California Fish and Game Commission

STATE ENDANGERED SPECIES STATUS SOUGHT FOR LOCAL BUTTERFLY

By Miriam Raftery

July 2, 2020 (San Diego)—Once the most common butterfly in Southern California, the Quino Checkerspot Butterfly has lost over 70 percent of its habitat.  It’s been listed as a federally endangered species since 1997, but is not on California Endangered Species Act. That could soon change, if a petition filed this week by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Endangered Habitats League is successful.

The butterfly is now found only in San Diego and Riverside Counties. The petition, filed with the California Fish and Game Commission, would make the colorful butterfly an endangered species under state law, giving stronger protections against habitat destruction and fragmentation, climate change, nitrogen pollution, invasive species and enforcement.


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WITH UNANIMOUS VOTE, CALIFORNIA MOVES TO PROTECT IMPERILED MOUNTAIN LIONS

Source: Center for Biological Diversity
 
Photo credit: National Park Service. Female mountain lion, P-33, in the Santa Monica Mountains 
 
April 17, 2020 (Sacramento) -- In response to a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity and the Mountain Lion Foundation, the California Fish and Game Commission voted 5-0 yesterday to advance Southern California and Central Coast mountain lions to candidacy under the state’s Endangered Species Act. The vote follows a February 2020 finding by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that increased protections may be warranted.
 
The unanimous vote triggers a year-long review by the department to determine if these populations should be formally protected under the Act. The Act’s protections apply during the candidacy period.
 
“This is a historic moment for California’s big cats and rich biodiversity,” said Tiffany Yap, a biologist at the Center and primary author of the petition. “These ecosystem engineers face huge threats that could wipe out key populations. But with state protections, we can start reversing course to save our mountain lions. Wildlife officials deserve a big round of applause for moving to protect these amazing animals.”
 

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FISH AND GAME COMMISSION VOTES TO BAN BOBCAT TRAPPING STATEWIDE

 

East County News Service

Photo: Creative Commons image by www.ForestWander.com

August 5, 2015 (Sacramento)-The California Fish and Game Commission has voted 3-2 to ban bobcat trapping statewide. The decision today completely bans bobcat trapping in California, with the exception of trapping bobcats that prey on livestock.


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