ReportWire

Tag: conservation

  • Utah begins to cull mountain lions to ‘study’ the effect (Opinion)

    [ad_1]

    This year, in what it calls a “study,” Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources is killing off mountain lions in an effort to increase mule deer herds. It has hired trappers from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, authorizing them to dispatch lions with any method, including banned traps and neck snares.

    The study, covering roughly 8.6 million acres in six management units, will run for at least three years with the goal of indiscriminately exterminating “as many (lions) as possible.”

    Buying into this ancient predator-prey superstition are the nonprofits Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife and Utah Wild Sheep Foundation. Each has contributed $150,000 to the cull.

    Wildlife managers have no idea how many mountain lions roam the state because estimating populations is essentially impossible. Lions are solitary, elusive and range over vast territories they defend. Unlike ungulates that compensate for mortality with fecundity, predators don’t “overpopulate,” and they’re much slower to recover from culling or hunting.

    I asked veteran mountain lion researcher Dr. Rick Hopkins, board president of the Cougar Fund, what science supports a claim that killing mountain lions generates more deer. “None,” he replied. “For years, agencies have made such claims, but when pushed to provide evidence, they can’t. Predator control has never worked anywhere.”

    Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources estimates the state’s mule deer population at 295,200–73 percent of the “long-term goal.” That goal is based more on desired hunting-license sales than science. Still, considering the natural ebb and flow of deer populations, 73 percent isn’t bad.

    Mountain lions have little or nothing to do with the decline of Utah’s mule deer. Predator populations are limited by available prey. What we learned in Biology 101–that predators control prey—is incorrect: Prey controls predators. Utah has experienced prolonged drought, which peaked in 2022. Reduced forage starved female deer so that fewer fawns were born, and those fawns were sickly and therefore less likely to survive winters. When record-breaking snowfall occurred during the winter of 2022-2023, there were massive mule deer die-offs.

    Utah’s mountain lion cull follows hard upon a 2023 state law that opened up year-round, mountain lion killing without requiring permits. Both this law and the current cull outrage environmental and animal wellness communities. The Western Wildlife Conservancy and Mountain Lion Foundation have filed a lawsuit (ongoing), asserting that the law violates the state’s Right to Hunt and Fish Act, which requires a “reasonable regulation of hunting.”

    The Mountain Lion Foundation dismisses the mountain lion cull study as a “lethal program without rigorous science,” and reports: “Decades of peer-reviewed research across the West show that intensive predator removal rarely delivers sustained or landscape-scale recovery of prey populations. Instead, it often destabilizes predator populations, leading to younger, transient animals, increased conflict and little long-term benefit for deer.”

    And this from Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action: “The science shows that healthy lion populations create robust and healthier deer herds, with lions selectively removing deer afflicted with the 100-percent fatal and highly contagious brain-wasting scourge known as Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) caused by malformed, self-replicating proteins called ‘prions.’”

    All threats to mule deer pale in comparison with CWD. The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, a hunter-support group, calls it “the number one threat to deer hunting.”

    In Utah, CWD has been detected in 356 of the few mule deer checked. Symptoms include fearlessness and loss of coordination, behaviors inviting lion predation, and thereby removal of disease vectors.

    What’s more, mountain lions are resistant to CWD. They deactivate prions through digestion, removing them from the environment. That further protects mule deer as well as possibly protecting people. In 2022, two hunters who ate venison from a CWD-ravaged deer herd in Texas died from prion disease. Given the rarity of human prion infections, this seems an unlikely coincidence.

    The Idaho Capital Sun quoted Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease at the University of Minnesota, as follows: “We are quite unprepared. If we saw a (CWD) spillover right now, we would be in free fall. There are no contingency plans.”

    Dr. Mark Elbroch of Panthera, a nonprofit dedicated to conserving wild felines, told me this: “Heaps of science show the beneficial contributions of mountain lions. Humans are healthier when we live with mountain lions.”

    So are mule deer.

    Ted Williams, a longtime environmental writer, is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West.

    Sign up for Sound Off to get a weekly roundup of our columns, editorials and more.

    To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.

    [ad_2]

    Ted Williams

    Source link

  • OSU Researchers Play Pivotal Role In Global High Seas Treaty – KXL

    [ad_1]

    A Spilhaus projection that shows both the one-third of the ocean under countries’ national jurisdiction – known as Exclusive Economic Zones – and the two-thirds that make up the high seas. The map was created through a partnership among OSU’s Jane Lubchenco, Cory Langhoff of the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, and Dawn Wright of Esri, a company that develops geographic information systems software. Courtesy of OSU.

    Corvallis, Ore. – Researchers at Oregon State University played a key role in an historic global conservation effort. Known officially as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions Agreement, the High Seas Treaty takes effect Saturday.

    OSU’s Kirsten Grorud-Colvert admits the High Seas are a vast area, “It’s two-thirds of the ocean, which means it’s like half of our planet.” She adds, “This is international waters, where, up to this point, there hasn’t been a mechanism for creating this conservation for biodiversity.” Grorud-Colvert was part of a team of more than three dozen scientists from 13 countries that developed a roadmap for planning and creating Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). “There are incredibly thriving ecosystems on things like seamounts, whales, tuna, all these species we know and love. Now we’ll have an opportunity for the global community to consider how best to conserve and protect them.” She says some of those ecosystems and species have yet to be discovered. The MPA Guide: A framework to achieve global goals for the ocean they created was published in September 2021.

