Denver speaks out against Aerial Gunning

Defenders of Wildlife and Timber the wolf-hybrid showed up in downtown Denver on Monday to protest Alaska's Aerial Gunning program. Passers-by were able to pet the docile animal and sign postcards and leave their comments condeming aerial gunning.

Go Denver! Thanks for leading the pack (haha pun) on this one. Maybe you can teach those coyote killers up in Washington or the Croc killers in Florida a thing or two about understanding, accepting, and finding non-lethal and/or humane methods of managing wildlife.

Coyote 'problem' in Colorado

Coyotes seem to be the whipping boy of suburbanites these days.
Greenwood Village, a suburb of Denver, has hired a contractor to monitor its coyotes and shoot them if 'necessary.'
Nicole Rosmarino, wildlife program director of WildEarth Guardians doesn't approve of this approach, and neither do I. The trapper/shooter/tracker in question, Jay Stewart seems to be annoyed that people are trying to chase the coyotes away, meanwhile past efforts made by the city to control the coyote population have included trapping....which means that someone had to BAIT the coyotes into the traps. Baited traps can only lead to more opportunistic coyotes in the area. Placing signs around coyote denning sites to keep people away is a good way to keep the people from getting hurt, but it's basically enabling the coyotes. By giving them their space, the village is actually encouraging them to take root and move on in.
"Scientists tell us the best way to address problems with coyotes is to enforce leash laws and wildlife feeding ordinances and reinstill a wariness of humans in them," Rosmarino said.
So basically, don't blame the coyotes for your problem. Blame yourselves. Click Here to read WildEarth Guardians take on the 'problem.'

Colorado Oil and Gas industry

From the Glenwood Springs Post Independent:

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado - The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) on Monday tentatively endorsed a rule requiring oil and gas companies to consult with the Colorado Division of Wildlife if they plan to drill in sensitive wildlife areas.

That consultation would identify any conditions companies would have to follow if they operate in certain Colorado wildlife habitat areas, which include locations that provide winter range for elk, mule deer and bighorn sheep.

The conditions would be guided by a list of basin-specific best management practices. Those techniques are expected to be identified during a later stakeholder process.

Oil and gas companies would not have to consult with the DOW under several scenarios, such as if a company drafts a comprehensive drilling plan or if it limits its density.

The commission's decision to approve the consultation rule came after hours of debate that touched on several different sections of proposed wildlife rules. The proposed wildlife regulations have been at the center of controversy surrounding the current rule-making process for the state's oil and gas industry.

Tom Remington, the director of the DOW, said finding the right balance for the wildlife rules has been a "long journey." He added there are issues that will have to be addressed down the road.

However, he said the rules before the commission on Monday were acceptable to the agency.

"We very much support these rules and would encourage you to do so as well," Remington said.

One wildlife rule the commission did not get to on Monday may prohibit companies from conducting activities like construction, drilling and completion, and laying of pipeline in "restricted surface occupancy" (RSO) areas.

Those RSO locations include areas where bighorn sheep reproduce and bald eagles nest. It would also encompass areas within 300 feet of any stream that is home to Colorado cutthroat trout or 300 feet within any stream or lake designated by the DOW as "gold medal."

As with the consultation rule, companies could avoid the RSO rule if they work with the COGCC director, demonstrate that wildlife is not present in the targeted drilling area, gain an exemption from the DOW or develop a comprehensive drilling plan for the area.

Companies could also possibly avoid it if they show that it's not technically or economically feasible to comply with the rule.

Debate over what areas may be tagged with a RSO designation took up a large part of the commission's Monday hearing. Some commissioners wanted to include more riparian areas under the RSO designation.

So far, Colorado's oil and gas commission has given tentative approval to about 82 new rules for the state's oil and gas industry during six hearings in August and last week. Commission members based much of their provisional votes on rule language drafted by agency staff.

