newmexico, wildlife

Environmentalists want lynx protected in N.M.

Environmentalists want lynx protected in N.M.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – Environmentalists and animal protection groups on Monday sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

They’re trying to force the agency to extend Endangered Species Act protection to the Canada lynx in New Mexico.

The lawsuit says about 60 lynx have strayed into northern New Mexico since the Colorado Division of Wildlife began releasing the animals in Colorado in 1999.

The federal government lists the elusive cats as threatened in 14 states – but not New Mexico.

Last August, conservation groups petitioned for protection for the cats in New Mexico.

The lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Washington, D.C., complains that Fish and Wildlife failed to make a finding on the petition within 90 days as required by the Endangered Species Act.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

newmexico, wildlife

Stop The Slaughter Of New Mexico Wildlife

Stop The Slaughter Of New Mexico Wildlife [Wilderness Alliance]

This past Tuesday, April 15, the Albuquerque Journal reported that a rancher in northwestern New Mexico killed 39 pronghorn antelope by shooting them with a shotgun because they were grazing in his "dormant" alfalfa field. Many of the pronghorn were maimed and did not die right away.

A 1997 law (known as the Jennings Law after its sponsor, State Senator Tim Jennings, D-Roswell) gives farmers and ranchers the right to kill wildlife that present an "immediate threat" to their crops. Rancher, Neal Trujillo, who is responsible for the killings, has complained that the State Game & Fish Department has failed to keep the pronghorn off his property, even though the state agency has offered to give Trujillo materials and some of the labor needed to reinforce his fencing.

In response to the public outcry on the killings, the Game & Fish Commission is inviting the public to comment on the law and will be holding three meetings in New Mexico.

1. May 29 in Farmington
2. July 24 in Las Vegas
3. August 21 in Albuquerque

In the meantime, Game & Fish took video of the shootings and posted it on the Albuquerque Journal website.

Watch The Video Here
(Warning: This Video Contains Graphic Images)

Please call Senator Tim Jennings and voice your concern about the slaughter that occured on Neal Trujillo’s ranch. It is completely unacceptable for New Mexico’s wildlife to be maimed and left to suffer before they die, especially when the crops they were supposedly feeding on were dormant.

Senator Tim Jennings
(575) 623-8331

Also call Tom Arvas, Chairman of the New Mexico Game & Fish Commission and urge him to do everything in his power to prevent any future incidences of New Mexico’s precious wildlife being slaughtered.

Chairman Tom Arvas
(505) 293-3515

newmexico, wildlife

Vacation Planning

Rabid Fox Found in Sierra County
Written by Bruce Daniels – ABQnewsSeeker
Thursday, 17 April 2008

Dead animal found April 9 is the sixth confirmed case in southwestern N.M. this year.

A dead fox found in the Beaverhead area of the Gila National Forest about 50 miles northwest of Truth or Consequences has tested positive for rabies, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish said in a news release.

The fox found April 9 was the first confirmed rabid fox in Sierra County and the sixth to be found in southwestern New Mexico so far this year, the release said.

This latest case was found at the far western edge of Sierra County near the top of a drainage to the Gila River, but so far no rabid animals have been found east of the Continental Divide, according to Game and Fish.

Fox rabies has been a problem for years in Arizona and has now spread into western New Mexico.

The first New Mexico case was confirmed in the southwestern part of the state last year, when nine foxes and one bobcat tested positive for rabies in Catron County.

Since then, it has spread into Grant County and now Sierra County, the department said.

Kerry Mower, a wildlife health specialist with Game and Fish, said the problem will likely continue in New Mexico in the coming years, but will eventually run its course.

The current fox population in southwestern New Mexico appears to be high, and cases of canine distemper also appear to be on the increase in the area, Mower said.

The key to controlling the spread of rabies, Mower said in the release, is to have a licensed veterinarian vaccinate all pets and livestock.

Residents also can protect themselves by keeping pet food indoors, putting trash out only on pickup days and removing bird feeders that may attract foxes and other animals to their property, the release said.

Other

Outdoor Gear Swap

 

Gear Swap
Sunday, May 18
A Summer Equipment Swap and a New Mexico Wilderness Festival

The New Mexico Wilderness Alliance presents the 2nd annual Gear Swap to be held Sunday May 18th at our office, located at 142 Truman St. NE.

