Author: fwilliams

Wildlife on public lands in New Mexico are now safe from trappers!

Wildlife on public lands in New Mexico are now safe from trappers! New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law Senate Bill 32!! This bill bans traps, snares, and poisons on public lands across New Mexico.

For over a decade there has been a battle to get trapping devices off of public lands in New Mexico. We are thrilled to see this tireless work finally pay off. Now our public lands in New Mexico are safer for wildlife, people and pets. It couldn’t have been done without you!

Thank you all for the support!

Our thanks also go out the many organizations in the Trap Free New Mexico coalition:  Wild Earth Guardians, Rio Grande Chapter of Sierra Club, Animal Protection Voters, Southwest Environmental Center, New Mexico Wild, Project Coyote, Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Voters of New Mexico, Endangered Species Coalition, Amigos Bravos, Defenders of Wildlife, and Sandia Mountain Bearwatch.

We are so grateful for everyone’s hard work.

Governor Newsom Announces Appointments

Governor Newsom Announces Appointments

California Governor Gavin Newsom, whose father co-founded the Mountain Lion Foundation, announced appointment of three members of the California Fish and Game Commission today. UC Santa Cruz ecology professor Erika Zavaleta has been newly appointed. Jacqueline Hostler-Carmesin, who has served on the commission since 2013, was reappointed as was Samantha Murray who has served on the Commission since 2019.

The Mountain Lion Foundation is encouraged by these appointments, especially given the significance of the Commission – for the first time in its 150-year history – becoming majority female, majority conservation, and ensuring tribal, marine, legal, and ecological expertise is available to guide Commission decisions.

In Memoriam of Kathy Fletcher

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Kathy Fletcher, former President of the Mountain Lion Foundation.

Kathy began her work on behalf of mountain lions while she was working for Assembly Member Richard Katz who became one of the chairs of the Prop 117 campaign.  Savvy, funny, wise and absolutely reliable, Kathy guided Richard and us through the political morass that was predator protection at the time.  She later joined the MLF Board of Directors and was elected President to help guide MLF through leadership changes, the No on 197 campaign and the transition from a Foundation that was formed to stop the killing of mountain lions to become a national leader in puma protection with extensive influence in habitat and corridor protection.  Former MLF President Bill Yeates also recalled today that Kathy played the key staff role in establishing the authorities of the Coastal Commission under the auspices of Senator Henry Mello’s office.  Former MLF Executive Director Lynn Sadler recalled Kathy’s sense of fun but also her sense of duty, noting that Kathy played a major role in raising her grandchildren after the death of her daughter.

Idaho’s War on Cats

Photo Credit: Dan PotterIdaho Fish & Game Commission Adopts Heinous Department Recommendations for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 Hunting Seasons:

At their most recent meeting on Thursday, March 18, 2021, the Idaho Fish & Game Commission voted  to support the Idaho Department of Fish & Game (Department)’s recommendation to remove hunting quotas and allow for the use of electronic calls to hunt mountain lions statewide. This means that mountain lions can now be lured to their death by the use of electronic calls with no limit throughout the state.

This decision was clearly in favor of the special interests of hunters and not in favor of mountain lions, which the Commission is supposed to preserve and protect. The Department used the usual justification of reducing predation on deer and elk and reducing human conflicts and livestock depredations to back their recommendations.

We fear, however, that the opposite will occur. Numerous studies have found that human-lion conflicts increase in heavily hunted populations. Ignoring the science will only exacerbate the problem. Catering to hunters, citing “increased opportunity” for the justification for the removal of hunt quotas and the use of electronic calls is not only unsustainable, it is unethical.

In February 2021, we submitted comments to the Commissioners urging them not to adopt the Department’s recommendations and reminding them of their responsibility under I.C. § 36-103 to preserve, protect, perpetuate and manage all wildlife in Idaho, including mountain lions. We voiced our concern that the the current mountain lion management plan is outdated by over 10 years and that the proposals, if approved, would not preserve, protect, or perpetuate mountain lions in Idaho. We pointed out that a call to remove quotas for mountain lion hunting statewide is unsustainable and that requesting approval for the use of electronic calls “to provide additional opportunity” is unethical and does not constitute fair chase. We urged the Commission to:

      1. Begin the process of drafting a new mountain lion management plan based on up-to-date science and current mountain lion data for the state of Idaho;
      2. Set sustainable hunting quotas statewide based on the best estimate of the current population;
      3. Uphold female quotas and move to remove female harvest altogether, as females contribute disproportionately to the population;
      4. Not to approve the use of electronic calls for mountain lion hunting in any region, as this is unethical and does not constitute fair chase.
It seems the Commission did not hear us and we have some more work to do in Idaho.
If you would like to voice your concerns with this recent decision to the Commissioners yourself, you can contact the Idaho Fish & Game Commission here.

