Continuing controversy for Condors

I signed on today with the simple intention of apologizing for my lack of updates this past month. I have been plagued by set backs from computer problems (Memory upgrade is on the way, and re-installing the browser should help a little) to the tragic death of one of our school horses which has had me depressed for days. I signed on with that intention, and to make note that I was going to re-install the code for my news ticker because it didn't seem to be updating when lo'! and behold! it worketh!

I've been having difficulty posting lately because there seems to be this revolving merry-go-round of issues that never get solved, like the wolves and wild horses. I want desperately to write something NEW but I must plug away at the issues at hand until SOMEONE stands up and MAKES A DAMNED DIFFERENCE. But I digress. Today's issue is also on the merry-go-round: Lead shot poisoning California Condors (not to mention other predatory birds.)

An article from the Los Angeles Times highlights the issue.

I love this quote. "Some scientific studies say lead bullets are poisonous to the federally endangered birds." Alright folks lets sit down and think about this. Lead. Is. Poisonous. We don't need to do any more scientific studies to 'suggest' this. Condors, hawks, eagles, ravens, they ingest lead shotgun pellets when eating carrion, they get lead poisoning, they die. Hence, and let me put this in little words so the members of the NRA can understand it: Lead shot bad. I'd like to note that I pointed a finger at the NRA before even finishing the article, in which Democrat Nava alluded to the same association.

"I think what it says to other Fish and Game commissioners is if they don't toe the [National Rifle Assn.] line, their jobs are in jeopardy," Nava said. "If this is all it takes to change the composition of the Fish and Game Commission, there's more stability in the Iraqi legislature."

Typically, the NRA could not be reached for comment. (Bowling for Condors, anyone?)

Outrageous! Alaska's Anti-Wolf Propaganda

From Defenders of Wildlife newsletter: "It’s simply outrageous. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has signed off on a $400,000 state-funded propaganda campaign to justify the state’s barbaric wolf slaughter from the skies."
Kay, call me a neophyte when it comes to understanding the workings of the government but here's what I just can't get. How can a government official justify spending FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND of her taxpayers (or is that all us taxpayers? hm) dollars to fund a propaganda campaign AGAINST what the voters have voted for (and been somehow ignored) repeatedly? Doesn't anyone look at government expense reports and go "Hey, that doesn't make sense. She just spent a whole boatload of voters money to do something the voters voted against." Someone define "Democracy" for me again?
Most of the time I try to keep from getting political but it gets harder and harder as I become more and more frustrated with a system of government which will eventually get all of us killed. Yes, the republicans too. No one will be safe. I should start a whole other blog for my political ranting but I admit I don't know enough about politics to say much of intelligence. But I do know right from wrong, and this sort of abuse of power and squandering of taxpayers money, not to mention the heinous slandering of wolves is NOT RIGHT!
In Norse mythology, Ragnarok will be heralded by the wolves Skoll, Hati and Fenrir, who will devour the Moon, the Sun, and the Gods. But Alaska's wolves are not the demons in this tale, Governor Palin. YOU ARE.

Laugh of the Day

In my latest Sierra Club newsletter:
"Hawaii's Next Top Models

Hawaii’s Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, established in 2006 by President George W. Bush (no, that's not a typo) are home to extraordinary sea creatures rarely seen by humans.Photographers Susan Middleton and David Liittschwager accompanied researchers to the usually off-limits Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and photographed loose-limbed turtle hatchlings, neon-colored angelfish, fluff-ball tropic bird chicks, and more in Archipelago: Portraits of Life in the World's Most Remote Island Sanctuary. You can see excerpts of their haunting images in the most recent Sierra magazine."

I'm sorry the whole "No, thats not a typo" thing just cracked me up.

As soon as I have time to do some more research look for another issue on Biofuels.

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.

How not to save the Planet

Here's a fabulous idea someone came up with to combat our dependence on oil: liquid coal.
Could anything be MORE what we do not need than this? Coal on its own is one of the dirtiest things we can burn, and the process by which it becomes liquid produces TWICE as much carbon dioxide as the coal itself, not to mention the additional pollution created when we USE it. Only the coal exec's who would stand to make even more of a fortune on his venture would think it was a good idea. They're right up there on my list along with the Big Oil exec's, and the politicians who support them.
Carbon emissions aside, the environmental impact of coal mining is staggering. Coal mining makes clear-cut logging seem like child's play. In my home mountain ranges of Appalachia strip- and mountaintop mining techniques are used, both of which leave the mined areas completely devastated, the open pits and neighboring valleys filled with overburden and slag. Many an iconic skyline has changed drastically due to mountaintop mining. Even in underground mining, years after a mine has been closed underground tunnels may collapse, causing drastic changes in topography and damaging nearby infrastructure such as roads and power lines. Furthermore: "Historically, coal mining has been a very dangerous activity. Open cut hazards are principally slope failure, underground mining roof collapse and gas explosions. Most of these risks can be greatly reduced in modern mines, and multiple fatality incidents are now rare in some parts of the developed world."
SOME parts, it says. But if you've been keeping even a remote eye on the news ticker in the past several years we seem to have at least one, usually more instances of mining explosions, cave-ins and floods in the U.S. every year. 2004 reported 28 deaths in mining accidents. This means that the high cost of cheap coal is more than just environmental impact. It's human life.
Let our government know that this is NOT the solution we're looking for!

