No. 305, May 23, 2002
********************************** CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY Biodiversity Activist No. 305 May 23, 2002 www.biologicaldiversity.org **********************************
FEDS AGREE TO PROTECT HABITAT FOR GUAM BIRDS AND BATS
PETITION FILED TO PROTECT RELICT LEOPARD FROG IN AZ, NV, UT
LAWSUIT PLANNED TO PROTECT KOOTENAI RIVER IN ID & MT
MILITARY LAND TRANSFER IN SAN PEDRO RIVER BASIN STOPPED
JOIN US FOR HANDS-ON CONSERVATION ON WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS IN CA
LETTERS NEEDED FOR PROTECTION OF CARSON WANDERING SKIPPER IN CA AND NV
SUBSCRIBE TO FREE ONLINE HERP CONSERVATION NEWSLETTER
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FEDS AGREE TO PROTECT HABITAT FOR GUAM BIRDS AND BATS
The Center for Biological Diversity and the Marianas Audubon Society have negotiated a legal binding agreement with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to designate and protect critical habitat areas for six endangered Guam species by 6-01-03. The Marianas fruit bat, little Marianas fruit bat, Marianas crow, Guam Micronesian kingfisher, Guam broadbill, and Guam bridled white-eye are just of few of the hundreds of endangered species threatened by habitat loss and exotic species (especially the brown tree snake) in the Pacific Islands. Of the six, only the Mariana crow and Marianas fruit bat still occur naturally in the wild where they are restricted to the few remaining mature forest stands.
Over 2,000 bird species -- 20% of all avian species on Earth -- have been driven to extinction on Pacific islands, including 800 species of flightless rail. On Guam, 11 of the 12 native bird species are extinct or endangered.
For more information: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/activist/guam.html
The suit was argued by David Henkin of the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund (Honolulu).
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PETITION FILED TO PROTECT RELICT LEOPARD FROG IN AZ, NV, UT
The Center for Biological Diversity and Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance petitioned the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on 5-02-02 to protect the relict leopard frog under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Thought extinct until the 1990's, small populations at eight springs in two locations were rediscovered in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada. Since then, they have disappeared from two of the springs. It is teetering on the edge of extinction with less than 1,100 adults in the entire population.
The relict leopard frog originally occurred in springs and wetlands within the Virgin, Muddy, and Colorado River drainages in UT, NV, and AZ. They have been extirpated from 91% of their range, including all of UT and AZ. Habitat destruction from damming, urban and agricultural development, recreational impact from visitors to Lake Mead, and predation and competition from exotic species such as bullfrogs, crayfish, and introduced invasive plants threaten the remaining populations.
The damming of the Colorado River and the formation of Lake Mead in 1935 and Lake Mojave in 1951 flooded relict leopard frog habitat, reduced connectivity between the remaining populations, and altered the water systems necessary to maintain leopard frog habitats.
For more information: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/species/relictfrog/index.html
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LAWSUIT PLANNED TO PROTECT KOOTENAI RIVER IN ID & MT
On 5-7-02, the Center for Biological Diversity, Ecology Center and Idaho Conservation League formally notified the Army Corps of Engineers of their intent to sue the agency for refusing to implement required conservation measures necessary to save the endangered Kootenai River white sturgeon from extinction. The landlocked sturgeon occurs nowhere else on earth except the Kootenai River where it has thrived for tens of thousands of years. It has not successfully spawned, however, since Libby Dam became operational in 1974. The dam has disrupted natural flooding regimes, eradicating large spring floods, allowing gravel riverbeds to become silted in, and altering water temperatures. Fewer than 500 mature females remain in the aging population. If natural flooding regimes are not soon returned to the river, they will become too old to spawn.
In 1995 and again in December 2000, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service declared that Libby Dam is driving the sturgeon extinct. In both instances it established required changes to the management of Libby Dam to save the sturgeon. Those changes involve increasing spring water releases to more closely mimic the spring flood that occurred prior to the dam's creation. Though the Army Corps of Engineers agreed to implement the measures, they have consistently refused to do so since 1995.
