Has the Japanese Whaling Fleet Surrendered?

Activism at work.

Humpback Whale © Ken Cole

I’ve never written about this here but I have been following this campaign for many years and I have been acquainted with a number of people who have volunteered for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society over those years. Of all of the anti-whaling groups out there they are the most effective but also the most controversial. They operate in international waters against a fleet of Japanese whalers who are illegally hunting in a whale sanctuary near Antarctica. Their actions have been chronicled in the popular Whale Wars series on Animal Planet.

I recently met several dedicated employees and Captain Chuck Swift of the Bob Barker, a ship named after the game show host who donated the funds to buy it, while traveling with my friend Mike Mease of the Buffalo Field Campaign and his stories were amazing. These people really put their lives at risk to save wildlife from unsustainable harvest. Chuck gave me a hoody sweatshirt that I wear with pride.

While this may be a short lived victory it is sweet nonetheless. I commend them for their dedication.

Ken Cole.

Has the Japanese Whaling Fleet Surrendered?.
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Update December 2, 2010: Japanese whaling ship heads to sea

Former Gov. candidate Rex Rammel could face charges for allegedly killing elk

Wow!! Who’s next?

Who knows? If there is a conviction in this case, it might solidify my theory that anti-wolf advocates are behind the decimation of elk herds 😉

Recall, Rex Rammel is the politician who joked about “Obama tags“. He also had a run in with then Governor and now Senator Jim Risch after his canned hunt elk escaped and were shot by Idaho Fish and Game agents.

We’ve written about him here before.

Rex Rammell vs. the Elk vs. the Law
Boise Weekly

Former Gov. candidate could face charges for allegedly killing elk .
KBOI 2 – Boise

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Addition by Ralph Maughan. So this Karen Calisterio in North Idaho who just had a “scary,” but completely unverified encounter with wolves on her property was Rex Rammell’s campaign manager.

New story. Warden confiscates elk from Rex Rammell, plans to file poaching charges. By Rocky Barker – rbarker@idahostatesman.com

Big Polluters Freed from Environmental Oversight by Stimulus

Big Energy companies with criminal records given billions in stimulus funds to wreak havoc on our public lands and wildlife.

The Center for Public Integrity has issued a stinging report on how the Obama Administration has bypassed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) when issuing permits for energy and other projects which involve federal lands or funds. Over and over we have seen that projects are rushed through without any public oversight and in areas where they have severe environmental impacts. Wind farms on public lands without analysis of their impacts on bats, sage grouse, pygmy rabbits, and other wildlife; solar plants on public lands without sufficient analysis on endangered desert tortoise and other imperiled wildlife; power lines and other utilities permitted outside of established corridors without analysis of impacts on wildlife; offshore oil rigs in deep water without proper understanding of how to deal with catastrophic failures. All of these uses are being given a pass under NEPA.

Salazar = Extractive Industries' 'BFF'

What is the problem with this you might ask. Well, I’m sure you remember what happened in the Gulf of Mexico this summer. The Deepwater Horizon was permitted under a categorical exclusion.

In contrast livestock grazing permits are not even renewed under categorical exclusions, they require at least an Environmental Assessment that must undergo public review and can be appealed, in fact I do it all of the time.

These projects also only benefit those with existing power and money while projects, such as rooftop solar and energy efficiency improvements on existing structures which would benefit real people and not come at the expense of irreplaceable wildlife and land resources, are being forgone. It’s all about keeping the wealthy in control of our resources at the public expense.

What is next? Well in Nevada, the scourge of ranchers and water mining entities like the Southern Nevada Water Authority, ancient forests made up of old growth pinyon pine and junipers are being eyed by the energy companies as a source of biomass to fuel turbines. More on that later.

Big Polluters Freed from Environmental Oversight by Stimulus
The Center for Public Integrity

Montana elk hunters around Yellowstone Park have a generally successful season

Madison Valley most successful.  Number of deer killed down slightly-

Elk hunters successful in 2010. Bozeman Chronicle. By Daniel Person.

In addition hunting was good in Northwestern Montana. Here’s the story. Ideal conditions close hunt season. By JIM MAN. The Daily Inter Lake Daily.

Weather helps western Montana hunters close out big game season. Missoulian.

All the articles say it was the great weather for bringing the elk down where they could be more easily found.  However, I thought wolves had nearly destroyed the elk herds.  I guess good weather can actually perform a resurrection (or show what bullshit the wolves-have-killed-everything is).

Governors seek ‘road map’ for N. Rockies wolves

Talk about burying the lead, it appears that Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar would back efforts to gut the Endangered Species Act.

Ken Salazar, Secretary of Interior

Ken Salazar met with the governors of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming yesterday and, while Wyoming remains intransigent on the wolf issue, he appears to have sent the message that he supports a legislative gutting of the ESA.

“If Interior officials can’t reach an agreement with Wyoming, Schweitzer said Salazar had pledged to back Idaho and Montana in their efforts before Congress.”

Governors seek ‘road map’ for N. Rockies wolves
Associated Press in the Washington Post

Spring Valley, Nevada

Lenticular clouds over Spring Valley, NV ~ Fall 2010 Katie Fite, WWP

Where NOT to hastily site an Industrial-scale Wind Energy Project
Just north of Great Basin National Park, east of Ely in Eastern Nevada, lies a public landscape called Spring Valley.