Author's Note: Still working on mustangs! I found a list of all of the BML roundups scheduled for this year but I've misplaced it, I'll have it up as soon as I can!

Pet Peeves

I know I promised to do a follow-up on the Mustangs, but I keep getting distracted! Hopefully I'll have time to put that one up later tonight. For now I have to do a quick rant.
What is up with people who get pets when they apparently have no desire or intention to take care of them? My neighborhood has always had its share of 'stray' cats that weren't really strays. People just let them wander where they will, despite the dangers of traffic, wild animals, other domestic animals and exposure. Up until now though all the cats I had seen had been clean and well fed. Now we have these two little grey and white kitties wandering about...I'm not sure who they belong to. I see them out in the street or up on the hill behind the house. I didn't like them very much because they stalk the baby bunnies who live up there. But after meeting one up close today I no longer blame them. These kitties aren't chasing rabbits for sport, like the other cats we've had around here. These kitties are STARVING.
The one I met had a flea collar on. Who bothers to buy a flea collar for their cat and then doesn't even bother to feed it?! He was rail thin, his coat a bit scraggly, and has a wound on the inside of one foreleg that looks like it might have been a bite from another cat/animal that got infected, but seems to be healing now. He isn't fixed. And the saddest thing is, he seems to be a really nice cat. He saw Pie (my dog) and I walking up the hill and sat and watched us warily. We crept closer slowly, not wanting to scare him away. Then when we were close enough I told Pie to sit and the cat just walked right over and they sniffed each other, and now they're friends.
Now I will say, some domestic cats are perfectly capable of surviving on their own. One of our barn cats disappeared once, was literally gone for three years, then one day she showed up at dinner time, ate some food, lay on the coffee table just like she used to, and the next day she wandered off into the wilderness again. That was the last we saw of her. She was a bit thinner than she was in her Katchow days, but she was also considerably older. Let me mention also that this was in Florida, where it hardly ever is cold enough for a creature to freeze to death, especially one with a coat like that Maine Coon had. Alas for my little grey and white kitty, he's not so furry, so thick bodied, or so lucky has to live in such a mild climate.
Come on people. Is it really so hard and so expensive just to FEED the animals you bring home? Cats are cheaper than dogs! Males are cheaper to fix than females! If you can buy a damned flea collar, you can buy a bag of Meow Mix for crying out loud.

Arrr, more squid!

The headline reads "Voracious Jumbo Squid invade California!"
What a load of codswallop.
Sure, the Humboldt Squid is usually found in warmer more southerly waters, but it's not as if this is some foreign creature. Living at depths of 600 to below 2000 feet (only surfacing to hunt) and not well researched because of it, Humboldt Squid can none the less be found in numbers in the Baja region of California/Mexico where they're heavily fished by Mexican fisherman. A recent documentary showed the devastating impact this heavy fishing has on the species. While always aggressive on the hunt, the Humboldt Squid is normally a cooperative hunter, hunting its natural prey of anything from krill to hake and anchovies in groups. But when squid are being hooked and hauled aboard left and right the opportunistic predators go into a frenzy, attacking and eating anything in sight...including researcher's camera equipment. There are documented reports of Humboldts attacking divers, and famed videographer Scott Cassell has even made himself a 'squid suit' designed to protect him against their razor sharp beaks and chitinous teeth ringed tentacle suckers. Humboldt Squid only live for an estimated maximum of 4 years (sometimes only 1), growing in that time to a documented 7 feet in length. Researchers conclude that this is the reason for their sometimes uber-aggressive behavior. With such a limited time span the Humboldt Squid has to do whatever it can to survive and progress. This is also the reason why the Humboldt Squid is so adaptable, and therefore a 'problem' to California fishermen.
But let us consider the facts, kids. Why are Humboldts moving north? Could it be the pressure from fishing in the Baja region and the coast of South America? Could it be that Humboldts natural food sources in their historic ranges (aside from other humboldts) has been damaged? Or (my bet) could it be that commercial fishing has so decimated stocks of fish, both predator and prey, that the Humboldts are now filling a gap that was never there before? While the Humboldts feed on anchovies and hake (normally prey of the tuna in this region) the fishermen would love to catch, their numbers increase more dramatically because their natural predators (tuna, swordfish, shark) have been fished into a steep decline.
Why is it that when Nature is out of balance we always try to blame Nature, when really we should be taking a closer look at ourselves?
Unfortunately I can't find any organizations directly dedicated to Squid Conversation, so today you'll just have to suffice with educating yourself!