    Work on that guide began when Jenna Sullivan-Stack was a grad student at OSU. She saw, “A very diverse, broad set of expertise that’s been contributing over years. And it’s all based on scientific studies that have taken place over decades.” Now, as an OSU Research Associate, she says it’s rewarding to see the work culminate with ratification of the treaty. “How we implement it is really the work that’s to come and it’s going to be hard work, a lot of compromise, a lot of listening. And our work is sort of calling for science to play a lead role in those conversations.”

    Grorud-Colvert and Sullivan-Stack wrote an editorial on the treaty, published Thursday in Science. For more on the treaty and the work to protect the High Seas, visit the High Seas Alliance website.

    Palau was the first nation to ratify the High Seas Treaty, in 2024. Morocco became the 60th on September 19, 2025, setting a 120-day clock for it to take effect on January 17, 2026. The guide developed in part at OSU will be used as the UN takes up that conversation starting in about a month.

    More about:

    [ad_2]

    Heather Roberts

    Source link

  • Denver giraffe temporarily moves to Colorado Springs for conservation efforts

    [ad_1]

    A 5-year-old giraffe from the Denver Zoo will temporarily move south to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs to support conservation efforts, zoo officials announced Friday.

    Several of the female giraffes in Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s herd have been recommended for potential breeding under the Association of Zoos and Aquariums‘ (AZA) Giraffe Species Survival Plan, but Khalid, the zoo’s 17-year-old breeding bull, died last month, according to the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance.

    Jasiri, a reticulated giraffe at the Denver Zoo, will spend a few months at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for those breeding efforts, according to the organization.

    “Reticulated giraffes are classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species,” Denver zoo officials wrote on social media. “We’re proud to play a role in supporting this incredible species through collaborative conservation efforts like the (Species Survival Plan).”

    Zoo officials did not specify how long Jasiri would stay at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, but said he is expected to return to Denver later this year.

    [ad_2]

    Lauren Penington

    Source link

  • Oregon Zoo Looking For Conservation Connections Volunteers – KXL

    [ad_1]

    Volunteers help guests at a treat station during Howloween at the Oregon Zoo. Courtesy Oregon Zoo / photo by Michael Durham.

    PORTLAND, OR – Looking to connect with something wild in the year ahead? The Oregon Zoo is inviting community members to apply to become volunteers, with applications now open through January 23rd.

    Zoo officials say volunteers play a vital role in shaping visitors’ experiences and helping advance the zoo’s mission of wildlife conservation and education.

    “Our volunteers help visitors make unforgettable connections — and hopefully learn something new along the way,” said James Stewart, the zoo’s interpretive supervisor. “The impact they have is key to the zoo’s mission: connecting our community to the wonder of wildlife to create a better future for all.”

    Current volunteer opportunities are focused on event support. Volunteers will assist with wayfinding for guests, share information and stories about animals and conservation efforts, and help support activities during evening and weekend special events.

    The zoo says the roles are a great fit for people who enjoy engaging with the public, learning about wildlife and contributing to a meaningful cause in a dynamic, outdoor setting.

    Those interested in learning more or submitting an application can visit oregonzoo.org/volunteer.

    More about:

    [ad_2]

    Tim Lantz

    Source link

  • ‘Beauty’ of a fish feared extinct for more than 20 years rediscovered in Bolivia

    [ad_1]

    Moema claudiae was rediscovered after more than 20 years without a sighting in a temporary pond less than 2 feet deep, researchers said.

    Moema claudiae was rediscovered after more than 20 years without a sighting in a temporary pond less than 2 feet deep, researchers said.


    Drawert HA, Litz TO (2025)

    Nature Conservation

    A rare and striking species of killifish has been missing for more than 20 years.

    Scientists feared Moema claudiae had faded into extinction, with a grayscale drawing among the only proof that it ever existed.

    But one of the defining features of killifish is that they are exceptional at surviving.

    In 2024, researchers in Bolivia found a viable population in a temporary pond in a small patch of forest being encroached upon by crops, according to a Nov. 14 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Conservation.

    With its rediscovery, researchers were also able to capture the first live photos of the “beauty,” showcasing its unique red, yellow and black coloration.

    This is one of the first photographs ever published of this elusive species, researchers said.
    This is one of the first photographs ever published of this elusive species, researchers said. Drawert HA, Litz TO (2025) Nature Conservation

    Killifish are known to inhabit temporary bodies of water like seasonal wetlands that eventually dry up. Their eggs, buried in the muddy bottom layers of these habitats, can withstand long periods of drought in a state called diapause in which their development stops until the rains return, according to the study.

    “For this reason they are known as annual or seasonal fishes,” researchers said.

    This extreme and complex lifecycle makes them highly vulnerable to threats including agriculture, fragmentation and climate change, according to experts.

    Moema claudiae was rediscovered in a “blackwater pool” just over a foot deep in a seasonally flooded forest near the Ibare River basin, according to the study.

    This area is 62 miles northwest from where the species was first discovered in 2003, the study said. According to researchers, that habitat has been “severely degraded” by activity related to agro-industrial crops.

    This newly discovered habitat is facing the same threats, according to the study.

    Researchers said the rediscovery “offers an exceptional opportunity of a second chance to conserve a species that was already believed to be extinct and lost forever.”

    Bolivia has one of the highest recent losses of primary tropical forests where 32 species of killifish are known to exist. Nearly one-third of those species are found nowhere else except microhabitats within these threatened forests, according to the study.

    The researcher team included Heinz Arno Drawert and Thomas Otto Litz.

