Tag: Endangered Species Act
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Last Stand for Headwater Lahontan Cutthroat Trout – Part 2
Part 2 – Enforcement Why are Lahontan cutthroat trout populations still declining 50 years after being listed as a Threatened Species? Here are some points to consider. Agencies and Organizations Lahontan cutthroat trout (LCT) numbers have been diminishing since the 1800s by over-fishing and by habitat destruction, and they were listed in 1975 as Threatened…
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Another Attempt To List Montana Grayling Under The Endangered Species Act
On August 30, 2024, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (MDFWP) closed the Big Hole River to fishing due to high water temperatures. When water temperatures rise, cold-water fish like trout are stressed and more susceptible to disease and even being caught due to low water concentrating fish in the remaining holes. One…
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Can Colorado Sustain Wolf Recovery?
Wolves successfully live in states or parts of other countries with far greater human populations than Colorado. Photo George Wuerthner A recent NPR radio story titled: “Is Colorado Too Crowded To Support Wolves” suggested that with 6 million residents, there wasn’t enough habitat to sustain wolves. I’ve been involved with wolf restoration since the 1980s,…
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Tribal Rhetoric-Bison Realities
Tribal bison carnage near Yellowstone NP border last winter. Last week, 11 tribes gathered in Fort Hall, Idaho, to discuss “stewardship” of Yellowstone bison. Representative tribes included Shoshone, Ute, Crow, Arapahoe, Northern Cheyenne, Cree, Nez Perce, and Lakota/Dakota. According to the Buffalo Field Campaign announcement, the tribes all supported the “sacredness” of Yellowstone’s bison and…
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Decision to Permit Livestock Grazing in Upper Green Allotments Betrayal of Public Trust
The Upper Green River flows through the center of the 170,000-acre grazing allotment on the Bridger Teton National Forest. Photo George Wuerthner A federal court recently dismissed the lawsuit initiated by The Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, Western Watersheds Project, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, and Yellowstone to Uintas Connection to protect…
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California Coastal Commission Bans ORVs
Dust and air pollution from particulates is a threat to the health of nearby residents. Photo George Wuerthner On March 18th, the California Coastal Commission appeared to settle a long-simmering dispute over Thrillcraft use of the Oceano Dunes Vehicular Recreation Area near Pismo Beach, California. For forty years, the Coastal Commission has been arguing…
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Wolverine ESA Listing Effort Demonstrates Political Influence
Glacier National Park is home to 30-40 wolverine. Photo George Wuerthner On December 14, 2020, 24 organizations and one individual (me) filed two different lawsuits to challenge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) decision not to list the wolverine as a threatened Distinct Population Segment (DPS) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The…
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Potential For Wolf Restoration In Oregon
I wrote this review of the potential for wolf restoration in Oregon back in 1998. It is interesting to see that many of the predictions I made have materialized. Author: George Wuerthner ABSTRACT: Wolves (Canis lupus) were native to Oregon, and reported from throughout the state. Like much of the West, wolves were persecuted and…