Spring Valley is a miraculous place, renowned for its magnificent skies and as critical habitat for sagebrush obligate species such as sage grouse and pygmy rabbit.

Unfortunately, like so many obscure public places around the west, the innumerable environmental values Spring Valley harbors are under threat, ironically by so-called “green energy” projects.

Wolf Politics

The New York Times Weighs in on the wolf issue.

The New York Times doesn’t like the proposed legislation which would remove protections from wolves either.

Either [bill] would set a terrible precedent, opening the door for special-interest groups to push other inconvenient species off the list. The bills would undercut one of the primary reasons for the act, which was to relieve Congress of the impossible task of legislating protections species by species and leave the final determination to scientists and wildlife management professionals.

Wolf Politics – NYTimes.com.

Critical habitat for polar bears is finally designated

187,157 square miles of Alaskan land and (mostly) ocean to be for the bears-

U.S. Firms Up ‘Critical Habitat’ for Polar Bears. By Felicity Barringer. The Green Blog in the New York Times. Here is the web page on this from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Dept. of Interior).

This is very important, but designation of critical habitat can’t stop the ice from melting. The future of these bears looks grim.

Idaho sheriff denies SSS raffle aims for wolves

And people wonder why wolf advocates are wary of state management of wolves…..

Idaho sheriff denies SSS raffle aims for wolves.
Washington Examiner

Critics say Obama lagging on endangered species

Warranted but precluded (by politics)
Has America’s most popular environmental law become incapable of protecting our most vulnerable fellow species?

With the number of species becoming imperiled increasing as population, consumption, climate change grows, the Obama Administration is providing legal protection to fewer species using the excuse that there are not enough resources. This can only lead to more extinctions of species that are facing bigger and bigger threats. It is time to increase the amount of resources for species protection before these irreparable losses occur.

Nearly two years after taking office, Obama has provided Endangered Species Act protection to 51 plants and animals, an average of 25 a year. By comparison, the Clinton administration protected an average of 65 species per year, and the Bush administration listed about eight species a year.

Critics say Obama lagging on endangered species.
The Associated Press

Tester To Chair Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus

Western Democrats want to gut the Endangered Species Act

Jon Tester, the Democratic Senator for Montana, is facing a tough re-election battle in 2012 which may hinge on the wolf issue. He is desperate to find a solution which allows the State of Montana to manage wolves and wants to get something passed in the Senate during the lame duck session before the next congress is sworn in.

His proposal, also supported by Montana Democratic Senator Max Baucus who sold out on the health care bill, is to change the Endangered Species Act to allow distinct population segments (DPS) to be split along state lines to allow wolves to be delisted in Idaho and Montana and not Wyoming. While this may sound like an innocuous change to the ESA it could have devastating effects on the integrity of the ESA for other species. To use political boundaries rather than biological boundaries based on defensible science would allow the Interior Department to incrementally list or delist species based on politics rather than science, a goal of ESA opponents for many years. Essentially it would gut the Act and make it even an weaker tool for protecting endangered species.

But Tester said he thinks there is still a chance that the wolf issue could be dealt with this year. He favors some plan that puts management of the wolf back into state management in Montana and Idaho.

“That is one I would like to get done this lame duck session,” Tester said. “I think the state of Montana had a pretty good plan.”

Tester To Chair Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus – cbs4denver.com.

Otter meeting with Interior secretary, other governors on wolves

Salazar can’t just change the rules without an open, public process under NEPA.

The governors of Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana are meeting with Ken Salazar in Denver on Monday to talk about wolves. It will be interesting to see what comes of this. Really, there are very few options for the Department of Interior short of trying again but until Wyoming’s plan is accepted it is unlikely they would be successful. There may still be efforts to get a legislative change to the Endangered Species Act during the lame duck session but for some reason I find them unlikely to move forward.

Otter meeting with Interior secretary, other governors on wolves.
Idaho Reporter

Oil companies lose first round on Highway 12

Hearing judge recommends that Highway 12 residents should be allowed to intervene against movement of giant oil equipment-

What a pleasant Thanksgiving surprise!

Hearing officer sides with foes of megaloads. By Todd Dvorak. Associated Press.

Utah High court: State can be sued for 2007 bear attack

A sorry decision that will threaten all kinds of wildlife-

A result of this will be state agencies killing wildlife and closing campgrounds when a theoretically dangerous animal is seen within five miles of them.

High court: State can be sued for bear attack. By Donald W. Meyers. The Salt Lake Tribune.

We let unemployed homeless freeze on the streets but then baby people when they should be responsible.

Living with Wolves: An Oregon Field Guide Special

Slow progress for Oregon’s wolves

Oregon Field Guide recently broadcast a special about Oregon’s wolves and how they are dealing with people and how people are dealing with them. It has been a tough road for the wolves there and many wolves have been killed by the government on behalf of livestock interests and by poachers. One of the biggest difficulties faced by the wolves is the presence of livestock and the sense of entitlement felt by ranchers who think they deserve a predator free landscape.

Living with Wolves: An Oregon Field Guide Special
Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Can Vladimir Putin save endangered tigers?

