Eagles Journal’s Post

US Wildlife Officials to Cull 450,000 Barred Owls: A Controversial Plan to Save Spotted Owls The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently announced a controversial plan to cull nearly 450,000 barred owls over the next 30 years. This decision, aimed at saving the endangered spotted owl, has sparked heated debate among conservationists, wildlife advocates, and the general public. Barred owls, originally from the eastern United States, have displaced native spotted owls from their habitats in the Pacific Northwest. The population of spotted owls has plummeted, with some regions experiencing a decline of over 75%. The USFWS believes that without intervention, the spotted owl could face extinction in significant portions of its range. The culling plan involves sending trained shooters into dense forests to target barred owls, using recorded owl calls to lure them, and then eliminating them. This method, tested on a smaller scale since 2009, proposes the removal of up to 450,000 barred owls over 30 years. Reactions to the plan are mixed, with some conservation groups supporting it as necessary to save the spotted owl, while animal welfare advocates and public officials express concerns about its feasibility and ethical implications. As this debate continues, it highlights the complexities and ethical dilemmas in wildlife management. The outcome of this contentious plan will set a significant precedent in conservation policy, shaping future strategies for managing invasive species and protecting endangered wildlife. Dive deeper into the details and implications of this plan in our blog post here. https://lnkd.in/e3atQyDR #Conservation #WildlifeManagement #SpottedOwl #BarredOwl #USFWS #EnvironmentalPolicy

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has announced that grizzly bears will remain protected under the Endangered Species Act across most of the western U.S., rejecting petitions from Wyoming and Montana to remove those protections. 🐻 While protections remain in place for many populations in Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming, the agency proposed allowing private landowners to kill grizzlies threatening farm animals, even without a permit. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, farm animal losses to carnivores are minuscule. The predominant sources of mortality to farm animals *by far* are non-predator causes, including disease, illness, birthing problems, and weather. The decision is among several wildlife and environmental protections announced in the final days of the Biden administration. Attempts to delist grizzlies during previous administrations were blocked in court. An upcoming public comment period will provide an opportunity to advocate for sustained protections for grizzly bears, emphasizing ethical and science-based wildlife policies. "Upholding endangered species protections for grizzly bears across much of the western U.S. is a major win for wildlife," says Renee Seacor, Project Coyote's Carnivore Conservation Director. "However, this victory is the first step in a larger fight of ensuring sustained protections for grizzly bears and fostering long-term coexistence." Stay tuned for more updates on how you can make your voice heard in support of grizzly bears. #EndangeredSpecies #ESA #GrizzlyBears #WildCarnivores 📷 Molly McCormick #CaptureCoexistence Contributor | @mollymccormickphoto

Washington state continues to be a national leader in wolf recovery and collaborative coexistence efforts. Our state’s wolf population grew by at least 20% in 2023, with a minimum count of 260 wolves in 42 packs during end of year surveys. Since wolves are very difficult to count—especially individuals or pairs dispersing to find new territories—the actual number of wolves is surely higher. While wolf numbers in Washington grew, reported depredations on domestic animals didn’t increase correspondingly, thanks in part to proactive non-lethal conflict deterrence programs by ranchers and other livestock producers, non-profit organizations including Conservation Northwest, and the state departments of Fish & Wildlife and Agriculture. According to Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife biologists, gray wolves should now be reclassified from a state endangered species to sensitive species status based on their significant progress toward recovery goals.

#owls #slaughter #redux #butchery #killing #cull #cultureofdeath #perfidy #accountability--not #life #love #reverenceforlife #loveofJesus HUMAN PERFIDY REDUX: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a final proposal to kill around 450,000 invasive barred owls in the Northwest, in an attempt to save two native species. BUT HUMANS FACILITATED THEIR ARRIVAL AND EXACERBATED THE SITUATION FOR ALL: In the early 20th century, these owls started moving west of the Mississippi River following "human-induced changes" to the Great Plains and northern boreal forest, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Both native species have also been impacted by extreme logging activity over the last few decades, which has majorly reduced their range, according to California's Santa Clara University. AH, BUT ALL IS WELL... The cull will only be carried out by licensed hunters, and members of the public will not be permitted to shoot barred owls. The FWS report also notes that lead ammunition will not be used in the cull because of its impact on the environment. [Ed. comment--no doubt the owls will be grateful for these conditions of their injury, impairment and slaughter.] WE MUST COUNTER AND ELIMINATE THE CULTURE OF DEATH: There is but one path forward to salvation, ours and that of all other denizens of our shared home; namely, the acceptance and adoption of a reverence for life as our ethos. This is the ethos imposing upon mankind a sacred duty to serve as stewards of nature, of life, of all God's creatures, not their executioner. Rather than naively, injuriously and lethally playing God, let us assist and enhance His creation through works of beneficence to assist life. That is the impact we should impose on the environment. That is bestowing the love of Jesus universally. That is a reverence for life!

