February 2015
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Study and photos show terrific regrowth of riparian vegetation- Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in southern Oregon had been grazed by cattle for many decades when in 1991 the cattle were removed. The refuge had been created in 1936 as a “last stronghold” for remnant pronghorn antelope. Since that time wildlife conservation has grown more general.…
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Upsurge since 2012 brings year end population to 109- The long struggling population of Mexican wolves in Arizona and New Mexico has finally topped the initial (interim) reintroduction goal of 100 wild wolves. At the end of 2014, the official estimate was a minimum of 109 wolves. The population was close to equal between Arizona…
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It is time for another new page for your wildlife news. Please use “comment” at the bottom to post your news. Do not post entire articles unless you have our permission, or post copyrighted materials unless you own the copyright. Here is the link to the most recent (Jan. 31) “old” news.
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Most elk since 1998 now being fed- Since 2015 began, the winter in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, has been the mildest in the memory of most folks. As a result, the almost snow-free National Elk Refuge would be expected harbor only scattered elk, and the elk there would not be chowing down on compressed alfalfa pellets.…
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Renewal of 15 sheep grazing permits on Big Desert grazing allotment challenged- News Release Boise, ID—Today, Western Watersheds Project filed a lawsuit challenging the Department of Interior’s approval of fifteen sheep grazing permits for the Big Desert Sheep allotment located partly within Idaho’s Craters of the Moon National Monument. In addition to renewing the grazing…
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Here is current news and notes- On Feb 9, there was a contentious first hearing on the bills by Senator Jennifer Fielder of Thompson Falls, a leader in the effort for Montana to gain ownership of the U. S. public lands. It was on SB 215 (see next paragraph). Contentious hearing on first of several federal land transfer…
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If states grab federal lands, what happens to donated private lands? What do the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, and hundreds of other organizations have in common? Their gifts of acquired private land given to the federal government would be at risk if states got hold of the national…
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A first step on road to grizzly recovery in a former stronghold- The National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) have just announced that they are jointly preparing a North Cascades Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Restoration Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Plan/EIS). Public meetings are being held this coming March about…