Russian leader gives big boost to the International Tiger Forum-

Vladimir Putin has been making quite a name for himself in recent years as a man of outdoor activity, and one not afraid of large carnivores. He hopes to save the tiger from extinction. The International Tiger Forum hopes to raise an astonishing $350-million for tiger conservation with his help and others such as head of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick.

Perhaps the weenies of the West (politicians in the interior Western United States) might emulate him when it comes to powerful impressive animals.

Can Vladimir Putin save endangered tigers? The Week

The article above says Russia sees the tiger as a symbol of national strength.  Around here it seems to be the cow, or, more likely, the sheep.

– – – – –
Update: Russia, China pledge to save the tiger. By Alissa de Carbonnel. News Daily

Intelligentsia of the North Fork

Saw this sign late in October near Gibbonsville, Idaho. This business serves beer and pizza to hunters.  I wonder if the Guv knows how literally some people here take his pronouncements. Then again, he probably does.  And doesn’t care.

Do ranchers have a right to predator free landscape?

George Wuerthner nails it again, questioning the chief assumption that informs livestock-wolf conflict management.

Do ranchers have a right to predator free landscape? – George Wuethner, NewWest

One of the unquestioned and unspoken assumptions heard across the West is that ranchers have a right to a predator free environment. Even environmental groups like Defenders of Wildlife more or less legitimize this perspective by supporting unqualified compensation for livestock losses to bears and wolves.

Only when the answer to George’s question is “yes” do any of the management prescriptions currently taking place, including compensation, “control”/eradication via tax-payer appropriations to Wildlife Services (sic), and other absurd de facto subsidies make any sense at all ~ particularly *but not uniquely* on public lands that belong to all of us.

Wolf bills are probably dead

Will they emerge in the next Congress?

Due to the gridlock in Congress, the bills to sidestep the endangered species act seem to be dead in the current lame duck session of Congress.

Wolf bills unlikely to advance this Congress. By Matthew Brown. Associated Press

On the surface it would seem like the reactionary* new Congress will be fertile ground for attacks on the ESA, but a government shutdown, attacks on social security and medicare, might cause so much conflict that lesser things will not move.

– – – – – – –

*Today’s poplar political rhetoric is impoverished. The word “radical” is freely applied to all kinds of views a person or groups don’t agree with. However, long historical use is for extreme left wing measures to be called “radical,” while extreme right wing attempts to move backwards beyond conservative are called “reactionary.”

Special interests are Utah politicians’ cash cows

Compared to the Utah legislature, members of Congress raise much more from their local constituents-

Only 5% of the campaign money spent by candidates for the Utah legislature came from the folks in the candidates’ home legislative district.

Special interests are Utah politicians’ cash cows. Salt Lake Tribune. By Lee Davidson

This is important because of the constant drum beat pounding out the tune that the state’s are closer to the people than the astronomically far off denizens of Washington D.C.  This matters plenty when wildlife issues are considered.

Much awaited hearing: Oil companys says plaintiffs in Highway 12 suit lack standing

Hearing officer limits testimony he will consider to small matters-

The much awaited hearing on giant oil machinery on Highway 12 was held today in Boise. It sounds like the Idaho Dept. of Transportation hearing officer will oil the way for the movement of the giant oil modules.

The hearing officer said he would only consider the first 4 modules, not the hundreds more to follow. The first 4 go to the Billings, Montana refinery, not Alberta’s tar sand pits.

The oil company said the plaintiffs, 4 citizens along Highway 12, lack standing to because they weren’t singled out — the transport won’t affect them to any greater extent than other citizens along the highway. Happily for Conoco, the hearing officer also said he would limit his review to whether foes have a right to get involved at this stage of the process.”

Oil company says foes lack standing in US 12 case. By Todd Dvorak. AP (from Business Week)

Boise Weekly has a story giving more of the color of the hearing. Overflow Hearing on Oversized Loads. By George Prentice.

Leader of Mexican wolf recovery steps down

Family concerns!

We always know that sounds suspicious. Nevertheless, if he does have an sick relative, I wish them the best recovering.

Bud Fazio to move to Albuquerque to work on fish. AP

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I will go out on a limb and say this was not voluntary!

Island Park, Idaho: Nature Conservancy. A bit more protection for their Henry’s Lake Project

Wildlife migration routes protected near this “working ranch”-

It was a wonderful thing when the Nature Conservancy purchased most of Henry’s Lake Flat in the 1970s to protect Henry’s Lake Outlet (stream), which is a major component of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River headwaters. This also protected much of the sometimes beautiful flat from what would probably be very obnoxious sub-divisions.

The Conservancy fenced off Henry’s Lake Outlet from cattle, and its banks have been restored. However, they could have removed the cattle from the the flat. As a result the dominant use of the flat is cattle, not wildlife.  These compromises were made no doubt to please the Fremont County Commission. I’m not impressed with this “working ranch” stuff. When you drive by on the highway to West Yellowstone you can sometimes see deer and pronghorn . . . sandhill crane too, but overwhelmingly you see a flat full of cows.

The other day I stopped by and took a photo of this for Google Earth. Idaho “wildife” 😉 on Henry’s Lake Flat. View is to the east.

It’s good to see a little more protection for wildlife in the area has now been obtained. Here is the news release from the Nature Conservancy. Conservation Easement Protects Henry’s Lake Ranch

Colorado outfitter fined $40,000

Veteran guide gets a big fine for illegal deer hunting with clients-

Outfitter fined nearly $40,000 for illegal hunting. By The Denver Post.

