Wildlife Weekly Wrap-Up

White House Flooded with Calls in Support of Endangered Species
On Wednesday, the White House’s phone lines were ringing nonstop from thousands of activists taking part in a national call-in day to express concern over the 80+ attacks on the Endangered Species Act in Congress. Over a dozen of those proposals have been proposed or added as policy riders to the 2016 House and Senate bills funding the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies. And, with a Continuing Resolution funding the government set to expire on December 11, the White House will soon begin negotiating final 2016 spending legislation with Congress. We’re urging the Obama administration to reject any and all legislation that has these anti-wildlife amendments attached, and so are 25 senators who yesterday submitted a letter to the administration requesting the same thing. It’s clear that President Obama has strong support from a diverse array of senators and their constituents; all eyes are now on the President to ensure he keeps these damaging ESA riders out of final spending legislation.

Washington State Voters Approve Initiative to Curb Wildlife Trafficking
A ballot measure that closes wildlife trafficking loopholes and provide the tools necessary for state law enforcement to prosecute wildlife traffickers passed with overwhelming support — 71 percent to 29 percent — this week in Washington. The new law makes it illegal to sell, purchase or trade ivory, shark fins, skins and other wildlife and wildlife parts within Washington’s borders. The U.S. is one of the world’s largest consumers of illegal wildlife and wildlife products, and having states take a stand and pass stricter regulations to curb wildlife trafficking is vital. Thank you to all of our dedicated members in Washington who voted in support of this measure!

It is too Soon to Remove State Endangered Species Protections for Oregon’s Wolves
On Monday, Oregon’s Fish and Wildlife Commission will reconvene and make a decision about what level of protection is warranted as wolves continue to recover in the state. Unfortunately, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has already advised the commission to remove wolves from the state endangered species list. At Defenders, we think a delisting is incredibly premature. First, the state’s wolf management plan – the document that sets the guidelines for how wolves should be managed – is due to be updated. It makes no sense to delist wolves when there are not adequate regulations in place to ensure their full recovery post-delisting. Second, if wolves are delisted, much of Oregon’s emphasis on nonlethal methods for reducing livestock-wolf conflicts could be reduced, and wolves could pay a heavy toll through lethal control and illegal killing if livestock-wolf conflicts are not well managed. The bottom line? Delisting when only the bare minimum of requirements has been met is wrong. No other species has been removed from the state’s endangered species list with a population of fewer than 100 individuals statewide or when they were still absent from a significant portion of their range. We’re telling the commission that the more prudent alternative here is to downlist wolves from endangered to threatened instead of delisting them completely. Oregon has played a valuable role in the success story that is the recovery of the wolf in the American west; the state shouldn’t short-circuit the process now.

Wyoming’s New Role in Ferret Recovery
Black-footed ferrets remain one of the most imperiled species in the US; we nearly lost these critters completely in the 20th century due to poisoning and habitat loss. In fact, the ferrets were thought to be extinct until a few were rediscovered in 1981. By 1986, only 18 remained. Thanks to the Endangered Species Act and with much collaborative work, the black-footed ferret is now rebounding. Many western states have created recovery sites where wildlife officials are reestablishing wild populations. Wyoming now has a tool provided in the ESA that wildlife officials hope will encourage additional reintroductions in that state. A new federal rule allows reintroduction of the endangered ferret in Wyoming with protections for both private and federal landowners in the event a ferret is accidentally harmed in the course of normal land use activities. Several landowners have already indicated that they will welcome ferrets under the new rule. Reintroduction of more ferret populations in this historic habitat is critical for the ferret’s recovery, and we’re celebrating this excellent news!

Congress Passes Global Anti-Poaching Act
While Congress continues to undermine the Endangered Species Act, it did take a stand to combat global wildlife trafficking this week. In a rare bipartisan vote, the House of Representatives passed the Global Anti- Poaching Act this past Monday, legislation which would crack down on poaching and help protect endangered species around the world. The act would put penalties for wildlife trafficking convictions on par with drug and weapons smuggling, and give support to park rangers on the front lines of the poaching epidemic. In response, Jamie Rappaport Clark, Defenders former President and CEO said: “We must do everything we can to make it harder for the illegal wildlife trade to flourish, both abroad and here in the United States. The time has come to close our ports of entry and shut down domestic markets to wildlife trafficking, and the Global Anti-Poaching Act takes a huge step to do just that.”