U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

INTERIOR ANNOUNCES FASTEST SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY OF AN ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT-LISTED MAMMAL; THREE ISLAND FOX SUBSPECIES IN CALIFORNIA NO LONGER ENDANGERED

 

Obama Administration now oversees more de-listings than all other Administrations combined

Photo:  Photos for media use available at flickr.com

August 12, 2016 (Washington D.C.) -- Representing the fastest successful recovery for any Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed mammal in the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today announced the final de-listing of three subspecies of island fox native to California’s Channel Islands. The removal of the San Miguel, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Island fox subspecies from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife brings the total number of ESA de-listings due to recovery to 37, with 19 of those overseen by the Obama administration. In the Act’s 43-year history, more recoveries have been declared under the current Administration’s watch than all past Administrations combined.


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READER'S EDITORIAL: HARVESTING EAGLES - PART TWO

 

How agencies charged with protecting our wildlife continue to betray our trust

By Jim Wiegand

June 13, 2016 (San Diego) - It is difficult to read that word “harvest” without thinking of harvesting crops, grown for the purpose of feeding humanity. In this case, however, we are talking about one of our most iconic species, one of our most magnificent raptors – and the “harvesting” is to be done by “grim reaper” machines: wind turbines.


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U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE ANNOUNCES FINDINGS ON PETITIONS TO LIST SPECIES IN CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA

 

East County News Service

June 3, 2016  (Sacramento) -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed reviewing petitions to list nine species in California and Nevada under the Endangered Species Act and a petition to delist one species.  The Service determined the petitions to list the California spotted owl, Inyo Mountains salamander, Kern Plateau salamander, lesser slender salamander, limestone salamander, Panamint alligator lizard, Shasta salamander, southern rubber boa, and tricolored blackbird contained substantial information and warrant more in-depth review of these species’ conservation status.  The petition to delist the Stephens’ kangaroo rat, an endangered species, did not provide substantial information to indicate delisting is warranted.


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FEDS GRANT CONSERVATION FUNDS FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY AND SANTEE

 

East County News Service

Photo:  Vernal pool fairy shrimp, Calif. Dept. of Pesticide Regulation

August 19, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - What do bald eagles and fairy shrimp have in common?  They’re both on a list of species to be protected under a $3 million grant that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is providing to San Diego County for habitat preservation. In addition, the City of Santee will receive close to $189,000 for its Multiple Species Conservation Program.


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PRESIDENT PROPOSES WILDERNESS PROTECTION FOR 1.4 MILLION ACRES IN ALASKA

 

Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

January 25, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - The U.S. Department of the interior announced Sunday that President Barack Obama plans to ask Congress to designate  12 million acres of Alaska’s 19 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness to protect it from oil and gas drilling.


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MONARCHS MAY BE LISTED AS ENDANGERED SPECIES

 

December 31, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Monarch butterflies may warrant protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service states.  Monarch populations have dropped up to 90 percent in the last 20 years due to loss of milkweed plants that the butterflies need to lay their eggs and nourish caterpillars that emerge from cocoons.


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A NEW TIGER IS COMING TO LIONS, TIGERS AND BEARS

 

By Miriam Raftery

November 27, 2014 (Alpine) - Phevos will soon be the newest tiger to call Lions, Tigers and Bears home.  The Alpine rescue facility has been approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a permit to import the tiger, who was suffering in abusive conditions in a foreign zoo.


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WESTERN YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO RECEIVES FEDERAL PROTECTION UNDER ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

 

East County News Service

Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

October 6, 2014 (Sacramento)--The western population of the yellow-billed cuckoo will be protected as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced. The Service determined that listing a distinct population segment  of the bird in portions of 12 western states, Canada and Mexico is warranted. In the U.S., the listing will cover parts of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Since 1980, nine sightings of the yellow-billed cuckoo have been made in San Diego County, though no nests have been found since the 1930s, according to the San Diego Bird Atlas Project at San Diego State University.  Locally the birds have been spotted from May to August, most commonly in stands of riparian willows and cottonwoods.