Does anyone have much knowledge of the “Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact” mentioned in the article?

Hatch-22: The Problem with the Pacific Salmon Resurgence

More salmon but more of them are of hatchery origin

The proportion of hatchery versus wild Pacific salmon has risen to 1 in 5 with an overall production of 5 billion smolts produced annually, up from just 500 million in 1970. There are problems which stem from this. For imperiled salmon, the competition and genetic implications from these hatchery fish can be profound and effect the survivability of the runs which face the highest risk.

Hatch-22: The Problem with the Pacific Salmon Resurgence.
By Bruce Barcott – AlterNet

Conoco hires big Idaho lobbyist to speed their use of Highway 12

This is important, and there is a story.  Usually we don’t hear (read of) the really important stuff, and this is.

Idaho lobbyist to lead campaign for Conoco. AP in Magicvalley.com

Judge sides with Wyoming in wolf case

U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson Rules that USFWS was not justified in rejecting Wyoming’s woefully inadequate wolf management plan.

Recall that Judge Molloy ruled in 2008 that the USFWS arbitrarily accepted Wyoming’s wolf management plan without justification after initially rejecting it. Specifically Molloy said that the USFWS “acted arbitrarily and capriciously when it approved Wyoming’s 2007 plan despite the State’s failure to commit to managing for 15 breeding pairs and the plan’s malleable trophy game area”.

Updated: Judge sides with Wyoming in wolf case.
By JEREMY PELZER Casper Star-Tribune capital bureau

More on close wolf encounters

What does wolves close up mean?

If a wolf approaches you, you should certainly not assume it wants to eat you.  On the other hand, watch it closely, it isn’t necessary benign.

Some people can “read” dogs, cats, horses, and other animals.  People who can’t fill in the blanks with their hopes, fears, and generalizations from other animals.

This last month we witnessed the fearful reaction of two Montana hunters to a pack of wolves nearby. Flathead Valley hunters shoot wolf, say they were surrounded. By Tristan Scott of the Missoulian. Over the years, we have posted a number of other accounts where people had “scary,” close wolf encounters.  Some folks will recall the humorous story of the Forest Service employees (from Utah) who encountered howling wolves in the middle of the Sawtooth Wilderness in Idaho (I don’t recall if they even saw one of the wolves), but they were so frightened by the howls they had a Forest Service helicopter fly into the designated Wilderness area to be evacuated.

I have heard no “scary” stories from people except from those already hateful or frightened of wolves, and who had a close encounter.

I’ve had two close encounters.  With the first (1997) I was so overconfident, I was just stupid. We (five of us) repeatedly approached the Rose Creek Pack on Specimen Ridge in Yellowstone when they had about 18 members.  The wolves kept trotting 50 to 100 yards ahead, stopping and bark howling. At the time I didn’t know a bark howl is a much different message than a howl.

I have posted the story how being circled by wolves was thought to be a wonderful experience.

Here is another interesting close encounter. Ken Cole posted this story today too.  It ended just fine, but it’s hard to know what the wolf was doing. Calm of the wild. Living with wolves takes some practice by Tim Lydon. Writers on the Range in the  Missoula Independent.  Ken also posts his own experiences.

I think if people have a scary wolf experience it is probably because they interpret most wolf behavior as something to be frightened of.  To take it step farther, a frightened person might look like prey to an otherwise uninterested wolf.

Maybe some people are natural prey.

Calm of the wild

A wolf encounter

Tim Lydon, who works in Alaska, writes of an encounter he had with a wolf there during the late summer that was very calm and seemed motivated out of curiosity more than anything.

Calm of the wild.
by Tim Lydon – Missoula Independent

This is similar to all of the “close encounters” I have had with wolves over the years in Idaho. On a number of occasions, while working near Clayton, Idaho, I actively sought out wolf encounters with the Buffalo Ridge Pack. On at least 4 occasions I encountered wolves, while on foot during the late evening or at night, and the wolves only expressed mild interest when they mistook me for other wolves after I howled.

On one of those occasions I surprised the whole pack that had come down to the steelhead pond that I was tending for the Idaho Fish and Game so that they could eat the smolts that hadn’t left the pond yet. I had been given a radio receiver so that I could monitor the wolves while they interacted with the turbo-fladry which was being tested around the pond after several consecutive years where they came to feed there.

Anonymous Poacher Taunts Idaho Wildlife Agents From Everett

WTF?

It’s just a sick game to some people :

Anonymous Poacher Taunts Idaho Wildlife Agents From Everett – KOMO News via KXLY

The letter reads in part: “Here is a picture of the nice buck I poached up in northern Idaho this year. & I plan to do all my Idaho hunting like this from now on. & I’ll send a picture of my nice pronghorn next. Also my turkey.”

FYI: There is a big study on historic wolf attacks

This is nothing new, but most people don’t know about it-

Wolf attack numbers and details are always controversial, and much of the information people find is very poor.  This is one large study on-line (pdf), however, that is often missed.  It dates from 2002.  It is The Fear of Wolves: A review of wolf attacks on humans. It was done in Norway, but covers the entire earth.