New Legislation Would Support Wildlife Habitat on Private Lands. The Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act is aimed at expanding voluntary efforts to enhance wildlife habitat connectivity on private and working lands. https://lnkd.in/gmX7hjfP

We're at the forefront of wildlife research and conservation, setting a benchmark for innovative practices in safeguarding Africa's iconic species. With a commitment to balancing human-wildlife coexistence, Mugie in partnership with Lion Landscapes and the Kenya Wildlife Service KWS, employs advanced technologies and collaborative efforts to monitor and protect its diverse wildlife population. Among these efforts, lion monitoring stands out as a key initiative, addressing the challenges posed by predator-livestock conflicts and ensuring the long-term survival of these majestic animals within the conservancy. Lions pose a major conservation challenge due to the conflicts that arise from the killing of livestock. In order to reduce and prevent the predation of livestock, seven females in three different prides and one male were fitted with a collar in partnership with Lion Landscapes, KWS, and WRTI. The collars allow the Conservation Team to follow the pride movements and prevent incidents from happening by making the herders/community aware of the presence of lions in their specific areas. The collars also allow the Conservation Team to better understand the movements of the prides inside the Conservancy and the overlapping of the territories. All the monitoring, tracking, and analysis is done through EarthRanger. This image, extracted from EarthRanger, shows the tracked movements of Esmi, Walimu, Sarabi, Dada, Bast, Vida, and Mfalme over the month. The map details the distinct paths and territories covered by the lions, with unique colors and patterns marking each lion’s movement within Mugie Conservancy. Walimu, Bast, and Sarabi were seen spending a lot of time in specific areas, and upon investigation, it was found that the lionesses all had their own litters. #MugieConservancy #MugiePartnership #LionTracking #LionMonitoring #LionConservation #MugieConservancy

You guessed it, it's hazel dormice! 🐭 The wildlife team here at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has wrapped up the final dormouse survey of 2024. Led by Wildlife Conservation Officer Ian Court, a dedicated team of licensed handlers and volunteers monitor the local population of hazel dormice in a woodland in Wensleydale. The dormice are monitored over a six month period between May and October, when the dormice are most active - foraging, preparing for their long winter hibernation. Ian Court, Wildlife Conservation Officer at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, said: “Dormice make a nest by weaving grass together in a really tight ball, with a chamber in the middle. One of the other obvious signs that it is a dormouse nest is they like to use hazel leaves. Over winter dormice hibernate, not in the boxes but in the ground. In the spring they come out and use the boxes, as well as the coppice stools and bramble patches, for nesting and resting. They don’t need the nest boxes necessarily, but the boxes are there so we can keep the monitoring consistent. Seeing a nest in a box means that we know that dormice are still here, even if we don’t find any dormice. We are doing everything we can to manage the woodland to provide the habitat these mammals need, for example by traditional coppicing of the hazel trees to maximise nut production." A big thank you to the team involved in this important work! DISCLAIMER: Hazel dormice are an endangered species and are fully protected by law. It is an offence to disturb them (unless you are a licenced professional.) #yorkshiredales #conservation #dormice

On a positive note! “New Florida program offers payments to landowners for supporting panther habitat conservation” Published September 18, 2024 The FWC’s New Florida Panther Payment for Ecosystem Services Pilot Program rewards private landowners for maintaining and improving Florida panther habitat on their property. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is offering private landowners per-acre payments for an all-new panther program. The FWC is providing annual payments to landowners who have Florida panther habitat of high conservation priority. Enrollment is voluntary and competitive based on the location, amount, and quality of panther habitat provided as well as available funding. Optional opportunities are available for landowners to coordinate with the FWC to monitor panthers on their property and receive additional payments for evidence of panther use. Information is also being offered on land management techniques to benefit wildlife, livestock depredation mitigation, and other topics. The program benefits both private landowners and the panther population by providing per-acre payments for habitat conditions that support panther conservation and landscape connectivity. While Florida panthers are the primary focus of the program, it will provide benefits to varied species, such as white-tailed deer, Florida black bears, and others that depend on the mosaic of habitats used by panthers. Complete Details: https://lnkd.in/g_xKMMgD #endangeredspecies #conservation #floridapanther #FWC #TheConservationGameMovie

New Legislation Would Support Wildlife Habitat on Private Lands. The Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act is aimed at expanding voluntary efforts to enhance wildlife habitat connectivity on private and working lands. https://lnkd.in/gBYbWDV3

A 74-year-old villager in Heilongjiang, China, narrowly escaped a Siberian tiger attack, marking the first recorded sighting in the area. Another villager was injured, prompting swift emergency responses and conservation efforts. The tiger’s appearance highlights both the success of China's conservation programs, which have significantly boosted wildlife populations, and the growing challenges of human-animal conflict. Experts emphasize improving ecological corridors and monitoring technology to balance human safety with wildlife protection. Conservation initiatives have expanded habitats and bolstered species like tigers, pandas, and elephants. #conservation #animals #wildlife https://lnkd.in/gyxZDqf5