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DRAFT DESERT RENEWABLE ENERGY CONSERVATION PLAN RELEASED BY BLM AND U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE

 

Plan would open up 22 million acres of California to large-scale renewable energy development

By Miriam Raftery

September 26, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week published in the Federal Register a Notice of Availability of the draft Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS).  A formal comment period is now open through January 9, 2015.


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CONSERVATION GROUP SUES TO PROTECT EAGLES AT PROPOSED TULE WIND FARM

 

BIA Approval Decision Ignores Warnings from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Photo: Tony Hisgett (Wikimedia Commons)

September 26, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Protect Our Communities (POC) and backcountry landowners have filed a lawsuit this week against the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.


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U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE WHISTLEBLOWERS DENOUNCE AGENCY FOR TURNING BLIND EYE TO BIRDS KILLED BY WIND AND SOLAR FACILITIES

 

By Miriam Raftery

September 1, 2014 (Washington D.C.) – Two former investigators with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are speaking out to say that the federal government is ignoring harm to wildlife caused by industrial scale wind and solar facilities.


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WILDLIFE REFUGES GET PROTECTION FROM GE CROPS AND PESTICIDES

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Center for Food Safety

August 10, 2014 (San Diego)-The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that no more genetically engineered crops or pesticides toxic to bees will be used at any National Wildlife Refuges across the country. This brings protection to wildlife n over 150 million acres of federal land, including  refuges here in San Diego County.


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FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE ANNOUNCES PUBLIC HEARINGS, COMMENT PERIOD ON PROPOSAL TO ISSUE 30-YEAR TAKE PERMITS FOR EAGLES

 

By Miriam Raftery

July 2, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Eagles, America’s national symbols, have special status under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Killing an eagle, or engaging in activities that lead to the death of an eagle, is currently punishable by  a $5,000 fine and one year in prison.  Felony convictions can result in far stiffer penalties – up to a $250,000 fine or two years in prison – and the fine for an organization that kills an eagle can be up to a half a million dollars.


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WILDLIFE OFFICIALS DISPUTE AP STORY ON EUTHANIZING DESERT TORTOISES, BUT SHELTER’S FUTURE STILL IN QUESTION

 

San Diego Zoo, which manages the shelter, disputes AP report

By Miriam Raftery; photo courtesy of the San Diego Zoo

August 29, 2013 (San Diego) – Earlier this week, Associated Press ran a story which stated, “Federal funds  are running out at the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center and officials plan to close the site and euthanize hundreds of the tortoises they’ve been caring for since the animals were added to the endangered species list in 1990.”

But the San Diego Zoo, which managers that center, told East County Magazine that while the center’s funding is in question, no healthy tortoises will be euthanized.  The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has also issued a press release finding fault with AP’s reporting.


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MOUNTAIN BIKING ASSOCIATION TO HELP CONSTRUCT NEW TRAIL JAN. 20 at SAN DIEGO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

January 15, 2013 (San Diego)--On Sunday, January 20 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the San Diego Mountain Biking Association (SDMBA) will be constructing new sustainable shared-use trails on the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge. The trail-head is located at the end of Par Four Dr., off of Steele Canyon Road. 

Planning for this event took over four years. Design, construction and maintenance will all be by volunteers. 


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SILENCE OF THE LAMBS: U.S. GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZES KILLING OF ENDANGERED BIGHORNS IN PATH OF WIND PROJECT

By Miriam Raftery

May 19, 2012 (Ocotillo) -- In a precedent that has horrified wildlife experts, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has authorized the “take” (meaning harassment, displacement or even death) of 10 endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep – five ewes and five lambs. 

The decision comes after federal wildlife officials were provided photographic evidence by ECM  that the endangered animals were seen in recent weeks on the site of the just-approved Ocotillo Express wind energy facility—a presence federal officials and the project developer have long denied.


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