I am reposting it because of the frequency of this question. If it is posted in more locations, it will also show up more in search engines.

Poaching level surprises Oregon wildlife managers

A reason for the decline in mule deer in Oregon?

The study that found this wasn’t looking for poaching per se. It simply emerged as a very major cause of death.

Good to get this out there before wolves are blamed. There are only about 20 wolves in Oregon so far. Already the article mentioned them.

Poaching level surprises Oregon wildlife managers. AP

There were 500 radio collared mule deer in the study. The study period was 5 years. The study was between Bend and south to the CA border. A total of 128 deer died during the 5 years. Poachers got 19, legal hunters got 21, cougar got 15,8 died when hit by vehicles, disease felled 5, 4 got into non-vehicle accidents (such as entanglement in fences). 51 died of unknown causes, which would have put more into each of the previous categories.

New Hurdle for California Condors May Be DDT From Years Ago

DDT breakdown products and lead poisoning still threaten this high profile endangered species-

New Hurdle for California Condors May Be DDT From Years Ago. By John Moir. New York Times.

PhD student sought for study on what affects adult elk survival and recruitment in Bitterroot Valley

This is a job offer that looks like it could be interesting and of great value-

It could be controversial too.

PhD-assistantship in wildlife biology Univ. Montana

Wolf transition from Idaho Fish and Game is still not complete

Feds still looking for a cooperating, non-Idaho agency-

Personally, I’d rather see the federal government manage them in Idaho. They are doing it in Wyoming, and the wolf population there is growing slowly, livestock losses are stable or declining, and every elk unit its above the population “target” in Wyoming.

In Idaho, before Idaho Fish and Game Department took over, the feds (meaning Carter Niemeyer, the federal wolf manager) oversaw a similar situation.

If a cooperating agency is not found for Idaho, however, it may be that there will be no Idaho wolf population count for 2010.  That will mean that every interest will make their own claim.  Perhaps the extremes will be those saying there are less than 100 wolves and the other extreme 10,000 wolves.

Idaho wolf management transition still not complete. U.S. Fish and Wildlife still looking for monitoring agency. By Katherine Wutz. Idaho Mountain Express staff writer

Bat deaths from Wind Turbines

“Barotrauma”

University of Calgary researchers provide answers to the mysterious deaths of bats and wind turbine facilities in southern Alberta, Canada.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Barotrauma- Bat deaths from Wind Turbines

Barotrauma – Wikipedia.org

Barotrauma is physical damage to body tissues caused by a difference in pressure between an air space inside or beside the body and the surrounding fluid.

Barotrauma typically occurs to air spaces within a body when that body moves to or from a higher pressure environment, such as when a SCUBA diver, a free-diving diver or an airplane passenger ascends or descends, or during uncontrolled decompression of a pressure vessel.

Million acre! wildlife refuge to be established in the Flint Hills of Kansas

Private land refuge to be tried to conserve much of the remnants of the tall grass prairie-

As everyone knows, very little prairie has been conserved or restored.  This is an effort said to be the model for the 21st century. This might be true in the sense that it seems like the kind of thing that would appeal to some kinds of conservatives. Most what was done came during the Great Depression and was short grass prairie.

New wildlife refuge set in Flint Hills of Kansas. By Roxana Hegeman. The Associated Press. It will be named the Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area and a part of the National Wildlife Refuge System

There is a Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve of about 10,000 acres. It was established in 1996. This was the culmination of  about 70 years of efforts to create a tallgrass prairie national park, monument, preserve, conservation area or whatever. Most of this national preserve is, oddly enough, the result of purchases by the Nature Conservancy and remains in their hands.

James Nedresky. Photographs of the Flint Hills.

Bighorns transplanted to WY Seminoe Mountains doing well

. . . and another transplant to this obscure mountain range planned-

We’ve been following this for about a year now, and it’s good to hear good news on bighorn sheep because so much has been bad.

Article on the transplants. By Jeff Gearino. Casper Star-Tribune in the Billings Gazette.

Seminoe Mountains BLM photo

Idaho issues oversized load permits, but stays shipments for now

Public input is required, but conditional permits are issued-

Note: the hearing will be on Friday, Nov. 19 in Boise. The hearing will be at ITD Headquarters in Boise, 3311 W. State Street. (208) 334-8000

Advocates for the West won a brief victory Friday on behalf of local residents of Highway 12. These temporarily block the first 4 shipments (which go to Billings not Canada). They are for ConocoPhillips. Later ExxonMobil seeks to move over 200 giant shipments over the highway, which parallels the Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers, over Lolo Pass and through Montana to Alberta.

“Each of the Exxon loads would weigh 300 tons, stretch 227 feet long, reach 27 feet high and 29 feet in width – wide enough to take up both lanes of the highway. Trucks would move only at night and pull over in newly designed turnouts during the day.” Read more of this AP story by Todd Dvorak.

It has been discovered that oil companies plan to use scenic, narrow Highway 12 for at least a decade for hauling giant equipment, so this will be a continuing issue if big oil wins.

North Idaho elk numbers and elk hunters are increasing-

Number of elk hunters defies national trend-

I am a bit reluctant to post this, but it is interesting.  I don’t think the numerical data provided is very strong except to show that elk hunting is popular and the elk population is quite robust in northern Idaho (the reporter does not quite define the boundaries of North Idaho).