    Lauren Liebhaber

    mcclatchy-newsroom

    Lauren Liebhaber covers international science news with a focus on taxonomy and archaeology at McClatchy. She holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University and a master’s degree from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Previously, she worked as a data journalist at Stacker.

    [ad_2]

    Lauren Liebhaber

    Source link

  • Texas’s Water Wars

    [ad_1]

    Charles Perry, a Republican state senator from Lubbock and the legislature’s leading water expert, believes that the ominous 2022 projections are too optimistic; he has said that Texas may face an annual water deficit of up to twelve million acre-feet by 2050. (The municipal supply used by the entire state in 2023 was a bit more than five million acre-feet.) “This is the only thing that we’re not addressing that is going to be the limiting cap on the Texas that we know and love today,” Perry said at a Water for Texas conference earlier this year. “The time has arrived. We can’t go any longer without somebody saying something.”

    Part of the problem is the state’s antiquated approach to water policy. Texas follows the rule of capture, also known as absolute ownership, which allows landowners to draw as much water from below their property as they’d like, even if this has a negative impact on neighboring properties. Critics argue that the rule of capture incentivizes over-pumping, and note that every other Western state has jettisoned the rule, instead opting for an approach that mandates “reasonable use.” In Texas, where private property is regarded as sacrosanct, it’s been harder to get lawmakers to move beyond absolute ownership. But it’s misleading to equate the rule of capture with private property, according to Robert Glennon, an emeritus professor at the University of Arizona’s College of Law and the author of “Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping and the Fate of America’s Fresh Waters.” “Property owners in Texas can’t prevent someone next door with a bigger pump and a deeper well from sucking groundwater from underneath their property,” Glennon told me. “Instead of a private-property right, absolute ownership is more of a circular firing squad.”

    The rule of capture, once an obscure provision of Texas law, is now on more people’s radar after a fight over water rights in East Texas went public earlier this year. “This is the No. 1 topic, the one thing that everybody cares about the most here,” Cody Harris, a Republican state legislator who represents the area, told me. “Usually, it’s property taxes, border security, education, things like that. But right now, and for the last few months, it’s been nothing but water.” The issue came to the forefront when Kyle Bass, a hedge-fund manager who cemented his reputation by betting against the subprime-mortgage boom, in 2008, announced plans to intervene in the looming water crisis. Like Perry, he believed that the worrying projections in the 2022 Water Plan weren’t ominous enough. “Whether it’s a blessing or a curse, I can identify significant problems before they happen,” Bass told the Houston Chronicle. A proponent of what he calls “conservation equity management”—that is, increasing property values through environmental stewardship—Bass applied for permits that would allow him to drill dozens of high-capacity wells on his East Texas ranch. The idea was to pull up to nearly forty-nine thousand acre-feet of water from the wettest part of the state and sell it to the fast-growing Dallas suburbs. Although such a plan is perfectly acceptable under the rule of capture, and similar projects are already under way elsewhere in the state, East Texans bristled at the idea. (The Texas Water Development Board has concluded that the permits would allow Bass to withdraw more groundwater than is available in the area, but Bass has said that such an interpretation of his permits is misleading, and that it would be “silly” to take more water than the aquifer could sustain.)

    When Bass’s application came before the board of the Neches & Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District, hundreds of people showed up to the meeting. (In Texas, water boards can approve well-drilling permits, but have a limited ability to adopt pumping caps.) Bass was there, too. When it was his turn to speak, he struck a folksy tone. “I wear boots every day. I wear jeans every day. And I spend about all my time out here in Henderson County,” he told the crowd. “The state of Texas’s main problems are power and water,” and he was hoping to address the issue by “doing things that are responsible by law and by science.” He was followed by dozens of residents, most of whom spoke in opposition to his plans. (Bass would later call the crowd “woefully uninformed and uneducated on the subject” and “obviously very emotive.”) A gray-haired man in a checked shirt who said that he could trace his ancestry back to early Texas settlers called the area’s water “an inheritance for me and my family.” “Amen!” a woman in the crowd shouted. “The aquifer . . . it’s not going to be able to keep up with demand and it’s going to hurt people. It’s going to kill people,” the man went on. (A judge recently halted Bass’s well-drilling project, which is facing a lawsuit from local businesses. Bass has responded by suing to reinstate the project.) The furor was heated enough that it seemed briefly as if the legislature might finally reconsider the rule of capture. Harris has said that he plans to challenge the policy the next time lawmakers meet. “It’s the first time in my career where discussions have been at this serious level, about considering changing rule of capture,” Mace, of the Meadows Center, told me. “I’ve got my bowl of popcorn, and I’ll be watching very closely to see what happens.”

    [ad_2]

    Rachel Monroe

    Source link

  • You Can Now See This Rare Andy Warhol Collection at the Dallas World Aquarium

    [ad_1]

    In their own way, animals are works of art — vibrant pops of color, intricate patterns and tangible personalities. They are perhaps our greatest muses, and the Dallas World Aquarium is highlighting that in the very best way by debuting a collection of rare Andy Warhol portraits…

    [ad_2]

    Simon Pruitt

    Source link

  • Oregon Zoo Seeks Volunteers For ‘Conservation Connections’ – KXL

    [ad_1]

    Volunteer Randy Kum speaks to a guest in front of the Bontebok habitat. © Oregon Zoo / photo by Michael Durham

    PORTLAND, OR – The Oregon Zoo is looking for some people who are interested getting a little wild. They are accepting applications to join the zoo’s volunteer program on the zoo website.

    “Our volunteers help visitors make unforgettable connections — and hopefully learn something new along the way,” said zoo interpretive supervisor James Stewart. “The impact they have is key to the zoo’s mission: connecting our community to the wonder of wildlife to create a better future for all.”

