Subject: FW: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #50

Subject: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #50

Pardon the previous alert..a few technical difficulties

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
           SOUTHWEST BIODIVERSITY ALERT #50
                        2/29/97           
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

1. DON HENLEY, STEVIE NICKS, BRUCE HORNSBY TO PERFORM BENEFIT
   CONCERT FOR SOUTHWEST CENTER

2. GETTING POLITICAL- SOUTHWEST CENTER LAUNCHES 501(c)(4)

3. JAGUAR ESA LISTING MEDIA

***   ***   ***   ***

DON HENLEY, STEVIE NICKS, BRUCE HORNSBY TO
PERFORM BENEFIT CONCERT FOR SOUTHWEST CENTER
Don Henley (Eagles), Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) and Bruce
Hornsby will perform a benefit concert for the Southwest Center on
March 9, 1997 at the Union Hall in Phoenix, AZ.


GETTING POLITICAL- SOUTHWEST CENTER LAUNCHES 501(c)(4)
The Southwest Center has launched "Southwest Action" a non-profit
501(c)(4) environmental action group. The Center, like most
environmental groups, is a 501(c)(3) and therefore prohibited from
endorsing or opposing political candidates. Southwest Action,
however, can legally enter the political area.

In 1996, Southwest Center Conservation Chair, Dr. Robin Silver, ran
against John Shadegg in the Republic primary, garnering 25% of the
vote.


JAGUAR ESA LISTING MEDIA

"FUR IS ABOUT TO FLY OVER FIGHT TO PUT JAGUAR ON ENDANGERED LIST"
Barry Burkhart, Arizona Republic, 2/9/97

   Most of the jaguars you've ever seen either were in zoos or on TV
wildlife shows
   These beautiful spotted animals show a high affinity for swamps or
rain forests. But they also live in the desert and at least make
occasional visits into Arizona.
   And they're causing a ruckus among Arizona and New Mexico
wildlife agencies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the
Southwest Center for Biological Diversity.
   Since 1900, the presence of 64 jaguars has been documented in
Arizona - four since 1971 and two last year, according to Bill Van
Pelt, non-game mammals program manager for the Arizona Game
and Fish Department.
  Last year's sightings were in the Peloncillo Mountains on the
Arizona-New Mexico Border and in the Baboquivari Mountains
southwest of Tucson. Both sites are near the Mexican border where
they are most likely to live.
   ...
   The conflict that arises is whether the animals should be designated
endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or become
part of a joint conservation program instituted by Arizona and New
Mexico.
   ...
   In 1993, the Southwest Center for Biological Diversity, a non-profit
environmental organization, sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
to propose the jaguar for endangered listing in the United States. The
Service did so in 1994.
   In August of last year, the Center sued again because the Service
still hadn't made a final determination. In December, Arizona and
New Mexico began planning a conservation agreement that would
head off listing the animal.
   The Center went back to court last month to push for a decision. It
will come in the next two weeks.
   The Center sees the conservation agreement as "a fraud". It says the
cat still would be subject to institutionalized threats such as trapping,
shooting, and habitat loss.
   It also believes Gov. Fife Symington is at the root of the problem.
"Just add Endangered Species Act violations to Symington's list of
federal indictments," said David Hogan, Desert Rivers Coordinator
for the Center.
   ...
   Van Pelt said listing the animal as endangered would put severe
limitations on ranchers, the ones who most often encounter such
animals. That's why he wants them involved.
   "If the animal is listed, we're afraid rural people will just keep quiet
when they see one. If it's on our land we're not going to tell you about
it," he said.
   Currently in Arizona, the jaguar can't be killed for sport. But it could be
 killed for destroying private property such as livestock.
Under the Endangered Species Act, it could not.
   The cooperative agreement does call for stricter laws, but passing
them is another matter.
   ...
   Critics say the Southwest Center for Biological Diversity doesn't
give a whit about jaguars, that it is more interested in protecting the
San Pedro River and stopping the Army from using its water. If the
jaugar is listed, studies may indicate that the San Pedro is critical
habitat for its existence. The Center is already beating up Fort
Huachuca pretty well.
  And it's probably going to win this one, too.
   ...
   And there's another matter.
   "There are five criteria for listing a species," Van Pelt said.
"One is enough to get it done. The jaguar meet four."

_______________________________________________________________________________
Kieran Suckling                                  ksuckling@sw-center.org
Executive Director                               phone:  520-733-1391
Southwest Center for Biological Diversity        fax:    520-733-1404
POB 17839, Tucson, AZ 85731                      www.envirolink.org/orgs/sw-center