The public is invited to bring their slightly used outdoor equipment to be sold. Sell your gear and shop for some great bargains. Twenty two percent commission to benefit the NM Wilderness Alliance. Bring your used kayaks, canoes, dry bags or paddles, slightly used backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, or sleeping pads. Please, no used climbing gear or flotation devices.

Sell the stuff that has been collecting dust. Get rid of the old stuff so you can buy new.  Help folks with limited funds, so they can purchase equipment and enjoy the Wilderness with us. “This is the perfect opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts to clean out the garage and sell their previously-loved equipment so you can buy something new,” said Nathan Newcomer, Media Director for the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. “It’s also a great opportunity for the public to learn about sustainability, wilderness first aid and a whole slew of other things.”

The Wilderness Festival is a celebration of New Mexico’s wild public lands and a vision of a more energy efficient future. There will be booths promoting wilderness, wolves, sustainability, and outdoor recreation. Workshops on wildlife tracking, packing light, gourmet wilderness cooking, map reading and much more. Great music and guest speakers!

For more information, please call Craig Chapman at 505-843-8696, ext. 1009

WHAT: Gear Swap 2008

WHEN: Sunday, May 18th—10 AM to 4 PM. For those wishing to sell equipment, Check-in Monday thru Friday, May 12th—9 AM to 4 PM. Day of the event check-in, 7AM to 10AM.

WHERE: Office of New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, 142 Truman St. NE, located one block west of San Mateo in between Central and Copper.

wildlife

Wolves in Paradise (film)

Building Community
Film Night @ O’Niell’s Pub
Tuesday, May 6
7 – 9 PM

Join the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance for our kick-off event in a series that aims to build community in New Mexico while educating our members and the broader public on ways they can become involved in conservation issues.

Wilderness work can be very serious sometimes, but our "Building Community" program is designed for fun and camaraderie. It is a way to bring our members together; to relax; drink a cold brew and be a part of the community.

On Tuesday, May 6, we are partnering with O’Niell’s Pub (4310 Central Ave SE, Central at Washington in East Nob Hill) to show the film, Wolves in Paradise, a tale of survival as ranchers face the challenge of living with wolves in the decade after the top predator was restored to Yellowstone National Park. This documentary follows the growing wolf packs as they leave the sanctuary of the park and make their first incursions into Paradise Valley.

For more information, please contact Nathan Newcomer / 505-843-8696, ext. 1006

Please join us on Tuesday, May 6, at O’Niell’s Pub, from 7 – 9 PM and help us Build Community!

newmexico, wildlife

How Many Wolves Are There in NM?

ABQjournal NM: A Decade After Reintroduction of the Wolf, Environmentalists, Ranchers Continue to Play Tug of War Over Program By Rene Romo
Copyright © 2008 Albuquerque Journal; Journal Southern Bureau

The deep and often bitter divide between supporters and opponents of the wolf project is a big obstacle to its success, observers say.
    "The conflict is real, and until we have either better federal leadership or better local leadership, the prospects for wolves are not going to improve greatly," said John Horning of Santa Fe-based WildEarth Guardians, formerly Forest Guardians.
    "And right now the prospects for wolf recovery are not great," Horning said.
    "It’s kind of depressing to read all these comments that things are going to hell in a handbasket," said Laura Schneberger, head of the Gila Livestock Growers Association and a staunch opponent of the wolf reintroduction effort.
    "It’s just not true," Schneberger said. "There are a lot of uncollared wolves out there."

ABQjournal NM: A Decade After Reintroduction of the Wolf, Environmentalists, Ranchers Continue to Play Tug of War Over Program

I wonder if Schneberger has any proof for her claims. Does she have a theory for how the wolves are proliferating? I assume she explains the discrepancy between science and her opinion as simply out of touch extremists lying again. Elsewhere on this blog, she comments:

The difference between us and some of our counterparts is that we all have considerable and some of us, vast wildlife experience and we hope we are for the most part fairly patient with the extremism and bias directed at us from all sides of this issue.

I’m generally suspicious of people who feel besieged by inferiors. peace, mjh

Uncategorized

See the difference you can make – Earth Hour 2008

See the difference you can make – Earth Hour 2008 

Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.

This simple act has captured the hearts and minds of people all over the world. As a result, at 8pm March 29, 2008 millions of people in some of the world’s major capital cities, including Copenhagen, Toronto, Chicago, Melbourne, Brisbane and Tel Aviv will unite and switch off for Earth Hour.