North Idaho elk, hunters increasing. By Becky Kramer. Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA)

Todd Wilkinson: [Former] Idaho Pastor Calls For ‘Open Season’ on Yellowstone Grizzlies

Wilkinson takes apart pastor Bryan Fischer’s arguments-

Todd Wilkinson: Idaho Pastor Calls For ‘Open Season’ on Yellowstone Grizzlies. Huffington Post.

Of course, rational argument hardly ever changes anyone’s religious beliefs. I think this is another confirmation that pushy religious extremists are getting involved in wildlife issues as part of their larger effort to dominate us.  We are having to refight battles that should have been permanently won a hundred years ago.

I didn’t know this guy, Fischer, was actually chaplain of the Idaho State Senate. How creepy! He has now moved to Los Angeles.

Hunting and Predators–does it work?

George Wuerthner questions whether hunting predators solves human conflicts with them-

Wuerthner argues that a lot of the arguments in favor of hunting predators fail to take into account the contradictory effects of sport hunting them, such as fewer wolves than before the hunt but distributed in more (but smaller) wolf packs might kill more elk than before the hunt.

He is hardly the first to make this argument.  It has been noted for years that general killing of coyotes can actually increase the number of coyotes, and even it it doesn’t, increase the number of domestic sheep killed by coyotes.

Hunting and Predators—does it make Sense? Unfiltered by George Wuerthner, New West.

Idaho business group backs plan to move oversized loads on U.S. Highway 12

“Business Group?”  You can bet this group is pure astroturf!

Stung by grassroots opposition in North Idaho and Montana to turning U.S. Highway 12 into an industrial highway to haul oversized oil equipment to Canada, a so-called business group has been formed. If you go to their web site, it seems to be associated with the Farm Bureau and Chamber of Commerce (who reportedly funneled millions of foreign money in the recent congressional campaign).  It would seem appropriate that they now do the bidding of international oil companies who don’t care one bit about the jobs and lives of the people in Idaho and Montana.

You can bet this group itself is no more than a P. O. Box, but from somewhere right now, and the near future, the resources will come to flood inboxes of newspapers, and the electronic media with propaganda of how the movement of all this giant machinery over many years is some great economic benefit to the natives who will watch it roll past, blocking their access to the highway.

Idaho business group backs plan to move oversized loads on U.S. Highway 12. By the Associated Press in missoulian.com

Wyoming Water Development Commission against proposed Green River dam

Commission calls it “too expensive, unnecessary and bad for recreation and the environment”-

This proposal is so obnoxious I couldn’t believe it was real the first time I heard about it. This is a world class fishing river and the reservoir would cut off the famed pronghorn migration route from the Red Desert to Grand Teton National Park that so many have worked on to keep open.

Nov. 10. Commission against Green dam. State legislators will make final decision on $750,000 proposal in December. By Cory Hatch.  Jackson Hole News and Guide.

– – – –

Recent background on this Nov. 4. Green River dam up for vote. By Angus M. Thuermer Jr.  Jackson Hole Daily.

Part of the Green River that would be impounded. Copyright Ralph Maughan. 2010

In Canada Sage grouse on Path to Extinction

The Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan are losing sage grouse fast.  So fast, that the birds may disappear entirely from the Canadian landscape.

Industry blamed for bird’s demise – Sage grouse on path to extinction – Edmonton Journal

Unrestrained gas development in southern Alberta could drive the sage grouse to extinction in this province within two years, says a University of Alberta scientist.

Mark Boyce has studied sage grouse since 1977,first in Wyoming and for the last decade in Alberta. He might be lacking a study subject soon, though. It’s estimated only 90 birds remain in the province.

Coral, Marine-Life Devastation Near BP Oil Spill Indicates Much Worse Long-Term Damage Than Feds Had Admitted

Profound changes to the entire ecology of the Gulf

This is part of what makes Obama/Salazar appear tone deaf to what occurred during the Gulf Oil Spill and I think it played a big part in people’s loss of faith in his administration and big losses seen in the Congress by Democrats. Rather than using this as an opportunity to impose real regulation on big oil they downplayed what the real implications of the spill were and, some would say, actively covered up how much oil was leaked and how much damaged was caused.

Meanwhile BP claimed big quarterly profits.

And you wonder why voters are so cynical……

Coral, Marine-Life Devastation Near BP Oil Spill Indicates Much Worse Long-Term Damage Than Feds Had Admitted.
Associated Press

Update 11/10. I read this today. . . Ralph Maughan. Oil from the BP Disaster May Remain Thick on the Seafloor. Scientific American. The sea floor is covered with what is thought to be oil topped off with something they term “slime snot.”  This is probably a layer of bacteria eating the oil.  My thought is, disgusting, but maybe hopeful.

Feds delay decision on Idaho wolf killing

Predetermined outcome?

Brian Kelly, the new director of the USFWS office in Boise, states that Idaho’s Lolo Zone 10(j) wolf killing proposal has been put on hold so that the agency can conduct a NEPA review. This is good news but I’m betting that they will try to figure out how to get out of doing any review by issuing a Determination of NEPA Adequacy which says they don’t have to conduct any review under NEPA or issue a Categorical Exclusion which essentially does the same. At minimum this requires an Environmental Assessment and more appropriate would be an Environmental Impact Statement. Nonetheless, now that circumstances have changed, there should be more public review.