    Stewart says they are specifically looking for people interested in Event Support and Habitat Roving opportunities.

    Event Support roles involve helping guests, sharing information, stories and conservation messages, while also supporting event activities during evening and weekend special events.

    Habitat Roving volunteers are asked to engage with zoo visitors, share information, and answer questions about the zoo’s animals and ongoing conservation efforts.

    The deadline to apply is August 29th.

    To learn more about volunteer opportunities and submit your application, go to oregonzoo.org/volunteer.

    More about:

    [ad_2]

    Tim Lantz

    Source link

  • Live Wildly and Florida Wing Factory Bring the Heat for Conservation with New ‘Mild to Wild’ Hot Sauces

    [ad_1]

    The Live Wildly Foundation and Florida Wing Factory are turning up the heat to protect wild Florida with a sizzling new collaboration of custom hot sauces that blend bold flavor with a powerful purpose.


    TAMPA, Fla., May 13, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Launching May 17, the new sauces – ‘Bearly Burnin’ (mild) and ‘CATchin’ Fire’ (wild) – carry a simple message: From mild to wild, Florida’s wild places are worth protecting.

    Each bottle of sauce features the Live Wildly Pledge to protect wild Florida along with a QR code that links customers to the Live Wildly website where they can learn more about conservation efforts across the state and sign the pledge themselves.

    The Pledge reads:

    “We are wild Florida.
    Florida’s flowing rivers and springs, vibrant swamps, soaring forests, and pristine coastlines connect us all.
    I pledge to honor and protect this home we share.
    With gratitude, I vow to safeguard what sustains us, nurture what nurtures us, and cherish our wild places for myself and generations to come.
    I am a guardian of Florida’s wild soul.”

    To celebrate the launch of the mild to wild sauces, Florida Wing Factory in Tallahassee will host an in-store promotion from May 17-31. Guests who visit and sign the Live Wildly pledge in person will receive a free bottle of hot sauce – either Bearly Burnin’ or CATchin’ Fire – and be entered to win a $100 Florida Wing Factory gift card.

    Even better, for every pledge signed, the Live Wildly Foundation will donate $1 to conservation efforts in Florida on behalf of the individual signer.

    “This partnership is all about flavor with purpose,” said Lisa Shipley, Live Wildly CEO. “Whether you go mild or wild, you’re helping protect Florida’s incredible natural heritage. It’s a simple action that makes a lasting impact.”

    “We’re proud to team up with Live Wildly to bring attention to Florida’s wild spaces through something our customers love – great hot sauce,” said Chris Lee, CEO and Co-Founder at Florida Wing Factory. “It’s a win for flavor and a win for Florida.”

    Both sauces will be available while supplies last exclusively at Florida Wing Factory and at events sponsored by Live Wildly, including the Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament in Destin, FL, May 16-18th.

    Don’t miss your chance to taste the heat and help protect what makes Florida wild.

    About Live Wildly Foundation:
    Live Wildly is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to raising public awareness for the importance of wildlife corridor conservation. Through collaboration with partner organizations, Live Wildly is helping improve economies, ecology and livelihoods. Learn more at www.livewildly.com.

    About Florida Wing Factory:
    Florida Wing Factory is a locally owned and operated restaurant in Tallahassee known for bold flavors, creative wing sauces, and its deep ties to the community.

    Source: Live Wildly Foundation

    Related Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Live Wildly Joins Campaign to Turn Invasive Lionfish from Malicious to Delicious

    [ad_1]

    Emerald Coast Open – the largest lionfish tournament in the world – encourages restaurants and their customers to discover the joy of eating lionfish


    TAMPA, Fla., May 7, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Live Wildly has joined the Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament as a sponsor to help stop dangerous invasive lionfish from destroying Florida’s native marine life and habitat. The tournament takes place in Destin, FL, May 16-17.

    “Florida’s unique marine areas are not just beautiful, they also are the backbone of our tourism, commercial fishing, and outdoor recreation economies,” said Lisa Shipley, CEO of Live Wildly. “Lionfish are an invasive species that pose a real threat to Florida’s natural systems, native wildlife, and nature-based economy.”

    The Emerald Coast Open brings together teams of fishers who compete to catch the most lionfish. Live Wildly is sponsoring a team organized by Ocean Strike Team, a group that supports ocean conservation, citizen science, and research through ecotourism experiences and actions.

    Winners of the tournament receive cash prizes for the most, the biggest, and the smallest lionfish caught.

    Live Wildly is also sponsoring AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar which is participating in the Emerald Coast Open’s Restaurant Week which runs May 9-17. Live Wildly is proud to be the first-ever sponsor of Restaurant Week, during which local eateries feature lionfish dishes on their menus, educating customers about the invasive species and encouraging other restaurants to serve lionfish year-round.

    Lionfish – which can be fried, baked, broiled, steamed, poached, or even eaten raw in sushi – are firm, tender, and flakey with a mild taste similar to snapper, black sea bass, and hogfish.

    But while lionfish may be delicious to eat, they are malicious when it comes to the threats they pose to Florida’s marine systems and native fish populations.

    Originally from the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, lionfish were first spotted in Florida’s waters in the 1980s, believed to have been released by home aquarium owners who originally kept them as pets. Because lionfish have no natural predators in Atlantic waters, and because a single lionfish can produce up to 2 million eggs a year, lionfish have quickly spread from Florida’s coasts all the way up to New York posing severe environmental threats up and down the East Coast.