See the difference you can make – Earth Hour 2008

wildlands

Too Close For Comfort : Condé Nast Traveler on Concierge.com

by Kurt Soller
Published December 2007

Though protected from development, these ten parks are in harm’s way

Aztec Ruins National Monument, New Mexico
This walled village on the banks of the Animas River was built by the Anasazi six to nine centuries ago. Threat: A coal bed methane well stands at the entrance to the park. Nearby land has been leased for future development.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico
A major trade and ceremonial center between a.d. 850 and 1250, this sprawling complex of Anasazi ruins is one of the country’s premier archaeological sites. Threat: Smog from power plants pollutes the air. Recently proposed natural gas pads would mar the views from the visitors center.

Too Close For Comfort : Condé Nast Traveler on Concierge.com

Is the West Losing Its Wild? : Condé Nast Traveler on Concierge.com

by Jim Robbins

Published December 2007

The search for fossil fuels across the American west is turning some of the nation’s last open spaces into industrial zones and putting protected areas and wildlife risk. Jim Robbins reports on how the U.S. government is allowing energy companies to carve up treasured landscapes—one well at a time

Beyond the country’s national parks is a second tier of wild landscapes that are neither as well known nor as dramatic but are nonetheless beautiful and were also set aside for the enjoyment of the American people. One of them is Largo Canyon, a broad red-and-dun sandstone cleft in the desert outside Farmington, New Mexico.

Is the West Losing Its Wild? : Condé Nast Traveler on Concierge.com

This Land is Your Land : Condé Nast Traveler on Concierge.com

by Alex C. Pasquariello
Published December 2007

Untangling the federal agencies managing the nation’s open spaces

When it was established within the Department of the Interior in 1946, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) inherited the nation’s leftover lands—175 million acres of the American West that hadn’t been given to states, privatized, or deemed scenic enough to protect. The agency’s mandate to sustain the health and productivity of its land has historically translated to an emphasis on grazing, mining, and drilling. The Clinton administration strengthened the BLM’s conservation ethic, protecting more than 42 million of its acres. The Bush administration took the opposite tack, loosening environmental regulations and shifting the agency’s resources to focus on oil and gas production. Today, the BLM manages 260 million of the nation’s 630 million–plus public acres, and is one of the government’s top revenue generators. Here’s who’s managing the other 370 million acres of your land:

Fish & Wildlife Service
Mandate: To conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats; chief administrator of the Endangered Species Act. Acres Managed: 93 million of the National Wildlife Refuge System. All land is protected from development.

National Park Service
Mandate: To "preserve unimpaired" the natural and cultural resources of its parks. Acres Managed: 83 million in 369 sites, from Yellowstone to the Statue of Liberty. All land is protected from development.

Forest Service
Mandate: To sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of its forests. Acres Managed: 193 million in 155 forests and 22 grasslands. Of those acres, 35.3 million are congressionally designated wilderness. In 2001, the Clinton administration protected an additional 58.5 million acres. The Bush administration repealed the move; the case in now being fought in federal court.

This Land is Your Land : Condé Nast Traveler on Concierge.com

wildlife

NPR: Testing Raptor Interest in Dragonfly Robot

1 Comment

 

The day after Christmas, a hawk swooped down and carried off Danny McGorry's dragonfly robot.

Enlarge

Mary McGorry

The day after Christmas, a hawk swooped down and snatched Danny McGorry’s dragonfly robot.

McGorry, 10, holds his new dragonfly robot.

Enlarge

Ken McGorry

McGorry, a 10-year-old from Manhasset, N.Y., holds his new dragonfly robot, which replaced the one carried off by the hawk.

Robert Siegel flies a Fly Tech Dragonfly robot.

Video by Franklyn Cater, NPR

All Things Considered, March 10, 2008 · The Fly Tech Dragonfly is a foot-long, remote-controlled, flying toy. Its styrofoam body attaches to four wings that flap, flutter and squeal.

Danny McGorry, a 10-year-old fifth grader from Manhasset, N.Y., received the robot on Christmas. It was the present he had most wanted.

McGorry flew it in the yard and — as if on cue from Alfred Hitchcock — a hawk intercepted the dragonfly and took off with it. His mother snapped a photograph of the bird, perched in a neighbor’s tree, toy in talon.