Whatever the route taken, it appears that Brian Kelly has already made his decision depending on how you read his statement on the matter.

“The intent is to make a decision so the state can do it at a time of year it is more effective to do it.”

Seems like the review is tainted from the beginning and that they are just taking steps to justify it should it be challenged in court. The outcome of the NEPA review is preordained.

Feds delay decision on Idaho wolf killing.
Associated Press

Proposed bill would strip feds of wolf authority within Montana

Another temper tantrum from the reactionaries in Montana.

State Sen. Joe Balyeat, R-Bozeman is planning on reintroducing a bill which claims that the Federal government has no right to manage wolves in Montana. This contradicts numerous court rulings and would most certainly cause the state its present ability to manage wolves and further put any delisting effort out of reach for the region.

Of course it puts in place a few ridiculous sanctions against wolf supporters who may be “party to a lawsuit with the purpose of preventing or delaying the implementation of state management of wolves.”

Another overreach by the reactionary right who want to distract people away from the issues that their ideology fails to solve. This won’t solve joblessness or any of the other problems faced by many in this poor economic climate. It might make a few people happy but the only thing that is really clear is that more jumping up and down and screaming about how unfair things are doesn’t solve the problem that they have identified.

Go ahead Joe. The wolves will thank you.

Proposed bill would strip feds of wolf authority within Montana.
Rob Chaney Missoulian

The snowmobile issue in Yellowstone Park has died down

It’s still there, but rules have changed, use patterns changed and the economy too-

In a feature article in New West, journalist Brodie Farquhar looks at the changes over times. Snowmobiling in Yellowstone: Past and Present

Mark Gamblin was wrong

Idaho Fish and Game regional supervisor’s comments on this blog proven wrong by events-

For about a year, the SE Idaho regional supervisor of Idaho Fish and Game Department, Mark Gamblin,  frequently commented on this blog. He was always polite even though some folks were not in their replies.  Of course, he laid out the position of the Department and he did not deviate.  Most significantly, he maintained that Idaho Fish and Game was capable, committed, and we could be assured the Department would provide balanced management of the restored wolf population in Idaho.

As for myself and many others who responded, our argument was that Idaho Fish and Game could not provide any assurance that this balanced management would take place.  The reason was not that they were untruthful in their claims.  The reason was that the department was politically weak and so it could, and would, be overridden by the Idaho state legislature, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission and maybe the governor.

This is not to crow, but just to point out that we were right.  Governor Otter abandoned state wolf management completely in hopes of federal legislation that would be harmful to the maintenance of the recovered wolf population. The Fish and Game Department’s wolf management team was abolished and the people involved assigned to other duties.

After thousands of words written here, it is important to state that this argument has been settled.

FWP eliminates wolf coordinator post

Will Montana drop wolf management entirely?

Carolyn Sime has been moved from her post as wolf coordinator to work on other issues but it appears that may not be the only change. It appears that Montana may be considering following Idaho’s lead and drop wolf management entirely. At least it is not “off the table”.

FWP eliminates wolf coordinator post.
By EVE BYRON Independent Record

Felony refiled in poaching case

Tony Mayer faces loss of hunting privileges and prison.

After one of the charges, a felony, had been dismissed due to improper procedure with rating the elk antlers on the Boone and Crockett scale, the charge has been refiled. Tony Mayer, the founder of an anti-wolf website, once again faces a lifelong hunting ban.

Felony refiled in poaching case.
Idaho Mountain Express

Have you come across any interesting Wildlife News? November 5, 2010

Note that this replaces the 17th edition. That edition will now move slowly into the depths of the blog.

Bitterroot © Ken Cole

 

Please don’t post entire articles here, just the link, title and your comments about the article. Most of these violate copyright law. They also take up too much space.

Lessons From Wolves

The survival or defeat of the wolf symbolizes the way people are able to access the land according to their culture-

Lessons From Wolves by Jami Wright. Izilwane .

Ms. Wright is a graduate student completing her thesis for a master’s degree in Cultural Anthropology at Western Washington University. Her thesis focuses on human-human conflicts surrounding wolves in Idaho. She interviewed  many people (including myself) to complete this article.

It is my view that anthropology, sociology, social psychology and political science are more important for studying the wolf than biology. Wright’s article well describes the cultural conflict taking place in Idaho. I’d say that the wolf issue is just a tiny part of a number of intense cultural issues that are ripping the United States apart. The United States is a unique nation in that it is composed of people (peoples) from many places who share a common set of political beliefs.  Most other nations are based on a common language, religion, long history, etc.  Americans increasing no longer share common political or other basic beliefs. Therefore, instability has set in.

When she wrote “The survival or defeat of the wolf has come to symbolize the ability to access land in culturally specific ways, ultimately sustaining or depleting one’s own culture” she is, in my view, referring to the entire series of controversies over the proper way to use the land that have grown in intensity in Idaho and the Western United States over the last 40 years: wilderness, endangered species, grazing, timbering, energy production and transmission.

New report indicates that Yellowstone Bison are the only genetically pure herd managed by the Department of Interior

Yellowstone herd also contains two distinct populations.