    Lionfish can grow to more than 18 inches long and have long venomous spines. They are voracious hunters, eating nearly any living creature that can fit into their mouths, including juveniles of many commercially important fish such as grouper, seabass, and snapper. Lionfish also threaten Florida’s extensive reef habitats by preying on algae-eating species that help keep corals clean and healthy. And lionfish compete for food with native fish species, further harming their populations.

    Commercial and recreational harvesting of lionfish are some of the most effective ways of controlling its spread and environmental damage. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hosts seminars and workshops throughout the year to train people how to catch lionfish and to educate the public about the dangers of invasive species.

    “Getting outdoors to catch lionfish is a great way to enjoy wild Florida while also keeping it healthy,” Shipley said. “Restaurants that serve lionfish are not just providing great food to their customers, they’re also helping keep Florida’s marine systems strong and productive for residents, tourists, and local economies.”

    Source: Live Wildly Foundation

    Related Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Florida State Parks Foundation and Live Wildly to host second ‘Explore the Corridor Week’ in April

    [ad_1]

    Week-long event series gives nature-lovers the opportunity to “get outside and give back” in wild Florida.


    TALLAHASSEE, Fla., March 13, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    The Florida State Parks Foundation and Live Wildly today announced that the second Explore the Corridor Week, a statewide drive to encourage exploration and stewardship of Florida’s natural spaces, is set for April 26 – May 3, 2025.

    Each of the 19 participating state parks falls within or adjacent to the footprint of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, an 18-million-acre network of public and private lands stretching from the Florida Panhandle to the Everglades. Created in 2021, the Florida Wildlife Corridor is the largest state-wide conservation effort of its kind, home to almost 2,000 different species including the Florida panther, manatees, and the Gopher tortoise.

    “Florida’s state parks provide the best and easiest way to experience the Florida Wildlife Corridor,” said Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the Florida State Parks Foundation. “Explore the Corridor Week is a unique opportunity to create connections to wild Florida while also making a positive impact in our award-winning state parks.”

    The parks included in Explore the Corridor Week span from the Florida Panhandle to the Florida Keys, and each park will host events designed to connect people to wild Florida.

    Example events include a river cleanup at Blackwater River State Park (bring your own boat!), a safari tram tour at Silver Springs State Park, and cleanups and invasive plant removals at multiple parks.

    Individuals, families, students, companies and community groups are all invited to participate. Space at each event is limited. Visit the official Explore the Corridor Week website for a full list of opportunities.

    For those who do not wish or are unable to attend an in-person event but would still like to support Explore the Corridor Week, each park that is hosting a volunteer opportunity has an Amazon wishlist with needed supplies available for donation. Click here to learn more.

    “We believe that participating in Explore the Corridor Week will foster a love and respect for wild Florida that will last for years,” Live Wildly CEO Lisa Shipley said. “No matter where you live or how you like to explore the outdoors, there is an event nearby that will create lasting impacts and memories.”

    More than 300 volunteers contributed over 1,200 hours of service at the first Explore the Corridor Week in January 2024.

    Florida’s system of 175 state parks, trails and historic sites are supported by more than 10,000 volunteers who contribute over 1 million hours of service each year.

    Contact Information

    Live Wildly & Florida State Parks Foundation
    Media Contact
    explore@floridastateparksfoundation.org

    Source: Live Wildly Foundation

    Related Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Looking for a Unique Way to Celebrate Valentine’s Day? Live Wildly Has Five Outdoor Dates Perfect for Florida Love Birds

    [ad_1]

    Press Release
    •

    Feb 11, 2025


    TAMPA, Fla., February 11, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    It can be hard to plan a Valentine’s Day celebration for that special someone in your life. But Florida’s countless beaches, state parks, mangroves, and other natural areas provide the perfect places for you and your sweetheart to get outdoors and discover wild Florida.

    Live Wildly, a non-profit working to advance conservation in Florida and beyond, has five recommendations for outdoor dates this Valentine’s Day.

    “These locations provide beautiful settings that will not only help you fall in love with each other, but also fall in love with wild Florida,” said Lisa Shipley, CEO of Live Wildly. “From holding hands on secluded beaches to strolling through flower gardens, a day exploring nature is the perfect way to ask someone to ‘bee’ your Valentine.”

    • Pancakes in Paradise
      De Leon Springs State Park: Dubbed “Healing Waters,” by Mayaca Indians who once inhabited the land, De Leon Springs State Park offers miles of hiking trails, bird watching, and swimming in natural spring water. Start your day with a unique breakfast at the Old Spanish Sugar Mill located inside the park, where you can make your own pancakes. Then, take a romantic paddleboat ride on the spring-fed waters. And be sure to visit “Old Methuselah,” a huge bald cypress that is more than 500 years old.

    • Astronaut Adventure
      Canaveral National Seashore and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge: These neighboring parks sit next to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and boast amazing views of the earth, sea, and sky. Take a morning cruise along Black Point Wildlife Drive — where you can see alligators, bobcats, and river otters – followed by a romantic afternoon walk along the beach. And you might even get the chance to see a NASA rocket launch, really making your heart soar!

    • For Lovers Only
      Lovers Key State Park: It is said that until a road was built in 1965 connecting the islands of this park, only lovers were willing to make the effort to get there by boat. And, thus, its name was born. Today you can access the park by car, but it remains true to its name as a perfect destination for couples. Enjoy a secluded beach day, followed by a sunset paddle through mangroves where you can see dolphins, manatees, osprey, and bald eagles. Finish the romantic outing with dinner at a nearby waterfront restaurant.