 

Photo Credit: Dan Potter

Wildlife on public lands in New Mexico soon to be safe from Trappers

Roxy’s Law bans traps, snares, and poisons on public lands and it’s on the way to the desk of Governor Michelle Grisham for her signature!

Senate Bill 32 – called “Roxy’s Law” in memory of a cattle dog who died in a neck snare on public land is on the way to Governor Michelle Grisham’s desk to be signed into law.

For over a decade there has been a battle to get trapping devices off of public lands in New Mexico. We are thrilled to see this tireless

work finally pay off. Once signed into law, this bill will make our public lands in New Mexico safer for wildlife, people, and pets.

We couldn’t have done it without you! Thank you for all your support!

Our thanks also go out to the many organizations in the TrapFree New Mexico coalition:

WildEarth Guardians, Rio Grande Chapter of Sierra Club, Animal Protection Voters, Southwest Environmental Center, New Mexico Wild, Project Coyote, Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Voters in New Mexico, Endangered Species Coalition, Amigos Bravos, Defenders of Wildlife, and Sandia Mountain Bearwatch.

We are so grateful for everyone’s hard work.

Oklahoma Lions are Safe for Now

We did it! Mountain lions passing though Oklahoma are safe for now.

In January 2021, Senate Bill (SB) 769 was introduced by Senator Casey Murdock (R) which proposed a lottery or draw for mountain lion hunting in the state of Oklahoma and quickly passed the state’s Senate Agricultural and Wildlife Committee. Though mountain lions once roamed the hills and forests of Oklahoma, persecution at the hands of humans drove the wild cats extinct in the state.

To date, while there have been 40 confirmed sightings since 2002, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and Conservation (ODWC) has reported that there is no evidence of a breeding population in the state. Often, these sightings are the same individual as it moves through an area, as evidenced by the Department’s confirmation data.

Visit our story map to learn more about mountain lions in Oklahoma.

Allowing the killing of the rare dispersing mountain lion that happens to roam through the state would offset any conservation efforts that have been made in Oklahoma and neighboring states. The Mountain Lion Foundation, along with the Kirkpatrick Policy Group and other conservation organizations, opposed SB 769 as it jeopardized the ability of mountain lions to reclaim portions of their historic range, would undo decades of research, science, and conservation endeavors, and is not ethical wildlife management.

Thanks to the joint efforts of conservation organizations and advocates alike, SB 769 is currently “dormant for the year.” We will continue to monitor activity on this bill and others in Oklahoma and wherever mountain lions roam.

Bainbridge Island’s Cougar

It seems as if the Bainbridge Island’s cougar is safe for now.  Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has indicated they will not kill the cougar unless it kills more livestock and WDFW is called in again. Your support and calls for saving the cougar came through loud and clear. Your voices have prompted WDFW staff and the Commissioners to look more closely at their cougar management program, especially as it relates to public education and we hope that they will pledge to use more science and less force. We will keep you informed as that progresses. We couldn’t have done it all without you!

That said, we are at a turning point for Washington’s wildlife. Governor Inslee is making new appointments to the Fish and Wildlife Commission. Currently the Commission is heavily weighted towards management by killing our wildlife instead of management using conservation science. As a result of that imbalance, the voices of all other citizens get drowned out by special interest groups. We need your help to make sure Governor Inslee knows that the people of Washington care about our wildlife, and want it to be managed responsibly, ethically and in accordance with the best available science.

Please take a few minutes to remind Governor Inslee and the Commission that they have a duty to manage the state’s wildlife for all of Washington’s citizens.

Take the following steps to make sure your voice is heard:

  1. address your email to “Governor Inslee, Commissioners, and Ms. Austin”, with a subject line of WDFW needs Science Minded Commissioners.
  2. send it to governor.JayInslee@gov.wa.gov; jt.austin@gov.wa.gov; commission@dfw.wa.gov;
  3. include your name and where you are from, so they know you are a Washington resident
  4. after you send your email, please forward a copy to info@mountainlion.org so we can keep track of how many emails have been sent; and
  5. please ask two or three friends or family members who care about wildlife to do the same.

Your email does not need to be long, but it is important that it express your own thoughts about why it is important for the Department of Fish and Wildlife to represent all Washingtonians, and for the Commissioners who run the Department to prioritize conservation and listen to the science. 

 

Here is some background information and talking points that might help you to write your email:

  • Regardless of whether they hunt or fish, the next Commissioners that Inslee appoints must: (1) prioritize science in the management of wildlife populations; (2) understand that WDFW’s primary mission to “preserve, protect and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems”; and (3) be dedicated not only to conservation, but also to humane and ethical wildlife management.
  • We challenge Governor Inslee to use his next Commission appointments to reform WDFW, and make sure it truly respects science, values conservation, and is committed to ethical wildlife management.
  • WDFW has a responsibility to reflect the values of all Washingtonians, not just the tiny percentage that hunt.
  • It is time for the Commission to stop listening to special interest groups, and start valuing science, and listening to their own experts.

