bighorns.

Two Stories
Big decision on bighorns
Scientists may have to thin the herd in order to save it from disease
BY SCOTT SANDSBERRY
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

What’s the source of pneumonia in bighorns?
BY SCOTT SANDSBERRY
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Jamie Rappaport Clark: Wolf delisting imperils the ESA and wolves

Clark was the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 1997 to 2001-

“If the president’s pledge to restore scientific integrity to the Endangered Species Act, and to improve the law, is to be fulfilled, action must be taken immediately. The interior secretary should withdraw the flawed legal opinion on which his delisting relied, restore federal protection to gray wolves in the Northern Rockies and engage all stakeholders in developing a plan to ensure that one of our nation’s greatest conservation successes, the restoration of gray wolves to Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies, will not be lost.” Clarke in Washington Post opinion beginning the new decade.