    • Garden Tidepool Oasis
      Washington Oaks Garden State Park: Wander alongside shimmering reflection ponds that wind through beautiful formal gardens full of azaleas, camellias, and birds of paradise. Enjoy a picnic lunch under majestic oaks, then head to the park’s shoreline famous for its coquina rocks – limestone made from shell fragments – where you can explore tidal pools full of marine life.

    • Campers’ Delight
      Anastasia State Park is a great place for observing a wide array of wildlife, including manatees, sea turtles, osprey, and bald eagles. Start your date biking along the beach or hiking through ancient sand dunes. Pack your own lunch and eat under covered picnic tables near the ocean. And spend a romantic night camping in the park’s beautiful maritime forest. If you hear soft music playing as you fall asleep, it might be love – or the sounds of concerts drifting over from the nearby Saint Augustine Amphitheatre.

    “At Live Wildly, we believe people protect what they love,” said Shipley. “That’s why we encourage everyone to get outside this Valentine’s Day and fall in love with wild Florida.”

    Source: Live Wildly Foundation

    Related Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Live Wildly Welcomes 2025 With Year-Round Opportunities to Discover the Wild Side of Florida

    [ad_1]

    From Music Festivals to Volunteer Events, Live Wildly Helps People Connect With Nature


    TAMPA, Fla., January 22, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Live Wildly, a non-profit working to advance conservation of Florida’s Wildlife Corridor and beyond, today announced a 2025 calendar of events that will inspire Floridians and others to get outdoors and learn about the important role nature plays in their daily lives.

    “One of the best New Year’s resolutions you can make in 2025 is to get outside and explore wild Florida,” said Lisa Shipley, CEO of Live Wildly. “We can sometimes forget about the wild lands and waters that surround us. But Florida offers countless opportunities to be inspired by nature.”

    Live Wildly will kick off the year with Unseen Florida, a campaign that will help people – regardless of where they live – discover the hidden side of Florida’s wildlife. Collaborating with Moultrie Mobile, the fStop Foundation, the Archbold Biological Station, and others, Live Wildly will highlight photos, film, and stories of wildlife captured through camera traps placed in remote areas across Florida.

    “Camera traps play an important role in conservation by helping researchers study wild animals, their movements, eating habits, and other valuable information,” Shipley said. “Camera traps also are just a lot of fun, allowing all of us to get a glimpse into the secret lives of animals.”

    For some “groovy” fun this year, Live Wildly is the title sponsor of the Peace, Love & Vans vanlife meetup and industry expo March 7-10 at the Withlacoochee River Park in Pasco County. The park, surrounded by ancient oak trees with miles of hiking and biking trails, fishing, camping, and other outdoor activities, will provide meetup attendees the perfect opportunity to connect with nature as they enjoy live music, food trucks, workshops, and other activities that highlight camping and travel in wild Florida. Single-day tickets will be available for the event, and Live Wildly will be on-site highlighting the countless ways to explore Florida’s wild places on four wheels.

    Also in March, Floridians will have the chance to celebrate their award-winning state parks. Live Wildly is working with the Florida State Parks Foundation and Florida lawmakers to officially designate March 19 as the second annual Florida State Parks Day, honoring these amazing outdoor destinations that draw nearly 30 million visitors each year and generate more than $3 billion in annual revenue.

    Live Wildly and the Florida State Parks Foundation also are partnering this year to host the second annual “Explore the Corridor Week” from April 26 through May 3. This public volunteering drive will be held at 20 state parks located inside the Florida Wildlife Corridor – 18 million acres of wild and working lands that stretch from the Panhandle to the Everglades. The event will give volunteers the opportunity to support the diverse wildlife, plants species, and habitats of the Corridor, the nation’s largest conservation initiative of its kind that was established by state lawmakers in 2021. Last year, the event drew more than 300 volunteers who contributed 1,200 hours of their time removing invasive plants, restoring hiking trails, collecting data on wildlife, and other activities. Live Wildly will share more information in the coming weeks on how people can participate in this event.

    For music fans, Live Wildly this year offers several opportunities to enjoy some of the nation’s top musical groups while getting outdoors. Award-winning musician and Florida-native JJ Grey will continue his partnership with Live Wildly as a conservation ambassador to raise awareness for protecting threatened lands and waters across the state and elsewhere. Live Wildly will sponsor JJ’s Blackwater Sol Revue held at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre May 24-25. Tickets go on sale January 24.

    And in September, Live Wildly will once again partner with Sing Out Loud Festival to grow support for conserving wild Florida. During the Live Wildly Showcase, the music festival’s two-day marquee event, Live Wildly will create an immersive experience that will allow concert goers to experience Florida’s unique landscapes. For every ticket sold to the festival, a portion of the proceeds will go towards conservation.

    Throughout 2025, Live Wildly also will work to sign up 10,000 new members for its Join the Movement Campaign, which helps people learn more about the important role Florida’s lands and waters play in their daily lives. For every person who signs the Join the Movement pledge to honor and protect wild Florida, Live Wildly will donate a dollar to conservation.

    “Live Wildly believes that people will protect what they love,” Shipley said. “That’s why Live Wildly is helping people fall in love with wild Florida and inspiring them to take action to save it.”

    Source: Live Wildly Foundation

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Live Wildly Celebrates 2024’s Conservation Successes that Support Both People and Nature Across Florida

    [ad_1]


    TAMPA, Fla., December 16, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    A new online conservation tracking tool, more than $300 million in conservation funding, a nature-focused outdoor music festival, and the creation of a state-wide celebration honoring Florida’s state parks are just a few of the successes Live Wildly, a non-profit working to advance conservation across Florida, supported in 2024 through partnerships with academic institutions, government leaders, local communities, and others.

