ThinkingAfield.org

Translocation to boost, add genetic diversity to southern Arizona populations

PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. — The fastest land animal in North America can make it seem so effortless, reaching a top speed of 55 mph, then being able to coast at 30 mph for miles. When they get their wheels rolling, there isn’t a predator that can keep up with them, let alone catch them.

There is one thing, however, that an estimated 100 pronghorn that have roamed the Glassford Hill area near Prescott Valley cannot outrun — development.

On Jan. 24, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), in partnership with the Arizona Antelope Foundation (AAF) and local private landowners, reduced the size of the iconic herd by capturing 45 of the fleet-footed animals and transporting them to various release sites in southeast Arizona.
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Chronic wasting disease, whether you’re talking about confirmed cases or just the threat of finding a CWD-positive deer, is a reality across much of the state’s hunting landscape. Now that CWD – a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose – is confirmed in nine Michigan counties, the DNR is working to build awareness among non-hunters, too.
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PHOENIX — Following a rollercoaster start, the next generation of bald eagles on Lake Pleasant could very well be on the way after a second egg was firmly laid in the nest.

The egg, which was laid around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, came one day after a first egg was eaten by a pair of opportunistic ravens that swooped into the nest while the unassuming bald eagle parents were away. Each event was watched in real-time by thousands streaming video of the nest on the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s bald eagle nest camera.

“While this scenario occurs daily in nature, the department’s live-streaming camera allows us to bring this unfiltered nesting process to everyone with an internet connection,” said Jeff Meyers, AZGFD watchable wildlife program coordinator. “Viewers are repeatedly drawn into the daily drama of survival, tuning in to watch the eagles eat, fend off intruders — such as egg-eating ravens and a rival bald eagle — and finding time to take turns incubating the egg. All the while, viewers are learning about Arizona’s bald eagles and other native wildlife.”

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If you’ve got cabin fever, MI Birds partners across Michigan are hosting some cool community science opportunities that may help you embrace the cold:

The Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb. 15-18), coordinated by Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology, invites people all over the world to record their bird observations for at least 15 minutes, in their own backyards.

• All ages and birding skills welcome.
• Join in any or all days.
• Last year, over 190,000 people participated in this global bird count, and Michigan – with nearly 4,000 checklists submitted – was among the top 10 participating states.Project FeederWatch (various dates, November through April), organized by Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada, is a winterlong survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, community areas and other locales in North America.
  • All ages and birding skills welcome.
  • Monitor your bird feeder as much or as little as you’d like; create your own schedule.
  • You’ll need a bird feeder, bird bath or bird-enticing plants.
  • Get details on participation and what’s included in your research kit at the Project FeederWatch website.

  Erin Rowan, MI Birds program associate for Audubon Great Lakes and the DNR, suggests using tube, hopper or suet bird feeders, rather than putting seed directly on the ground or using platform feeders – these methods tend to attract deer and other unintended guests.

  “After Jan. 31, deer and elk feeding are not allowed in the Lower Peninsula,” Rowan said. “It’s part of an effort to prevent deer gathering around food sources, because that activity increases the potential spread of chronic wasting disease.” Rowan said, too, that people can get mess-free bird seed options (to keep the ground clean) at many stores and can surround feeders with fencing to limit deer access.

  MI Birds is a public outreach and education program created by Audubon Great Lakes and the DNR. Birders and hunters share similar conservation values, but rarely cross paths. MI Birds aims to deepen all Michiganders’ engagement in the understanding, care and stewardship of the public lands that are important for birds and local communities.

  For more on the regulations going into effect Jan. 31, contact your local DNR Customer Service Center. Questions about the bird count events? Contact Erin Rowan, 313-820-0809.