Are Chinese “walking catfish” positioned to invade D.C.?

September 1, 2002 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, September 2002:

WASHINGTON D.C., BALTIMORE–The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service on July 26, 2002 proposed a permanent rule against the
importation and interstate transport of and species of snakeheads,
also known as “walking catfish.”
A scientific panel on the same day advised Maryland
Department of Natural Resources secretary J. Charles Fox to authorize
exterminating a small local snakehead population immediately, even
at cost of killing their whole habitat.

New laws abroad

September 1, 2002 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, September 2002:

The Bulgarian Parliament on July 10 declared brown bears a
protected species, who may no longer be hunted, bought, sold, or
displayed to a paying audience. About 800 bears inhabit the
Bulgarian mountains, 30 bears are in zoos, 21 are kept by gypsy
exhibitors of “dancing bears,” 11 are in breeding colonies set up to
maintain the zoo population, and four belong to circuses, according
to the International Bear Foundation. The Dutch-based IBF in 2000
paid for microchipping all 66 captive bears, while the Fondation
Brigitte Bardot and the Austrian group Vier Pfoten founded a 2.7-acre
bear sanctuary near the Rila monastary, founded in the 13th century
at the reputed site of the grotto of the 10th century animal-loving
vegetarian saint John of Rila.

One orca freed, ten to be caught and sold

September 1, 2002 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, September 2002:

VANCOUVER, B.C.; SEA OF OKHOTSK–The orphaned orca A-73,
who followed the Seattle/Vachon Island ferry boats throughout the
spring in southern Puget Sound, was captured, treated for minor
ailments, taken back to the A-pod home waters in the Johnstone
Strait, and reunited with the pod in mid-July 2002, at total cost
of $800,000.
The greatest part of the expense was borne by the Nichols
Brothers boatyard in Freeland, Washington, whose jet catamaran did
the hauling.

Prairie dogs

September 1, 2002 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, September 2002:

WASHINGTON D.C.–The National Wildlife Federation on June 26,
2002 asked the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to protect blacktailed
prairie dogs throughout its holdings, but continued to withhold any
denunciation of the 2002 Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation “gopher”
derby, which killed more than 63,000 blacktailed prairie dogs and
Richardson’s ground squirrels.
The SWF is an affiliate of the Canadian Wildlife Federation,
which shares programs and policies with NWF.
Seven other U.S. conservation groups in early July asked the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list whitetailed prairie dogs as a
threatened species. Utah and Mexican prairie dogs are already listed
as a threatened species, and the Fish and Wildlife Service has
acknowledged that blacktailed prairie dogs are eligible for listing,
but has not assigned them a high priority on the waiting list of
candidate species.
Pressured by ranchers and prairie dog shooters, the Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission on July 24 voted 5-1 against protecting
prairie dogs on state lands.

U.K. Mammals Trust says “Yankee animals, go home!”

September 1, 2002 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, September 2002:

LONDON–Great Britain from the time of Queen Elizabeth I
through the reign of Queen Victoria energetically exported favored
livestock and wildlife species throughout the British Empire.
Rabbits and foxes were sent to Australia and New Zealand,
starlings and house sparrows to the U.S.–but now Britain is on the
receiving end of introductions, especially from the U.S., and some
conservationists view the new arrivals as threats to the national
character.
David Macdonald and Fran Tatter-sall of the Mammals Trust
reported in May 2002 that the population of native English water
voles fell by 90% during the 20th century, due to habitat
competition and predation by introduced American mink.
Macdonald and Tattersall also blamed the recent decline of
native red squirrels on the success of introduced American grey
squirrels, and lamented that DNA analysis of native British pine
martens showed the presence of at least two American pine martens in
their gene pool.

Canadian anti-cruelty and Species-at-Risk bills die twice

July 1, 2002 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August, 2002:

OTTAWA–A once promising session of Parliament for Canadian
animal protection bills adjourned on June 21 in Ottawa with both an
update of the 107-year-old federal anti-cruelty law and the proposed
Species-at-Risk Act effectively dead.
Both bills actually appeared to be dead by mid-April,
between the concerted opposition of the Canadian Alliance, the
minority party which dominates western Canada, and the opposition of
Liberal Rural Caucus chair Murray Calder.

Wise-users kill Canadian ESA, anti-cruelty bill

June 1, 2002 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2002:

OTTAWA–Canadian Alliance leader John Reynolds gloated on
April 30 that the third attempt of the Liberal government to pass a
national endangered species act appeared to be dead. The current
Parliament is to adjourn on June 21. Liberal house leader Ralphe
Goodale–insisting that the currently introduced Species-at-Risk Act
will “get to the finish line by mid-June”–had by May 28 made no new
move to push it. The Liberals are strongest in Quebec and Atlantic
Canada; the Canadian Alliance dominates the west.

Saskatoon gopher derby may go into the hole

June 1, 2002 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2002:

SASKATOON, Saslatchewan–Started on April 1, the Ken Turcot
Memorial Gopher Derby was touted by Saskatoon Wildlife Federation
business manager Len Jabush as perhaps the biggest killing contest in
Canadian history.
Jabush told Karen Morrison of The Western Producer that he
distributed 10,000 entry forms, expecting 2,000 contestants to pay
$20 each to have their “gopher” tails counted, and was “scrambling”
to print more. He did not say, “April fool!”

Fewer hunters, more brain disease

June 1, 2002 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2002:

ANNAPOLIS, DENVER, HARRISBURG, MADISON, WASHINGTON
D.C.–Maryland Governor Parris Glendening on May 15 vetoed a bill
which would have increased the state deer hunting season from 13 days
to at least 21 days, including the first Sunday of the season.
Vetoing a bill overwhelmingly favored by the hunting lobby
was political suicide not long ago, especially in a southern state,
and even in the name of keeping the sanctity of the Sabbath.

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