    Over the past year, Live Wildly has also signed up nearly 12,000 members for its “Join the Movement” campaign, which, in addition to donating $1 to land conservation for every person who joins, also helps people learn more about the important role Florida’s lands and waters play in their daily lives.

    “Live Wildly believes that people will protect what they love. That’s why Live Wildly is helping people fall in love with wild Florida and inspiring them to take action to save it,” said Lisa Shipley, Live Wildly’s CEO.

    Live Wildly kicked off 2024 by working with state lawmakers and the Florida State Parks Foundation to declare January 31 this year “State Parks Day,” a celebration of Florida’s state parks that draws nearly 30 million visitors each year and generates more than $3 billion in annual revenue.

    The Florida State Parks Foundation and Live Wildly also partnered together to host the first-ever “Explore the Corridor Week,” a public volunteering drive held at 40 state parks. The annual event drew more than 300 volunteers across Florida who contributed 1,200 hours of in-service time to such essential activities as removing invasive plants, cleaning up litter, restoring hiking trails, and collecting data on wildlife.

    Live Wildly this year also worked with the Florida Natural Areas Inventory, a natural heritage program housed under Florida State University, to launch the Florida Conservation Land Acquisitions database, an online tool that compiles conservation data from government agencies and non-profit organizations. The tool allows people to track the progress of conservation efforts across the state with a focus on the protection of Florida’s Wildlife Corridor.

    The Florida Wildlife Corridor was established by state lawmakers in 2021 and is the nation’s largest statewide conservation effort of its kind. Stretching from Florida’s panhandle down to the everglades, the Wildlife Corridor encompasses 18 million acres of wild and working lands. Only about 10 million acres of the Florida Wildlife Corridor are currently conserved, with another 8 million considered “opportunity areas” in need of protection. As Live Wildly works to conserve lands and waters across Florida, its first priority is ensuring the full protection of the Wildlife Corridor.

    “Healthy lands and waters are the backbone of Florida’s thriving communities and economies,” said Shipley, adding that the Wildlife Corridor supports 114,000 jobs and generates $30 billion in annual revenue through recreation, tourism, agriculture, forestry, and many other industries. “With more than 1,200 new residents moving to Florida every day, the Wildlife Corridor demonstrates how we can balance the needs of both people and nature.”

    Other conservation successes supported by Live Wildly in 2024 include:

    • Working with the Trust for Public Lands to back four ballot measures that secured nearly $350 million in conservation funding for Florida. Voters in Clay, Lake, Osceola, and Martin counties overwhelmingly approved the measures during the November elections, directing funding to such activities as preserving wildlife habitat, expanding outdoor recreational opportunities, and securing clean drinking water.

    • Funding a ground-breaking scientific study conducted by Florida Atlantic University, the Archbold Biological Station, and other collaborators that showed how fully conserving the Florida Wildlife Corridor can help shield local communities from the growing impacts of climate change.

    • Partnering with the Sing Out Loud Music Festival to raise over $160,000 for conservation. Along with enjoying music from headliners Noah Kahan, Eric Church, Nora Jones, JJ Grey, and others, festival attendees had the opportunity to explore Live Wildly’s immersive showcase tent that surrounded concertgoers with the sights and sounds of wild Florida’s lands, waters, and diverse species.

    In addition, a new preserve was named this year after Live Wildly’s founder, Arnie Bellini. The Bellini Preserve in Polk County encompasses 639 acres of hardwood forests, scrublands, and freshwater marshlands all within the Wildlife Corridor. Bellini, who originally purchased the property in 2020 to prevent it from being developed, worked with the non-profit Conservation Florida, the Department of Defense, Polk County Natural Lands, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to create the preserve and ensure its permanent protection.

    ABOUT LIVE WILDLY FOUNDATION

    Founded in 2022, the Live Wildly Foundation applies an entrepreneurial approach to protecting wild Florida while seeking to balance smart growth, a robust economy, and a connected, resilient landscape. Through creating diverse coalitions, fostering collaboration, and empowering stakeholders to advance conservation efforts, Live Wildly strives to achieve a harmonious and sustainable future in which economic prosperity coexists with a thriving and resilient ecological landscape. Their first priority is the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This 18-million-acre wildlife superhighway is a model for public-private partnership, citizen advocacy, and grassroots support. Live Wildly encourages people to ‘Join the Movement’ to protect wild Florida. For more information, please visit www.livewildly.com.

    Contact Information

    Meredith Budd
    Director, Strategic Initiatives
    meredith@livewildly.com
    239-248-4494

    Michelle Yepez
    Events Producer
    michelle@livewildly.com
    813-416-6641

    Source: Live Wildly Foundation

    Related Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Woodland Park Zoo Awarded Transformative Grant to Advance Empathy for Animals

    [ad_1]


    Online, November 21, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Woodland Park Zoo is pleased to announce a $7.15 million grant from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) to advance and expand the zoo’s Advancing Empathy Initiative that fosters empathy for animals in Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited organizations.

    This three-year grant continues the zoo’s long-term partnership with MACP and organizations across the country to build strong empathic connections between humans and animals through research-based effective empathy practices while also amplifying the zoo’s mission to save wildlife and inspire everyone to make conservation a priority in their lives.

