No. 1258, August 15, 2024

Suit Seeks to Protect Marine Mammals From Fishing Gear

The Center for Biological Diversity and allies just sued NOAA Fisheries for violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act — in particular, failing to carry out parts of the law aimed at limiting the accidental catch of these animals in foreign fishing gear. When other countries’ fisheries kill more marine mammals than is allowed under U.S. law, the Act requires the U.S. government to ban imports of their seafood — but it hasn’t been doing that. So our lawsuit seeks a court order to level the playing field.

Every year more than 650,000 marine mammals die caught in nets or snagged on fishing hooks — a crisis euphemistically called “bycatch.” Entanglement could wipe out many critically endangered species, including vaquita porpoises, Indian Ocean humpback dolphins, New Zealand sea lions, Māui dolphins, and North Atlantic right whales.

You can help make the feds hold foreign fisheries accountable. Tell NOAA Fisheries it's past time to ban seafood imports that don't meet U.S. standards for marine mammal protection.

Stop TVA From Building for More Fossil Fuels

The Tennessee Valley Authority, the largest public utility in the United States, is building six new methane-spewing "natural" gas plants — a massive buildout that would also call for more than 150 miles of expensive gas pipeline across Tennessee.

TVA's reliance on fossil fuels pollutes the air, poisons drinking water, and raises household energy costs, especially in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. It also worsens the climate crisis, driving storms and climate disasters that destroy lives.

But there's still time to change course. TVA can show true leadership by choosing renewable, resilient, and distributed energy instead of dirty fossil fuels. That would put money back in people's pockets, create new jobs, improve public health — and tackle the climate crisis.

If you live in the United States, urge TVA to drop its new gas projects and invest in clean energy.

Help Near for 3 Fish, 2 Butterflies, 1 Skink

Five animals got closer to Endangered Species Act protection this week thanks to the Center’s work. Three are fish, two are butterflies, and one is a skink.

The fish include two subspecies of speckled dace, minnows urgently threatened in their Southern California and Eastern Sierra habitats by water diversions and climate change. Similar forces are driving the disappearance of unique arctic graylings, cold-water-loving members of the salmon family, who cling to survival in Montana’s Big Hole River system and a few lakes.

Two beautiful butterflies — eastern and western regal fritillaries — were also proposed for protection. Glamorously decked out in orange, blue-black, and white, regal fritillaries are about the size of monarchs, with a wingspan that can be more than 4 inches.

In Florida the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed protection for Cedar Key mole skinks due to threats to their delicate beach habitat from climate change. Adorned with light-pink tails, these little lizards live only on the shores of the eponymous islands.

New Mexico Suit Aims to Protect Jumping Mice

The U.S. Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service have repeatedly failed to live up to their duty to protect delicate riparian areas and meadows from cattle in New Mexico’s Sacramento Mountains — areas that are critical habitat for highly endangered New Mexico meadow jumping mice. So on Monday the Center filed our third lawsuit in the past five years to save these little animals from extinction.

“Many other rare plants and animals across the Southwest are slowing going extinct because of this long pattern of neglect,” said Robin Silver, one of the Center’s cofounders. “If it keeps going on like this more species will disappear forever.”

Save the Grand Canyon From Toxic Uranium

The Grand Canyon uranium fight is heating up. In four big protests this month, thousands of Northern Arizona residents called on Arizona Gov. Katies Hobbs and President Joe Biden to close the Pinyon Plain uranium mine, which threatens the canyon’s groundwater, biodiverse springs, and nearby communities like the Havasupai Tribe.

The wave of action was sparked by Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, who sent police to stop the mine’s first uranium-ore shipments from crossing the Nation. Although Gov. Hobbs later brokered a deal to temporarily suspend ore shipments, protesters are demanding that the mine be closed. That’s the only way to prevent permanent damage to the Grand Canyon region’s environment and people.

Take action now to add your voice to this critical fight.

The Revelator: Umbrella Species

Science says many types of animals can serve as “umbrella species.” But tigers, orangutans, and other charismatic megafauna are the ones who bring big money to conservation efforts.

Head to The Revelator to learn about some lesser-known umbrella species in Southeast Asia.

And if you don’t already, subscribe to the free weekly Revelator e-newsletter for more wildlife and conservation news.

That’s Wild: It’s a Frog Eat Frog World

Cannibalism has been documented before in the amphibian realm — including filial cannibalism, where parents consume their offspring — but adult frogs eating each other has rarely been observed. Now a researcher in Australia has captured great footage of a female gold and green bell frog — a species that’s in decline — attempting to do just that.

Perhaps not enjoying the song of a courting male, she popped one of his legs into her mouth and dragged him into her hole as he squawked. No spoilers, but rest assured you can watch without fear.

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Photo credits: Indian Ocean humpback dolphin by Mandy/Wikimedia, New Zealand sea lion by Jake Osborne/Flickr; TVA rally courtesy Tennessee Valley Energy Democracy Movement; Cedar Keys mole skink © Jonathan Mays, western fritillary butterfly courtesy Pennsylvania Army National Guard, and Santa Ana speckled dace by by Paul Barrett/USFWS; New Mexico meadow jumping mouse by Jennifer Frey/USFWS; orangutan by Peter Nijenhuis; green and gold bell frog by LiquidGhoul/Wikimedia.

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