NPR: Testing Raptor Interest in Dragonfly Robot

wildlands

Read It and Weep

1 Comment

The Most Destructive Project on Earth: Alberta’s Tar Sands » Celsias

With oil prices over $100 a barrel this week, the companies involved in Canada’s tar sands must be rubbing their hands in glee. The $26 a barrel cost of processing (compared to about $1 in Saudi Arabia) suddenly doesn’t look so bad. Oil companies who have chosen not to invest may be tempted to reconsider, and that’s very bad news.

The Athabasca tar sands, in Alberta, may be the world’s largest oil reserve. Only the surface sands are accessible at the moment, but if the technology develops a little more, there’s potentially six times more oil there than the whole of Saudi Arabia – enough to last 200 years, say the champions of the project.

But, it’s not liquid oil, and extracting the crude from the sand takes vast reserves of water, a quarter of Alberta’s fresh water. This water is so polluted at the end of the process that it is simply left to stand in huge tailing pools that altogether cover some 50 square kilometres. It’s so toxic that birds landing on the ponds would die. Some places use propane cannons to scare the ducks away; others just rake the dead birds off the surface. As the ponds aren’t lined, waste water leaks into the Athabasca River, polluting everything downstream – lakes, deltas, and the Mackenzie River.

It also destroys the land. Huge areas of the boreal forest ecosystem have been felled and the underlying peat bogs cleared away to expose the sands. At the end of the processing there is nothing but a ‘toxic moonscape’ of earthworks, ponds, and 80 foot high piles of pure sulphur. 5,000 hectares have been destroyed already, and David Schindler of the University of Alberta estimates that in ten years time they will have cleared an area the size of Florida.

The air is not spared either. It takes enormous amounts of heat to extract the oil, approximately a barrel of gas for every two of crude. The total emissions of the tar sands project will soon be equivalent to the whole of Denmark. Acid rain falls all across Alberta and now Saskatchewan too. In the summer, the tailing ponds release carcinogenic benzene. “If the wind is from the north-west,” writes Aida Edemariam of the nearby boomtown of Fort McMurray, “you can smell oil on the air: heavy, slightly sour, unmistakable.”

All of this makes the tar sands ‘the most destructive project on earth‘ (pdf), according to last week’s report by Environmental Defence.

Having read last week that the site was visible from space, I tracked it down on Google. It’s right here if you want to explore it and see for yourself.

The Most Destructive Project on Earth: Alberta’s Tar Sands » Celsias

wildlife

Call 505-333-0420 and leave a voicemail for our lobos!

Voices For Wolves
Leave a Voicemail for Our Lobos

Take a few minutes to call in and voice your concerns for protecting our wild Mexican Gray Wolves! Our objective is to get as many voices as possible speaking out on protecting our lobos.

Call 505-333-0420 and leave a voicemail for our lobos!

Tell our elected officials that they must do everything in their power to save these animals from a possible second extirpation.

Under the Bush administration the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program has become the Mexican Wolf Eradication Program.  The US Fish and Wildlife Service removed 15 wolves last year without regard to their mandate to recover this critically endangered wolf under the Endangered Species Act.  Today, just 23 wolves roam freely in New Mexico.

Please be concise and short in your comments. Our objective is to create a CD of voices and present them to our congressional delegation, letting them hear, directly from you, the importance of protecting the Mexican Gray Wolf. Your message may also be used in DVD presentations that we create.

Please call (505) 333-0420 and leave a message today for our lobos!

Other

The Encyclopedia of Life

 

Imagine the Book of All Species: a single volume made up of one-page descriptions of every species known to science. On one page is the blue-footed booby. On another, the Douglas fir. Another, the oyster mushroom. If you owned the Book of All Species, you would need quite a bookshelf to hold it. Just to cover the 1.8 million known species, the book would have to be more than 300 feet long. And you’d have to be ready to expand the bookshelf strikingly, because scientists estimate there are 10 times more species waiting to be discovered.

It sounds surreal, and yet scientists are writing the Book of All Species. Or to be more precise, they are building a Web site called the Encyclopedia of Life (www.eol.org). On Thursday its authors, an international team of scientists, will introduce the first 30,000 pages, and within a decade, they predict, they will have the other 1.77 million.

The Encyclopedia of Life, No Bookshelf Required – New York Times