Wildlife Weekly Wrap-up

September 30, 2016

Your weekly roundup of wildlife news from across the country

Red Wolf Win!
Just yesterday, we received word that we’ve won the injunction in our case for Red Wolves in North Carolina! Now the Fish and Wildlife Service cannot take Red Wolves from the wild unless they pose an imminent threat to people or property – not just because someone doesn’t want a wolf nearby. This is a huge victory in turning around the agency’s recent practice of wolf removal, which had led to the deaths of several of these endangered wolves, and to the species’ recent population crash, leaving fewer than 45 on the ground today. The win also puts on hold the Service’s latest proposal to take more Red Wolves from the wild and place them in captivity – a plan which surely would have doomed the species to extinction.

Victory for Tropical Trees
The CITES conference is well underway, and already we’ve seen one fantastic win among the many proposals our international team has worked to support. The proposal to list the whole genus of rosewood trees (Dalbergia) was adopted by consensus this week, protecting more than 300 species of trees in more than 100 countries worldwide. The illegal trade of rosewoods had increased exponentially for the last decade, at the cost of the environment as well as human lives. Our hope is that this unprecedented measure will help to make this a regulated and sustainable trade.

Relocating A Family of Ecosystem Engineers
It’s truly amazing the impact that even one family of beavers can have on an ecosystem. These “engineers” can change the flow of rivers and waterways, creating and enhancing habitats for species of all kinds, from fish to birds. That’s why, when a beaver family in northern Denver was about to lose its home, we jumped in with some of our local conservation allies to not only bring them to a new and healthy home, but a place that could really benefit from having these ecosystem engineers on the ground.

Get a firsthand account of this beaver relocation from our team on the ground >

Last Chance to Save the African Grey Parrot
It is estimated that more than 1.3 million African grey parrots have been captured and exported since 1975. Because of the conditions these birds are kept and transported in, many die long before that. In fact, experts believe that in the same span of time, another 1.7 million of these birds have died in the attempt to bring them into the pet trade. This absurd overexploitation has left the species on the brink of extinction. But now, several nations are coming together with a proposal at this year’s CITES meeting to take a stand for this beleaguered bird.

Conservation Heroes Honored
Last night marked Defenders of Wildlife’s annual Conservation Awards Dinner, in which we honor several individuals whose contributions to protecting wildlife and wild places are truly above and beyond. This year, we were thrilled to honor three remarkable individuals:

Dr. Lee Talbot, Defenders of Wildlife Legacy Award
One of the original authors of the Endangered Species Act, our nation’s strongest wildlife protection law, Dr. Talbot has been a voice for biodiversity and endangered species for over 60 years. He has advised on environmental issues in 134 countries, conducted more than 150 exploration and research expeditions, and authored more than 300 publications. It is clear that his mission has been to leave this planet better off than he found it, and for decades, he has accomplished that goal.
Donald Barry, Spirit of Defenders Award for Public Service
A tireless advocate for the preservation of wildlife and public lands for over 40 years, Donald Barry played an instrumental role in creating the way the Endangered Species Act is put into action, creating a set of no-nonsense rules that put the needs of wildlife front and center. It’s safe to say that, without Don’s contribution, the Endangered Species Act would not have become the legal cornerstone it remains today. He spent 19 years at the Interior Department, and another 19 in the nonprofit conservation community, working always in defense of the ESA and all it stands for. He has testified before Congress and in countless other outlets, eloquently and persuasively denouncing the dozens of congressional bills designed to gut the very law that he helped bring into being. His career has made the world safer for gray wolves, for sage grouse, for manatees, for California condors, and for countless other imperiled species.
Rose Letwin, Spirit of Defenders Award for Citizen Advocacy
Rose Letwin is the founder, president, and sole funder of the Wilburforce Foundation, a private, philanthropic foundation protecting important lands, waters and wildlife in Western North America by empowering conservation organizations and leaders. Since 1991, the Wilburforce Foundation has invested more than $150 million in conservation efforts. With a long-term commitment to sustaining wild places for the betterment of wildlife and communities for generations to come, Wilburforce is seen as an international leader in collaborative conservation. Thanks to Rose’s leadership, every funding decision that Wilburforce makes is part of an overriding plan to solve “the larger landscape puzzle” – fostering collaboration, empowering individuals and groups, and taking us that much closer to the day when a network of connected habitats stretches across the North American West.

Whale Deaths Alarm Scientists
The deaths of two endangered North Atlantic right whales, and the severe entanglement of a third, in a span of just a few days has scientists concerned that threats to these marine mammals are taking a toll. Two whales were found dead off the coast of Maine, while the third was found alive but covered in fishing gear off Cape Cod. This third whale, at least, was freed from the lines and buoys, and will hopefully recover.

New Study Points to “Irreversible Damage” from Gulf Oil Spill
Though it has now been more than six years since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, experts are still discovering just how far the damage goes to the ecosystems in and around the Gulf. A study released earlier this week suggests that while great efforts have been made to restore some areas impacted by the spill, other habitats may be damaged beyond repair. This study in particular looks at the saltwater marshes along the coast — ecosystems that provide habitat for a wide array of fish and wildlife, as well as many environmental benefits for humans that live further inland.

Find out what researchers are saying about the impacts of the spill on the Gulf’s salt marshes >

Climate Change is a National Security Risk
A report released by the U.S. intelligence community is a stark reminder that the impacts of climate change extend far beyond wildlife and habitats alone. The report identifies ways in which the changing climate is spurring (and will continue to spur) threats to national security, primarily by creating extreme weather events that in turn create tensions and instability where conflicts can erupt.