Category: Animal Rights

Endangered Mussels to Gain Protected Habitat in 18 Eastern, Midwestern States

WASHINGTON— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today agreed to designate critical habitat for four endangered freshwater mussels found in 18 states in the East and Midwest, marking a major legal victory for the species and for the Center for Biological Diversity.

The four colorfully named mussels — snuffbox, spectaclecase, sheepnose and rayed bean — range from Wisconsin and New York to Alabama and from Kansas to Virginia.

“Freshwater mussels are America’s most endangered group of animals, so it’s fantastic that these four incredibly important creatures will get habitat protection,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center. “Those safeguards will benefit these mussels along with the health of rivers across 18 states.”

The mussels were protected under the Endangered Species Act in 2012, but the Fish and Wildlife Service took no action to designate critical habitat for them until after the Center sued the agency in July 2018.

Under the agreement the agency must propose protected habitat areas for the mussels by Nov. 30, 2024. That protection will require anyone conducting a federally funded or permitted project in the mussels’ habitat to consult with the Service to ensure the area is not damaged. Species with federally protected critical habitat are more than twice as likely to be moving toward recovery as species without it. Read more

Animal Rights, Wildlife

Sturgeon Don’t Need Whackos’ “Help”

By Glen Wunderlich

The anti-hunting, anti-fishing groups led by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) have sent a notice of their intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to respond to a 2018 petition seeking Endangered Species Act protection for the lake sturgeon.

According to CBD, many states and tribal organizations are working to restore lake sturgeon spawning populations. But, most populations have not recovered from overfishing, and dams still block access to former spawning and rearing habitats. Continued threats include new proposed dams and hydroelectric facilities, excessive water diversions, pollution, river dredging and channelization, invasive species and climate change.

The question is whether eliminating fishing for the majestic fish will achieve the stated goal of recovering the lake sturgeon to historic population levels, because that’s what “protection” means to these short-sighted groups. But, if we are to believe the stated reasons for the decline of the sturgeon populations, what exactly do these groups expect the federal government to do about them?

*Over-fishing – This year’s sturgeon season on Black Lake (Cheboygan County, Michigan) ended at 9:18 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 – after only 78 minutes of fishing.

The fishing season, which included spearing or hook-and-line fishing, was scheduled to run Feb. 2-6, or until the harvest quota had been reached. This year’s allocation of sturgeon for Black Lake anglers was seven fish, although Department of Natural Resources officials set a harvest quota of six fish.

There were 403 registered anglers on the ice Saturday, slightly down from 422 the year before. So, this is over-fishing?

*Dams need to go – Hydro-electric dams may prevent the fish from former spawning areas, but are we really going to eliminate them or do we really require such drastic action for the sake of the fish? The simple answer is no. We have installed other rearing facilities to compensate for the loss of habitat.

*Pollution – We can minimize air and water contaminants and have actually done so, but to return to the age of candle-lit lanterns and hand pumping water from the ground is asinine.

*River dredging and channelization – During heavy rain season, restricted river flow may result in flooding of local areas. This can result in major property damage, negative impact on tourism and local businesses, and can even be life-threatening. River dredging describes blockage removal with a dredge to maintain natural water flow. So, we have to cut this out, too?

*Invasive species – All we have to do is to stop all foreign ships from entering our waters and we will have cut off the supply of many of the troublesome creatures that come with them. This is about as likely to happen as the sun rising in the West.

*Climate change – This is always a red herring to add to the reasons for cold or hot weather that we humans could control.

These unrealistic goals of the fish lawyers are sound reasons to dismiss such changes in current management practices. In the past 20 years habitat projects have been increased substantially, while research has led to better regulations and sustainable use.

Even though we will never bring the sturgeon back to its numbers of yesteryear, we are on the path to sustainable use and harmony with the forgotten animal – the human one.

Animal Rights, Fishing

CCF Files IRS Complaints with IRS, FBI Against Three Animal Rights Groups

The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) has filed a complaint with the IRS and FBI against People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) and Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation alleging abuses of the tax code and/or criminal activity by the groups.

The complaint alleges a pattern of criminal activity and abuse of non-profit status, according to an article in Drovers, a livestock industry trade magazine. The allegations include:

  • Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation has been accused of leaving dogs to die horribly in Asia instead of rescuing them – the group’s supposed charitable mission. Its Executive Director also served time in California prison for felony kidnapping.
  • Direct Action Everywhere breaks into farms and terrorizes farmers. The group has also intimidated shoppers at Whole Foods, Chipotle, and other businesses. Its actions may well be in violation of the federal Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. The group’s activists are facing criminal charges in several states. DxE is funded by a tax-exempt charity called friends of DxE.
  • PETA has given tax-exempt donations to fund the efforts of Direct Action Everywhere. PETA has also given money to the Earth Liberation Front (considered a domestic terrorist group by the FBI) and to defend an arsonist who burned down a university laboratory. PETA activists have also been arrested on numerous occasions.

Tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations must serve charitable purposes. The complaint alleges these activities are contradictory to IRS rules.

Will Coggin, managing director of the Center for Consumer Freedom, commented, “Harassing people in restaurants, deceptive fundraising, and breaking the law are not charitable activities. It’s past time for authorities to crack down on this charade.”

Animal Rights

Animal Rights Groups Sue Administration

Lawsuit Aims to Force Trump to Protect Endangered Species Nationwide

Administration Stalling Safeguards for Sierra Nevada Red Fox, Longfin Smelt, Harlequin Butterfly, Other Critically Imperiled Wildlife

SAN FRANCISCO— The Center for Biological Diversity and San Francisco Baykeeper sued the Trump administration today for failing to protect eight highly imperiled species across the country under the Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined the longfin smelt, Hermes copper butterfly, Sierra Nevada red fox, red tree vole, eastern gopher tortoise, Berry Cave salamander, Puerto Rico harlequin butterfly and a large flowering shrub called marrón bacora all warrant endangered species protections. The agency has failed to actually provide such protection.

“Delay means death for these creatures,” said Noah Greenwald, the Center’s endangered species director. “The Endangered Species Act is incredibly effective, but the Trump administration is stalling safeguards that could pull these species back from the brink of oblivion. Refusing to protect these highly imperiled animals and plants signals a sickening hostility to America’s natural heritage.” Read more

Animal Rights

Anti-Hunting Congressmen Introduces Grizzly Bear Hunting Ban

Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) has introduced legislation that would ban the hunting of grizzly bears anywhere in the country except for Alaska. Grijalva, who chairs the House Resources Committee, is a frequent author of anti-hunting bills and is consistently rated at 100% by the Humane Society of the United States. House Resolution 2532, has been referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife and is scheduled to have a hearing on Wednesday, May 13, at 2 p.m. in room 1324 of the LHOB.

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Take Action! American hunters must contact their member of Congress today and ask them to oppose HR 2532. For the contact information of your Congressmen, visit the Sportsmen’s Alliance Legislative Action Center.

* * * *

Congressman Grijalva’s legislation would create a Grizzly Bear Scientific Committee to determine bear management policy in coordination with the Secretary of Interior. The committee of 18 people would include six people from the different regions of grizzly bear populations, six from native tribes in those same regions, and six more representing the agencies of the Department of Interior.

The bill only allows the Secretary of Interior to issue a permit to take a grizzly bear in extremely limited circumstances. Those exceptions include: for scientific or zoological purposes or for tribal purposes involving religion. They also include in those limited circumstances when a bear poses a threat to public safety or agriculture. In those instances, however, the secretary may only issue a permit if non-lethal methods of control have failed, if every native tribe in grizzly bear habitat agrees the bear cannot be relocated to their territory and if the governor of the state requests the permit in writing. HR 2532 expressly forbids any regulated hunting for grizzly bears by sportsmen. Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting

Colorado: Petition to Ban Bobcat Trapping, Hunting Fails

GW:  Not tired of winning yet!

Yesterday, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission unanimously denied a petition to ban all bobcat hunting and trapping.

Safari Club International took swift action to ensure that the ill-conceived petition did not succeed.

SCI reached out to Colorado members and in less than a week they responded in full force by sending over 350 letters to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commissioners.

The letters explained why the petition was not only unnecessary but also could have negative impacts on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department’s ability to manage the state’s bobcat population.

SCI looks forward to continuing working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and their Commission to make certain that hunting continues to be an important part of the state’s management of wildlife and that Colorado remains a state with excellent hunting opportunities. Read more

Animal Rights

SCI President Babaz Responds To Anti-Hunting, Anti-Science Bill Introduced In U.S. House Of Representatives

Contact: SComus

Email:scomus@safariclub.org

Safari Club International President Paul Babaz today issued a statement that points out the lunacy of a bill that has been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives that, if passed into law, would harm the very wildlife it purports to want to help – all in the name of vilifying hunters and hunting. President Babaz’ statement notes:

“As expected, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) has reintroduced an unserious wildlife bill designed to restrict importations from Africa in the highly mistaken belief that Washington, D.C. politicians and bureaucrats know best how to manage wildlife in range countries. The truth of the matter is they do not. It is African range countries that best know how to manage their wildlife populations.