Buffalo on Horse Butte © Ken Cole

It has long been postulated that Yellowstone bison are important because they remain the only continuously free roaming herd but their importance has been elevated with the disclosure of a recent report which says that they are also the only genetically pure herd among those managed by the Department of Interior.

Not only this, but the Yellowstone population actually consists of two distinct populations which has extraordinary management implications.  Currently the management plan for Yellowstone bison does not take in to account the two distinct populations leading to the possibility that management actions could have a disproportionate impact on one population over that of the other.  These kinds of impacts can be profound genetically and can lead to loss of genetic diversity over time.  The management activities can also have disproportionate impacts on herds because they can eliminate entire maternal groups, groups of closely related cow/calf groups, which are routinely captured and slaughtered on the northern and western boundaries of Yellowstone Park.

Harry Reid gets surprisingly easy victory. Dems keep Senate. GOP wins House big.

Otter reelected Idaho governor-

One tidbit on the wolf issue.  Chet Edwards, a Blue Dog Democrat from Texas, author of the most anti-wolf bill in Congress lost big.  It is doubtful his bill was much of a factor.

– – – –

Misc.

Montana ballot initiative I-161 which we discussed for a long time here, passed. It prohibits the current system of outfitter-controlled non-resident hunting licenses.

Oregon Field Guide — Wind and Bats

17,000 dead bats/year in Oregon before a proposed 15-fold increase in wind energy.

The drumbeat behind the “green energy” movement is beating louder for wind farms across the landscape, especially on public lands. At the rate that things are going there may be huge effects on bats and birds of many types. Oregon Field Guide has done a segment investigating the impacts on bats in particular and they are severe.

I fail to see how something that causes such negative impacts on wildlife could be called “green”.

Oregon Field Guide — Wind and Bats
Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Important developments on the Brucellosis front.

Montana and Wyoming infections and capture of elk.

The last week has been filled with many stories about brucellosis and its impacts on wildlife and livestock.

First, Montana has announced plans to capture and test elk for brucellosis then place radio collars on those females that test positive to see where they go and where they give birth.

Montana plans to capture 500 elk for disease testing.
By MATTHEW BROWN – The Associated Press

This comes at the same time that cattle in Wyoming have tested positive for brucellosis which has caused the state to implement wider testing to determine if there are other cases nearby.

Cows in Park County cattle herd test positive for brucellosis exposure.
By JEFF GEARINO – Star-Tribune staff writer

Wyoming plans to test up to 3,000 cattle.
Associated Press

On top of all of this news come reports that domestic bison on Ted Turner’s Flying D ranch have tested positive for the disease.  These are not the bison from the Yellowstone quarantine program.

Brucellosis Found in Domestic Bison Herd.
Montana Department of Livestock

Brucellosis Found In Domestic Bison Near Bozeman.
cbs4denver.com

In response to the infections of brucellosis in previous years the state of Montana implemented a plan which called for increased surveillance in counties which surround Yellowstone National Park in an effort to spare the entire state of losing its brucellosis free status in the event that further infections occur.

Livestock officials set meetings on brucellosis rule
The Belgrade News

All too often, when infections are found, officials blame elk before there is any evidence to support the claim.  While it may be likely that elk are behind these incidents it is important to investigate other sources in an effort to determine whether other cattle may be the source as well.

One thing has been determined with regard to past incidents, bison are not to blame.

Clearing tropical forests is a lose-lose

It releases a great deal of carbon and produces much less new food than more intensive use of existing croplands-

Lose-lose . . . sounds like a Western land use issue.

Clearing tropical forests is a lose-lose. Michael Marshall. New Scientist.

Idaho Supreme Court ruling gives big hope to oil companies

Idaho’s highest court rules Judge John Bradbury lacked jurisdiction-

This is not an immediate go ahead for the oil companies to move up Highway 12, but hopes for a quick kill of the oil juggernaut are gone.

Update: I understand that this decision might allow the movement of 4 large coke drums up Highway 12. These are bound for Billings, not Alberta. Winter will soon be closing in, making movement soon before transportation becomes too difficult in the winter.

Idaho Court Tosses megaloads ruling. By JOHN MILLER – Associated Press.

Leading the fight against the international dirty oil consortium is the Idaho public interest law firm, Advocates for the West.

– – – – – – – –

There is a good update and analysis of the ruling in New West. Latest Ruling on Big Rigs and Highway 12 Not About Merits of the Case. The majority opinion for the Nov. 1 Idaho Supreme Court ruling cites jurisdiction questions in its overruling a lower-court decision in August that stopped the transport. By Steve Bunk, 11-02-10

Opinion: Wolf is unique in maintaining ecosystem health

“There were 16 percent more elk in the northern Rockies in 2009 than there were in 1995 when wolves were reintroduced.” Kirk Robinson. Western Wildlife Conservancy.

This is an interesting opinion piece. Wolf is unique in maintaining ecosystem health.  By Kirk Robinson. Salt Lake Tribune.

Wyoming Wolf News from USFWS, Oct. 29, 2010

Wyoming Weekly Wolf News Report Oct 18-29, 2010

Nine Yellowstone Park wolf packs had pups this year: Agate, Black
Tail, Delta, Canyon, 636 group, Lamar, Madison, Molly, Bechler

My other comment is to notice the small number of livestock losses in Wyoming this year.