For more information: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/species/sturgeon/index.html
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MILITARY LAND TRANSFER IN SAN PEDRO RIVER BASIN STOPPED
Fort Huachuca has canceled a decision to transfer 203 acres of military land outside of Sierra Vista in the wake of objections by the Center for Biological Diversity and a recent federal court order declaring that its vague "conservation plan" is not adequate to prevent the extinction of the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher and Huachuca water umbel. Fort Huachuca is the single biggest water user in the upper San Pedro River Basin. It's growth and growth inducing actions is one of the primary reasons the river is drying up. The river baseflow has declined by 67%, and in some areas may dry completely unless strong water conservation plans are put into action.
The land transfer would bring approximately 2,400 new people to San Pedro River Basin.
For more information: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/activist/sanpedro.html
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JOIN US FOR HANDS-ON CONSERVATION ON WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS IN CA
The Center for Biological Diversity will be participating in working field expeditions with the Ventana Wilderness Alliance and Forest Service to explore the Big Sur River and Ventana Wilderness Area and Sisquoc River. Participants will learn more about riparian ecology, and manually remove exotic plants from wild and scenic river corridors.
On June 8-9, we will stay over at Ventana Camp on Saturday to enjoy the wilderness, learn more about the ecology of this wild and scenic river, and meet other individuals who care for California's wild and scenic rivers. Ventana camp has one of the most beautiful swimming holes in the entire Ventana Wilderness. We will leave Big Sur Station at 9 AM on Saturday and return by mid-day Sunday. Please contact Steve Chambers, Ventana Wilderness Alliance at: kestrel@cruzio.com to reserve space, directions, and for details on what to wear/bring.
On June 24-27, join the Center and Kevin Cooper, a wildlife biologist with the Forest Service at the Sisquoc River. The expedition will focus on removing exotic species from a rugged and remote area while learning about the ecology of wild and scenic rivers with experienced and knowledgeable individuals. Please contact Brent Plater at: bplater@biologicaldiversity.org for more details and to reserve space. RSVP by June 7th.
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LETTERS NEEDED FOR PROTECTION OF CARSON WANDERING SKIPPER IN CA AND NV
The Carson wandering skipper butterfly received an emergency listing as an endangered species in November 2001 because of a listing petition by the Xerces Society, and a negotiated settlement between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Center for Biological Diversity. The Service has proposed to make the listing permanent, but is being opposed by Lassen County where the butterfly resides. A new comment period has been initiated to allow the county and others to voice their opinion.
The Carson wandering skipper is currently known from only two populations, one in Washoe County, Nevada, and the other in Lassen County, California. There was another population near Carson City, Nevada, which recently was lost due to development activities at the site. According to two reports authored by Peter Brussard, a professor at University of Nevada, Reno, the butterfly is at tremendous risk of extinction at its two remaining sites due to livestock grazing, off road vehicle activity, encroaching development, changes in the water table, and pesticide drift.
Please write a letter today, supporting complete Endangered Species Act protection for the Carson wandering skipper. The comment period closes June 6. If you choose to write an email, please write "Carson wandering skipper Endangered Species listing" in the subject line.
Robert D. Williams U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1340 Financial Boulevard, Suite 234, Reno, Nevada 89502 fw1renoskipper@r1.fws.gov
Sample letter:
Dear Mr. Williams: Thank you and the Fish and Wildlife Service for your emergency listing action for the Carson Wandering Skipper, Pseudocopaeodes eunus obscurus. We support formal listing of this species under the Endangered Species Act.
The Carson wandering skipper is currently known from only two populations, one in Washoe County, Nevada, and one in Lassen County, California. Two recent reports by Peter F. Brussard clearly show that the current status of the butterfly warrants an Endangered Species listing and all the protection that would provide. Extinction of this butterfly could occur from naturally occurring events or other threats due to the small, isolated nature of the remaining populations. The sites where viable populations are still found are at risk due to livestock grazing, OHV activity, encroaching development, changes in the water table and pesticide drift.
I believe the Carson wandering skipper should get full protection under the Endangered Species Act and a recovery plan should be developed that will recover the species. Critical habitat should also be designated for protection of the species.
For more information: http://www.xerxes.org , or contact Scott Hoffman Black (503) 534-2706 or sblack@xerxes.org.
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