“Rep. Grijalva’s legislation will no more protect wildlife in Africa than pigs will fly. In fact, targeting hunting or hunters will have the opposite effect and will lead to more species loss and more poaching. Sadly, this bill specifically targets the importation of species that have seen the greatest benefit from well-regulated hunting programs.

“Regulated trophy hunting helps wildlife and local economies, while attacks on hunting result in harm to the very animals that we all want to save. The evidence of this is clear and it is why many African and Asian countries use hunting to conserve wildlife and some African countries are considering lifting their restrictions on hunting. Read more

Animal Rights

SCI: Anti-Hunting Propaganda Ignores Reality

In a recent anti-hunting editorial piece focused on trophy imports from Africa of various species, The Guardianalluded to what are known as captive bred lions by others in the world.

“Campaigners have said the African lion parts imported from South Africa last year probably came from lion farms, where animals are bred specifically for trophy hunters and to meet rising demand for traditional medicine ingredients in Asian markets,” The Guardian reported.

Seems as though the antis are a bit slow on the draw in light of action Safari Club International took in 2018.

At that time, SCI adopted a policy on captive bred lions:

Considering that the practice of the captive breeding of lions for the purpose of hunting has doubtful value to the conservation of lions in the wild, and considering that such hunting is not consistent with SCI’s criteria for estate hunting, the SCI Board has adopted the following policy:
· SCI opposes the hunting of African lions bred in captivity.
· This policy takes effect on February 4, 2018 and applies to hunts taking place after adoption of this policy and to any Record Book entry related to such hunts.
· SCI will not accept advertising from any operator for any such hunts, nor will SCI allow operators to sell hunts for lions bred in captivity at the SCI Annual Hunters’ Convention. Read more

Animal Rights

The time has come to take the fight to the antis.

It happens with more frequency now. A hunter, most often a woman, is “shamed,” harassed, and sometimes threatened on social media in what in any other circumstance would be considered a terrorist act. An ensuing tsunami of haters pile on for a while until their bile-laden attention is diverted to another righteous “cause.” Because of a legal hunt in Africa, a member of one of America’s foremost families of conservation, Brittany Hosmer Longoria, was put through the grinder of the progressive hate machine, and as usual, the basis of the attacks defy logic on several levels.

Hunters try, and some of us have been trying for decades, to use logic to convince the antis that what we do is of benefit to both Man and beast. The benefits of sustainable use conservation in a 7.5B person world is settled science, which is logical to those who are open to new ideas, but therein lies the rub. The majority of anti-hunters have no interest in science, logic, or even the well-being of animal species. Most anti-hunters want to stop hunting because they do not like hunting, and animals be damned.

Don’t believe me? Then here is a quote from animal rights activists Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals from her interview on the CBS News program 60 minutes. When discussing the fate of three species of antelope that are virtually extinct in their native habitat in Africa but are thriving in Texas due to sustainable-use hunting, Ms. Feral stated emphatically, “I would prefer they all die rather than inhabit their non-natural habitat in Texas.” Reporter Lara Logan pressed for clarification asking if she (Ms. Feral) would rather see the animals go extinct than be hunted, the Friends of Animals president stated coyly, “They should not be hunted.”

Let that soak in for a minute. These so-called “friends” of wildlife are really no friend at all. Their true mission; nay their only mission is to ban hunting. Period. The welfare of wildlife is a secondary concern at best, yet useful cover for their calculated, deceitful social media smear campaigns to create a societal movement against hunters and hunting. We saw it again with Britt Longoria, but she is just the latest on a long list of hit-jobs on hunter-victims. Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Wildlife

HSUS To Promote Anti-Mountain Lion Hunting Agenda at Today’s Colorado Commission Meeting

Humane Society Promotes Anti-Mountain Lion Hunting Agenda At Colorado Commission Meeting

Tomorrow, during the Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s Commission’s March meeting, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is expected to give a presentation aimed at undermining the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and directly threatening Colorado’s hunting heritage.

By attempting to show that mountain lion hunting negatively impacts population numbers, community dynamics and conservation efforts and can actually increase human-lion interaction, HSUS will be contradicting state biologists’ data and will directly attack hunters in the process.

Biologists from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) show that conservative estimates indicate mountain lion harvest mortality rates fall somewhere between 10-12 percent annually, well within the state’s approved management plans. Their figures even show that the number of adult female lions harvested, 16 percent, is a direct indicator of a strong population with high reproductive potential, providing for stable population trajectory. Read more

Animal Rights
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