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  • FEDS RESPOND TO PETITION, PROPOSE LISTING FOR ISLAND FOXES

  • CALIFORNIA FAILS TO PROTECT TIGER SALAMANDER

  • CENTER OFFERS $5,000 REWARD FOR APPREHENSION OF WOLF KILLERS

  • BLM PROTECTS ENDANGERED PENINSULAR BIGHORN SHEEP LAMBING HABITAT

  • GROUPS FILE WILD AND SCENIC RIVER LAWSUIT TO PROTECT NORTH FORK EEL RIVER FROM CATTLE GRAZING


FEDS RESPOND TO PETITION, PROPOSE LISTING FOR ISLAND FOXES

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to list four subspecies of Island Fox in response to a petition filed last year (and threat of legal action this year) by the Center for Biological Diversity and Institute for Wildlife Studies.

Though weighing less than 5.5 pounds, the San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Santa Catalina Island foxes are top-level predators of great importance to the Channel Islands ecosystem of southern California. They are the largest native mammals and largest native terrestrial predators of the islands. Their extinction would be a tremendous loss to California's unique natural heritage and the ecological balance of the Channel Islands.

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CALIFORNIA FAILS TO PROTECT TIGER SALAMANDER

On December 7, 2001, the California Fish and Game Commission voted 2-1 to refuse to accept the petition to list the California tiger salamander and refused to protect the species as a candidate for listing. In making this decision, the Commission ignored the recommendation of all of the following: the Department of Fish and Game; every academic scientist who has studied the species; and the Commission's own legal counsel. To top it off, they also ignored legal standard for accepting petitions in reaching its determination. The Commission's action was clearly illegal and will be challenged in court by the Center for Biological Diversity. The Center is also working to gain emergency federal listing for the Sonoma County population of California Tiger Salamander. A decision should be forthcoming soon. The Center will continue to do everything possible to obtain protection for the California tiger salamander and its habitat as soon as possible.

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CENTER OFFERS $5,000 REWARD FOR APPREHENSION OF WOLF KILLERS

The Center for Biological Diversity announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of those responsible for the recent spate of Mexican gray wolf killings. This money will be paid on top of the $10,000 reward offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The captive-born Mexican wolves have made nearly flawless adaptations to life in the wild. The only barrier to success is continued human interference with their natural propensity to roam and explore. Despite multiple concessions on the part of wolf-advocacy groups to meet the objections of those opposed to recovery of the Mexican gray wolf, wolves are disappearing suspiciously and being shot or killed in hit-and-run incidents. Four wolves have been confirmed killed in approximately a month, paralleling the Fall 1998 shootings in quick succession of at least five of the initial eleven wolves released.

Rewards by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Center, and other non-profit groups led to the conviction in October 2000 of James Michael Rogers (of Eager, AZ) in one of the 1998 shootings. Rogers served four months in prison and six months under house arrest. He will be on supervised probation for the next two and half years, and must also complete 50 hours of community service.

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BLM PROTECTS ENDANGERED PENINSULAR BIGHORN SHEEP LAMBING HABITAT

In response to a settlement with the Center, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Sierra Club, Blue Ribbon Coalition, San Diego Off-Road Coalition, and the California Association of Four-wheel Drive Clubs, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) placed a seasonal closure on two roads crossing public land in the Coyote Mountains, San Diego County, CA, from January 1-June 30. This is an important period for sheep to give birth and raise newborn lambs, and Carrizo Peak within the Coyote Mountains is a known significant lambing site.

BLM will construct two gates to block motor vehicle use on the lambing grounds by the end of this year. Non-motorized uses are not affected by the decision. Blocking non-permitted vehicle use in the area will also halt unauthorized mining damage on Carrizo Peak, which has been an ongoing problem for BLM.

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GROUPS FILE WILD AND SCENIC RIVER LAWSUIT TO PROTECT NORTH FORK EEL RIVER FROM CATTLE GRAZING

The Center and the Environmental Protection Information Center filed suit this week against the U.S. Forest Service for allowing cattle grazing to severely damage the fisheries and water quality of the "Wild and Scenic" North Fork Eel River. The suit seeks to halt cattle grazing in the river corridor and compel the Forest Service to protect and restore the North Fork Eel River, as required by law.

The North Fork Eel River was designated as a component of the Federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1981and is one of three major forks of the Eel River. The Forest Service allows five grazing allotments within the Wild and Scenic designated stretch of the river corridor. Large numbers of cows continually transgress the river, causing massive algal blooms and other problems that impair water quality and seriously degrade fish habitat. Despite clear requirements in the law, the Forest Service has never reviewed the environmental impacts of this grazing under the National Environmental Policy Act, nor has it completed a management plan for the Wild and Scenic North Fork Eel River.

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