We know you care about conservation, science, and ethics, it is time to demand that WDFW reflect your values.

Thank you for taking the time to speak out on behalf of our wildlife, and for encouraging your friends and family to do the same.

Coexisting with Cougars in Utah – April 29, 2021

Coexisting with Cougars in Utah

With independent wildlife field biologist, tracker and educator – Rosemary Schiano
April 29, 2021 at 1:00 – 2:30 PM PT includes limited live Q&A afterwards.

In her presentation, Rosemary Schiano addresses the need to protect mountain lions and other predators in Utah and discusses practical non-lethal methods, devices, guardian animals and structures that homeowners, small farms, livestock farms and ranches can use and deploy to protect pets, farm animals and livestock from predation. Rosemary will include a focus on the natural history, ecology and behavior of mountain lions, and the challenges they face on the modern landscape.

Rosemary Schiano is an independent wildlife field biologist, tracker and educator. She served from 2011-2019 with the US Forest Service in the high Rockies of Colorado. Rosemary has over 40 years of experience in the field studying wildlife across North America with an emphasis on terrestrial and avian predators. She trains and certifies federal and state agency personnel, wildlife professionals and law enforcement officers in classes and workshops on living with predators, natural history and ecology of predator species, bear spray, aversion and hazing techniques, and how to apply them. She also gives public talks and classes about predators, non-lethal methods for protecting pets and livestock, aversion techniques and co-existence. Rosemary has tracked hundreds of mountain lions, bears, wolves and coyotes over the course of her career and regularly hazes predators upon request for homeowners and ranchers. She has managed ranches and never lost an animal to predation.

 

Florida Panther 101 – March 11, 2021

Florida Panther 101

Have you ever wondered about the elusive panthers living in the swamps of South Florida? You’re invited to join Panther Outreach Specialist with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Ashlee O’Connor, as she discusses the history, biology and ecology, management and conservation of this isolated puma population.

Ashlee has a B.S. in Wildlife & Fisheries Management from the University of Tennessee. She has lived in Florida for 11 years working and volunteering with private, government and NGO groups focused on the conservation of Florida’s native species.

When she isn’t working on conservation issues, she is living them on her small family farm, mitigating conflict with wildlife on the rural/exurban fringe in south Florida. You can also find her homeschooling her two children, working with the family’s livestock guardian dogs, managing her beehives and leading her local chapter of La Leche League.

Watch now!

Archive – Utah Residents: House Bill 125 aims to kill more lions!

Utah Residents: House Bill 125 aims to kill more lions!

Update: March 2, 2020

On March 2, 2020, House Bill 125 was signed by Governor Gary Herbert.

Update: February 21, 2020

On Tuesday, February 18, 2020, a revised version House Bill 125 passed in the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee by a vote of 5:0. Now it goes to the full Senate and, if it passes, will become law unless vetoed by the governor. You can view the revised bill of here.

Revisit the original Action Alert:

House Bill (HB) 125, sponsored by Carl Albrecht, will amend the Utah State Code to require the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) to aggressively remove (kill or have hunters kill) cougars, bears, bobcats and coyotes whenever deer and elk herds are “below objective,” – that is, when they are not as large as UDWR and certain hunter groups desire.

HB 125 is:

    • Unnecessary: UDWR has authority for managing predator and prey species using professional discretion, but would lose it under this bill.
    • Anti-science: Many factors affect deer and elk populations besides predators, including: drought, fire, disease, severe winters, livestock grazing, loss of habitat, and hunting.
    • Unethical: Cougars, bears, bobcats and coyotes will be relentlessly killed in an attempt to increase deer and elk herds, which will in turn damage the ecosystem.
    • Politically motivated: This legislation would strip legal authority to manage wildlife for all citizens from UDWR and put it into the hands of hunting organizations.

 

Here’s what you can DO to stop this horrid legislation from becoming law:

    1. Find your representative here: https://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp Fill in your home address and zip code, then click on “find.” This will give you the name of your representative and your district number. Then go to the House roster to find your representative by district number and to get his/her email address and phone number: http://house.utah.gov/house-members/
    2. Email or phone your representative and ask/urge/insist/demand that he or she vote against HB 125. State your reasons (you can borrow from the above points, but be brief). Be sure to include your name and home address with zip code at the end of your message.

 

Contact your representative today and tell them that you want them to oppose HB 125! Please act now to conserve our wildlife and protect our ecosystems!