CURRENT NEWSLETTER

WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS

GRIZZLY BEARS WILL STAY ON ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming have sought to delist the bear, allowing management of grizzlies by the states rather than the federal government in order to allow trapping and hunting, including trophy hunting.

Because of habitat loss, fragmentation, and roads, the lack of connecting lands has led to genetic isolation for grizzlies, which leaves them vulnerable to disease and mutations. Eradication in the days before the existence of the Endangered Species Act led to the extinction of grizzlies in many states such as California, which still boasts the grizzly on their flag, despite having none who survived the onslaught.

But early this year, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service ruled that grizzlies will remain protected under the Endangered Species Act and recovery plans will continue to be carried out.

You can read more about this decision here.

Photo by mana5280 on Unsplash

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

TIGERS

We can make a difference!

Large carnivores are a vital part of a healthy ecosystem. But by the early 2000s, tigers lived in less than 10% of their historical range.

But a multi-pronged approach undertaken by India has doubled the tiger population there since 2010. They created tiger reserves, habitat corridors, enacted strict anti-poaching laws, and engaged local communities in their conservation.

This shows that iconic large predators can be recovered in areas even with high human population. In fact, tigers had vanished from locations with habitat loss, armed conflict, and poverty. But setting aside land for tigers in those areas brought about land sharing and socioeconomic prosperity.

You can read more about India’s tiger recovery here.

Photo by Blake Meyer on Unsplash

GREEN TIP

NATIVE, POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY PLANTS

As you get ready to select plants for your spring and summer gardens, please consider using native plants that are pollinator friendly. Our pollinators are not faring well due to the overuse of pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change.

But the wonderful thing about creating a space for pollinators is that it doesn’t require a lot of room and is extremely beneficial.

We may not all have huge tracts of land that we can devote to wildlife movement, but a small patch for pollinators can do wonders.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has an excellent Native Plant, Seed, and Service directory. Just go to this link, put in your area, and it will provide numerous sources for pollinator-friendly, native plants, including milkweed to help monarch butterflies!

Photo by Aniston Grace on Unsplash

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

HELP MONARCHS

As spring arrives, milkweed will start to bloom, attracting imperiled monarch butterflies.

You can aid in their conservation by taking part monarch studies depending on where you live.

No matter where you live in North America, you can contribute to the Monarch Larva Monitoring Program. To learn how to get involved, go to this link.

And if you live in the western U.S., you can also contribute to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation’s Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper project. Just visit patches of milkweeds and record the location and if you see monarch adults or caterpillars.

For more information on the Milkweed Mapper project, go here.

Both projects are easy and fun and a great reason to get outside and enjoy the spring weather.

Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash