Tag: Conservation

Action Required! Stop the South Dakota Petition to Expand Hound Hunting and Protect Mountain Lions from Trophy Hunting

UPDATE:

At the September 2021 meeting, the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Commission voted to adopt the recommended changes to the mountain lion hunt for the 2021 – 2023 seasons. They also voted to adopt change rules to allow the use of dogs to hunt mountain lion to include all property owned by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks and also the land commonly known as Grasslands managed by the Forest Service.

The approved recommendations are as follows:

Black Hills:

  • December 26, 2021 – April 30, 2022
  • December 26, 2022 – April 30, 2023

Prairie: Year-round

Licenses:

  • Residents: Unlimited licenses

Harvest Limit:  Black Hills Fire Protection District: 60 mountain lions or 40 female mountain lions (includes Custer State Park)

We would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit comments to the SDGFP Commission. We will continue to fight to protect mountain lions in South Dakota and across America!

Action Required! Stop the South Dakota Petition to Expand Hound Hunting and Protect Mountain Lions from Trophy Hunting

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks has received a petition from the South Dakota Houndsmen Association to expand hound hunting across the state to include any public land, unless the public land specifically prohibits such, for the use of dogs (hounds) to hunt mountain lions when a pursuit originates on private land.

Fewer than 300 mature-age mountain lions are thought to reside in South Dakota and they must be protected. It is imperative that you let Game, Fish and Parks know that you are opposed to this petition that would expand hound hunting of mountain lions throughout the state!

In addition to harming the mountain lion population, higher levels of trophy hunting can result in increased conflicts with humans, pets and livestock. In areas with low to no trophy hunting of wild cats, conflicts are quite rare compared to areas with higher trophy hunting.

Please submit a comment to the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission by 11:59 PM on August 28th and tell them to oppose the South Dakota Houndsmen Association’s petition to expand hound hunting of mountain lions in South Dakota and to protect mountain lions from trophy hunting.

To submit your comment, select “Mountain Lion Season Restrictions” to comment on the petition and “Mountain Lion Hunting Seasons” to comment on SDGFP’s hunt recommendations. These are found under “Position Comment.”

Thank you for speaking up for South Dakota’s mountain lions!

Saving America’s Lion – Restoring Our Earth

51 years ago Earth Day was founded. One of the largest grass roots movements in support of environmental protections. That day in 1970, an estimated 20 million people attended the festivities and marched in the streets demanding that our government do more to save our planet. 20 years later it rose to 200 million and today it is estimated that one billion people celebrate the Earth and will march in the streets for stronger environmental protections this April 22nd.

This Earth Day, after a year that tested us beyond measure, many of us are anxious, bored, over worked or worse, unemployed. We are ready to get out of the house. To help you celebrate the importance of this Earth Day we aren’t presenting a webinar to watch, a town hall meeting to attend or even a march. Today is for the Earth and we are asking you to step up and do something really radical. Something that could very well change your life or at least allow you to see your life and the planet from a different perspective. We are asking you to go outside. Take a hike through a forest, walk by a lake or alongside a river. Hug some trees and put your bare feet in the water. Experience the natural world in all of its glorious splendor.

Allow yourself to indulge in an old fashioned adventure. An adventure where you don’t know how long the trail is, or where the hike will lead you, where it ends, or what previous walkers, runners, bicyclists, or hikers thought about it as posted on social media or in the latest review ap. So please, have an adventure, unplug and go outside.

As you embrace nature and your own inner transformation, you’ll discover that your power—and responsibility—to change the world around you are far greater than you’ve known.

Watch the beautiful video above as your entry into the wild and then get out there. Just walk or hike or ride a bike. Find a park, nature preserves, a forest or some other place that is natural and free. Discover what you have missed, listen to the quiet and pay homage to the planet that sustains us.

Earth. This is your Day. We recognize you. We celebrate you.

Today We Celebrate 35 Years!

The Mountain Lion Celebrates its 35th year protecting and preserving America’s Lion!

Today marks the date of our inception and the last 35 years as the only organization solely dedicated to Saving America’s lion.

Today we are celebrating not only us, but we also celebrate 35 years of your dedication and support! We hope you enjoy this short movie that highlights the many challenges we have faced together and the victories you helped us win on behalf of the lion!

Here’s to the next 35 years together!

P.S. LOOK FOR MORE CELEBRATIONS TO COME!

Bighorn’s Gordian Knot: Beyond the Dance of the Predator Prey Relationship

Bighorn’s Gordian Knot: Beyond the Dance of the Predator Prey Relationship

Interspersed with exclusive video, Leslie will discuss the complexity of issues facing the recovery of bighorn sheep; how mountain lions are being culled for bighorn relocations into their historic ranges; and what the future might hold for healthy bighorn populations.

“If we value bighorn sheep, then there needs to be a way to fund programs that support bighorns other than through hunts and super tags. There is something obscene in the sole financial support to save bighorns throughout the West—native wildlife that are in the public trust—relying on a sliver of mega-rich trophy hunters. Additionally, being dependent exclusively on hunters for bighorn dollars creates a vicious cycle that pressures agencies to put more bighorns on every mountain so as to increase revenue. It also fuels extreme predator management programs like in New Mexico, where the culling of lions never ends despite bighorn herds that are thriving.” – Bighorns’ Gordian Knot

 

About Leslie Patten:

Leslie Patten is a naturalist and writer. Living for over fifteen years in Northwest Wyoming, she loves exploring, hiking, and camera trapping wildlife. In her book Ghostwalker: Tracking a Mountain Lion’s Soul through Science and Story, she interviewed over fifty wildlife biologists, trackers, conservationists and houndsmen to reveal the hidden world of mountain lions. Her most recent book, Shadow Landscape, is a compilation of wildlife stories. Continuing her research into mountain lions, Shadow Landscape contains an essay entitled Bighorns’ Gordian Knot that investigates the tangled and politically fraught issue of bighorn sheep and mountain lions.

“The Conservation Game” Premiere

Premiere Postponed:

As we’re sure you’re already aware, the uptick of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Seattle, WA has meant that it’s now vital to continue to limit social contact and avoid in person gatherings.  For that reason, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone the showing of the documentary film “The Conservation Game” until further notice. While we know this is disappointing, we hope you can understand the steps we’re taking to help keep our staff and attendees safe. We are hoping to show the film at a later date either in person when it is safer to do so or virtually.

We’ll be processing refunds for everyone who bought a ticket. If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch here: info@mountainlion.org.

Thank you for your interest in “The Conservation Game,” and for your understanding. To find out more about the virus and how you can do your bit, visit the King County Public Health or the CDC websites.

https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19.aspx

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

“The Conservation Game” Premiere

“The Conservation Game” Dives Deep into the Perils of the Endangered Ambassador Animals and the Exotic Animal Trade.

The Mountain Lion Foundation proudly sponsors an exclusive showing of the film that the Santa Barbara Film Festival calls “AN ABSOLUTE BOMBSHELL OF A DOCUMENTARY.”

Exclusive Showing of award winning documentary and VIP event with the stars of the film to follow from 9:30pm-11:00pm. You can join the stars of the movie Tim Harrison and Jeff Kremer at the Sheraton Grand Hotel for an after party!

“The Conservation Game” exposes the real story of what happens to the endangered Ambassador Animals (captive animals — especially big cats — which audiences interact with up close) that celebrity conservationists exploit on TV (e.g. Jack Hanna, Boone Smith, Jarod Miller, Dave Salmoni) and is already rattling cages within the zoological world. “THE CONSERVATION GAME”

follows Tim Harrison, a retired cop who makes a bombshell discovery while undercover at an exotic animal auction. He starts to suspect that America’s top television celebrity conservationists may be secretly connected to the exotic pet trade. The detective chases missing lions, tigers and lynx, birddogs those hawking exotic wildlife, and lets the cat out of the bag to expose lies, deception, and cover-ups.

As his investigation leads deeper into the secret world of the big cat trade, Tim and his team take their fight to the halls of Congress, pressing lawmakers to pass federal legislation that would end the private breeding and exploitation of these endangered and majestic animals. The Big Cat Public Safety Act. But when opposition comes from an unexpected source, Tim is forced to face the demons of his own past, while wrestling with the consequences of exposing his childhood hero.

“If Tiger King is the tabloid take on the big cat story,
The Conservation Game is the Pro Publica version.”
– Film Threat

Attendees will be expected to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or recent negative COVID-19 test result. While requirements are subject to change based on local health regulation, attendees who are not fully vaccinated should expect to provide, a negative COVID-19 test result obtained within 48 hours (2 days) of attending.

World Lion Day

It’s World Lion Day! Today, we are celebrating America’s Lion: The Mountain Lion

Mountain lions are known by many names, including cougar, puma, catamount, painter, panther, and many more. They are the most wide-ranging cat species in the world and are found as far north as Canada and as far south as Chile.

Mountain lions are highly adaptable to situations and environments, and this adaptability has enabled them to survive across much of their original range in the America’s, despite severe habitat loss and active threats like trophy hunting.

This World Lion Day, join us in celebrating the adaptability and resiliency of America’s Lion, while helping to ensure their continued existence in America’s future:  MountainLion.org/Donate

Speak Up for Utah’s Cougars!

2021-08-26:  Update

Utah Wildlife Board approves excessive 2021-22 hunt recommendations

Utah’s newly approved hunting targets for mountain lions are excessive and unsustainable, according to an analysis by conservation advocates. The Utah Wildlife Board voted Thursday to allow unlimited cougar hunting in most of the state, and to place harvest limits elsewhere. During the 2020-21 cougar hunting season, a record 702 kills by hunters and Wildlife Services were reported by the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR).
Under the plan, 33 of the 53 cougar hunting units will allow unlimited year-round harvest and have a goal of >40% female harvest. For the remaining 20 cougar hunt units, DWR recommended that hunters be permitted to kill up to 297 cougars. The policy allows a single hunter to kill up to 2 cougars per year, but does not allow the killing of cougars that have been collared by researchers statewide.
Read our full press release here.

Speak Up for Utah’s Cougars!

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has released their cougar hunt recommendations for the upcoming season. If you live in Utah, please attend the Wildlife Board meeting on August 26, 2021 to give your feedback on their recommendations. You can also submit written comment to the Wildlife Board. The deadlines for comment and meeting schedule are posted below.

To submit your comments, visit: https://wildlife.utah.gov/agendas-materials-minutes.html:

  • Commenting instructions:
    • Click on “Proposals: Share your feedback”
    • Select the Wildlife Board to send comments to the members
    • Scroll down to the 2021-22 Cougar Recommendations and watch the video
    • Click on “I have watched this presentation and would like to give feedback.”
    • Check on your position and include comments in the box titled, “Do you have any additional comments about these recommendations?”
    • Lastly, scroll down to “Contact Information” and complete the required fields to submit.

Wildlife Board meeting schedule:

Utah Wildlife Board meeting: Aug. 26 at 9 a.m. MDT (Written comments must be submitted by Aug. 19 at 11:59 p.m. MDT)
Location: 1594 W North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84116

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approves 2022 hunt

For immediate release

Date :  June 11, 2021

Contact:  
Debra Chase, CEO, Mountain Lion Foundation
DChase@mountainlion.org
916-442-2666 ext. 103

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approves 2022 hunt

Chadron, NE – On June 11, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission voted unanimously to approve a 2022 mountain lion hunt in the state’s Pine Ridge region. Nebraska’s mountain lion population in the region is far too small to sustain a hunt and permitting a hunt at all is overly aggressive, unsustainable, and jeopardizing their long-term viability.

As of 2019, the mountain lion population in the Pine Ridge was estimated at 34 individuals, including kittens. This number does not include the 11 lions killed in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. When you factor in lions removed by hunters, the population size dwindles to 23. If 2/3 of the population is of adult age, then the population proposed to be hunted is closer to 15 individuals. This estimate does not include lions that may have been killed by other sources of human-caused mortality.

“Allowing trophy hunters to target such a small population is poor management and is not supported by science,” stated Denise Peterson, Conservation Advocate for the Mountain Lion Foundation. She continued, “Mountain lions have only recently reclaimed this small portion of their former range. Permitting this hunt threatens their long-term survival in the state and is not supported by the majority of Nebraskans.”

We asked the Commission to stop the hunt to preserve the few mountain lions that remain in Nebraska. Despite our request, feedback from the public, and science that shows that hunting such a small population threatens its long-term viability, the hunt will move forward. However, our fight is not over. We will continue to our efforts in Nebraska until mountain lions are protected from poor management decisions such as this.

If you want to support our efforts or get involved in Nebraska, visit MountainLion.org.

Founded in 1986, the Mountain Lion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to ensure that America’s lion survives and flourishes in the wild.

Nebraska Game & Parks Commission Seeking Public Comment on Proposed 2022 Mountain Lion Hunt

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is accepting public comment now through June 9, 2021 at 1:00 PM CT.

Nebraska’s mountain lions are in peril. In May 2021, Nebraska Game and Parks released their recommendations for yet another mountain lion hunt for the 2022 season. The recommendations are for a total of four mountain lions or a sublimit of two females in the Pine Ridge region. This is despite the fact that Nebraska has such a small population of lions, with the most recent population estimate being approximately 34 total cats (adults and kittens).

Given this population’s precarious foothold in the region, it cannot withstand any hunting whatsoever.

To submit comment:

All interested persons may attend and testify orally at the public hearing, but are strongly encouraged to submit written testimony prior to the public hearing in order to protect public health and assist in compliance with restrictions on public gatherings. Interested persons or organizations may submit written comments prior to the hearing, which will be entered into the hearing record if they: 1) include a request to be included as part of the hearing record; 2) include the name and address of the person or organization submitting the comments; and 3) are received by 1:00 p.m. CT, June 9, 2020 by Sheri Henderson at the Lincoln office, 2200 North 33rd Street, Lincoln, NE 68503-0370.

Updates will be posted here and on our Nebraska Action page.

Against the American Grain – Farms of Change in a Wild Community

Against the American Grain – Farms of Change in a Wild Community

May 20, 2021 @ 1:00PM — 2:30PM Pacific Time (US & Canada)

Join us for a conversation about growing food for humans in a changing climate – enhancing, protecting and preserving the wild landscape and building community in a multi species world.

If you missed it, watch it now!

“Wildness is a medium for mindfulness, a
consciousness in which cultivation transforms into
community and harvest into communion through the
shared language of being—of life itself.”

― Daniel Firth Griffith, Wild Like Flowers

Join us for a conversation about growing food for humans in a changing climate – enhancing, protecting and preserving the wild landscape and building community in a multi species world. We will discuss emerging young farmer perspectives, who they are, what methods they use and why it matters to all of us.

When a person decides to live on the urban edge, amid the rural valleys and the forests, among the wild things, there is an inherent responsibility to coexist within the space shared with other species of plants and animals. This is not the way of traditional farming and ranching.

Farming and Ranching with the Wild is taking on a responsibility to care for the domestic plants and animals raised and the wild native plants and animals whose space is shared. A community is built that favors the health and well-being of people and animals on both sides of the fence.

These farmers are on opposite sides of the Great Mississippi, one on the northern coast of California the other in middle Virginia. They are among a growing number of young farmers and ranchers that have chosen to regenerate and appreciate the wild lands and the wild life within, whilst raising livestock and growing crops for their community and themselves.

Meet the Farmers:

Daniel Firth Griffith

Daniel Firth Griffith is a storyteller, regenerative farmer, and a lover of the wildwoods. A first-generation farmer with a background in high-technology and entrepreneurship, Daniel’s life pivoted after being diagnosed with a life-threatening and degenerative genetic disease in 2012. He turned to farming—what ultimately emerged into regenerative conservation work—as “the last resort” in his health journey. What he found, however, was a life complete with abundance, joy, and health.

Daniel is the founder of Timshel Wildland, a 400-acre regenerative, process-led, and emergent conservation landscape in Central Virginia that partners with the wild world to co-create nutritious abundance—beef, pork, lamb, poultry, ancient vegetables, fruit, and peace. He is the Director of the Robinia Institute, a regional Hub of the Savory Institute that offers courses, consultations, and apprenticeships in the fields of natural citizenship, holistic management, and wild ecology. Under Daniel’s leadership, Robinia is pioneering land transition and regenerative scaling capital and consulting projects alongside bioregion-wide producer network emergence to co-create a uniformly diverse abundance in their region. Daniel is an acclaimed author, speaker, emergent conservationist, and an unworthy father to Elowyn, Tecumseh, and Sequoia.

His published works include: Boone: An Unfinished Portrait and Wild Like Flowers: The Restoration of Relationship Through Regeneration.

Gowan Batist

Agriculture and land management have always been an important part of Gowan Batist’s life. She is a Master Gardener, and studied Sustainable Agriculture through Oregon State University’s Extension Service. After graduating, she moved to Mendocino County to manage the farm-to-school program and the Noyo Food Forest. In 2013, Gowan Batist and her family founded Fortunate Farm. Together with North Coast Brewing Company, they purchased 40 acres–13 of which are owned by North Coast Brewing Company and 27 are owned by the Batist family. Gowan Batist manages the whole 40-acre farm as North Coast’s Sustainability Manager. The 40-acre farm located in Mendocino County produces heirloom vegetables and fresh cut flowers. To enhance the diversity of her farm, Batist also raises flock of sheep and sells the wool to local fiber artists.

Fortunate Farm utilizes sustainable farming methods such as swale contour beds to improve water storage and protect against erosion. Rotational grazing naturally adds sheep manure to the soil and increases soil fertility, eliminating the need to manually add manure to the soil. The mission of her farm is to “Feed people nutritionally dense foods, sequester carbon and empower our community.”

Webinar Bonus!

Throughout the webinar a random drawing will take place giving away 10 of Daniel’s book Wild Like Flowers: The Restoration of Relationship Through Regeneration.

All webinar attendees will have the opportunity to receive 25% off the purchase price of an autographed copy of the book Wild Like Flowers: The Restoration of Relationship Through Regeneration.