COGCC staff began work on the new rules in August of last year. That process began because of legislation the legislature passed last year that required the agency to expand its focus to consider public health and wildlife impacts, and require the use of best management practices to minimize harm from oil and gas development.

Technically or economically feasible to comply? What? So basically, they can just blow off the rules of they say 'oh, I am le'tired, I don't want to go through this whole long expensive process, lets just skip it!' Hum. I think someone needs to go look up the definition of the word 'rule': "a principle or regulation governing conduct, action, procedure, arrangement, etc." As in, rules were not made to be broken.

Rancher accused in death of Bison

Hello, Associated Press! And thanks to my friend Pam for sending me this article.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080912/ap_on_re_us/bison_slaying

First off, I want to know what makes this dumbass software mogul a "Rancher"? Does he raise satellite dishes? Hmm. There is no mention in the article of whether or not he also raises other livestock on his land.
Second, I personally am of two minds about open range livestock ranching. I do think that owners of livestock certainly have a responsibility to keep track of their animals, and keep them out of places they shouldn't be. That said, it sounds like Mr. Downare, the owner of the slain bison has always had a good track record for recovering his animals when they've strayed. I also think it behooves (haha, pun) anyone in open range country to fence their own property properly in order to keep unwanted animals out. Bison can't be held off by a single strand of hotwire, like a dairy cow. In Arizona our fenced yard looks almost like a military compound, more of an effort to keep deer, coyotes and javelina OUT than to keep our dogs IN. Arizona, or at least our part of it, is also open range country. If I woke up to find a cow in the yard, I would not blame the rancher. I would say to myself, "Gee, how'd that bugger get in? I guess I'll just haze him out and check the fences." Let it also be said that I do not consider Bison to be a domesticated animal, and as such caring for and containing them is probably very different from cattle, and other considerations need to be made.
My favorite part of this article is where the 'Rancher' Software Mogul (note my sarcasm) insists that he shot the animals 'to protect himself'. Because like, maybe he might DIE if he didn't have satellite television for a day! God forbid one of His creatures should poop or shed hair on your lawn.
Bottom line for me is: If you don't want buffalo pucky in your yard, GO BACK TO YOUR CONDO IN TEXAS! and leave the "pristine pasture on rolling hills" to the buffalo!

America's Symbols: Mustang update

Aha, found it. The 2007 BLM Wild horse and Burro round up schedule. Be warned, this is a pdf file so if your computer hates Adobe Reader as much as mine, I feel for you.
Now apparently the BLM conducts roundups year round (this I didn't know) but the really heavy business seems to be through the months of July, August, and September. July is the height of foaling season, while, especially in the southwestern states like Nevada, August is still high summer and brutally hot. All in all the BLM plans to remove almost seven THOUSAND horses from their rightful range this year. One of the herds listed for a heavy reduction is the Little Book Cliffs herd, made famous by the equally famous "Mustang Annie." This was the herd that inspired her, and they are slated for a reduction that could put the herd below genetic viablility and ultimately cause its collapse. Also listed is the herd of another famous 'person': Cloud, wild Stallion of the Rockies, known for his starring role in Ginger Kathrens' documentary. Drastic population control experiments are being used on Cloud's herd, actions that will soon doom this iconic herd to genetic failure.
~updateupdate~ My apologies for the continued delay. I've had no end of computer problems the last couple weeks. This is the second time I've written this apology because the last time my computer just randomly crashed...when I'd been surfing the web for an hour, five seconds after I start typing (CRASH!). Anywho. Some good news from the The American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign: there will be no repeat of last years disasterous Sheldon roundup (see my last Mustang blog entry for more details) thanks to public outcry over the death and damaged caused by the ill-planned and poorly carried out roundup.
On the other hand, while not dealing necessarily with WILD horses, there is some disturbing news from Malaysia. Visit my fellow blogger for more information on the subject of these abused and neglected animals, including all the info you need to contact the Malaysian gov' and add your voice to those protesting.