    Emerging behavioral science is showing that there are social and emotional components to changing our behaviors. Feeling empathy is an often overlooked but necessary step between learning about the need for change and taking action on behalf of another. Empathy allows people to connect their concern for the wellbeing of animals to the importance of acting in caring ways, including conserving the environment upon which both people and animals depend.

    “Millions of people each year visit AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums. We believe that building empathy is among the most powerful tools in our toolbox for galvanizing care and compassion for animals,” said Alejandro Grajal, PhD, President and CEO of Woodland Park Zoo. “Bringing people and animals closer is an innate strength of our field. By providing close encounters with animals, our institutions are uniquely positioned to help visitors feel empathy for wildlife, increase understanding of how animals are cared for, and encourage visitors to actively participate in our wildlife conservation efforts.”

    Woodland Park Zoo’s leadership in advancing empathy learnings and best practices within the zoo and aquarium community spans more than a decade. At the heart of this effort today is the Advancing Conservation through Empathy (ACE) for Wildlife™ Network, which began with 20 founding AZA-accredited partners in Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. The Network has since expanded to 27 network partner organizations across 13 states and has grown to include more than 550 participating professionals across five continents. Founded and led by Woodland Park Zoo, with philanthropic funding from MACP, the ACE for Wildlife Network facilitates professional collaboration and catalyzes accredited zoos and aquariums’ capacities to develop, implement, and measure the impact of empathy programming. (For a full list of participating Network partners, see below.)

    With this new round of grant funding, the ACE for Wildlife Network will continue to identify and disseminate effective empathy practices – such as Woodland Park Zoo’s kea enrichment program with the zoo’s kea TepTep and Jean Luc, where guests learn about these highly intelligent parrots, their food and enrichment preferences. Visitors step into the birds’ feathers to think about the animals’ perspective and needs and are given supplies to make them clever puzzles to hide treats. By observing the kea as they explore, play and problem-solve, guests can relate and build a sense of connection to these birds, and that connection is critical to fostering empathy.

    “We’re so proud of this innovative community of zoos and aquariums that is guiding our field into a new era of relationships between people and animals, while collectively impacting more than 17.5 million zoo visitors and program participants across the ACE for Wildlife™ Network partners,” said Marta Burnet, PhD, Director of Advancing Empathy at Woodland Park Zoo. “Our development of leading-edge empathy programs and rapid-response evaluation of their impact equips our institutions to more deeply engage visitors in conservation efforts while consistently applying new learnings to our practice. Ultimately, our holistic aim is to strengthen our guests’ empathy muscles through connections with animals, nature and each other.”

    During the three-year grant period, Woodland Park Zoo’s Advancing Empathy Initiative will re-grant $3.6 million to the Network’s founding partners, who are already developing pioneering programs and continuing to expand their influence across our field nationally and internationally. For example, Racine Zoo used a previous grant to develop a virtual animal encounter program that gives school children the opportunity to meet, learn about and name a Madagascar hissing cockroach – the most popular and frequently highlighted was named Georgia by a group of kids. Giving an animal a name is an important method for fostering empathy because it helps individualize the animal. Zoo staff utilize empathy best practices during these educational encounters – including describing Georgia’s unique personality traits and engaging students in perspective-taking – that can build positive attitudes towards underappreciated species.

    Thanks to grant funding from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, the ACE for Wildlife Network offers free resources and effective empathy-building practices online at www.aceforwildlife.org.

    About Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

    Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) provides meaningful assistance to society, the arts, and the environment. Based in Minnesota, MACP is the umbrella over two grantmaking foundations: Margaret A. Cargill Foundation and Anne Ray Foundation. Rooted in guidance from our founder Margaret Cargill, we engage with strategic partners to support work that makes a lasting difference for communities, with particular attention to overlooked causes. Our global funding spans seven domains connected through common strategies and approaches: Animal Welfare, Arts & Cultures, Disaster Relief & Recovery, Environment, Legacy & Opportunity, Quality of Life, and Teachers & Students. The collective assets of MACP place it among the largest philanthropies in the United States.

    This new grant supports Woodland Park Zoo’s vision to reimagine zoos through its 2018 through 2025 Strategic Plan. With the goal of being a catalyst for conservation, Woodland Park Zoo has undertaken a bold $110 million Forests for All comprehensive fundraising campaign to bring its Strategic Plan to life, which has already been supported by more than 110,000 donors with generous gifts at every level. To learn more about the Forests for All campaign, please visit www.zoo.org/forestsforall.

    List of ACE for Wildlife Network Partner Organizations

    Akron Zoo, Alaska SeaLife Center, Blank Park Zoo, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory, Conservation Society of California/Oakland Zoo, Dakota Zoo, Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, Henry Vilas Zoo, Idaho Falls Zoo, International Crane Foundation, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Lake Superior Zoo, Minnesota Zoo, NEW Zoo & Adventure Park, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Racine Zoo, Red River Zoo, Roosevelt Park Zoo, San Diego Wildlife Alliance, Seattle Aquarium, Saint Louis Zoo, Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Zoo Boise, Zoological Society of Milwaukee, ZooMontana

    View the original press release on newswire.com.

    Source: Woodland Park Zoo

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Romer and Ritter: Keep Shoshone flowing by letting the Colorado River District purchase Xcel’s rights

    Romer and Ritter: Keep Shoshone flowing by letting the Colorado River District purchase Xcel’s rights

    [ad_1]

    As governors of the great state of Colorado, dozens of issues crossed our desks every day demanding attention and action. Among the most challenging was water, in large part because in Colorado water touches most every other issue: growth, economic opportunity, our all-important agriculture sector, landscapes, open spaces, environment, quality of life, tourism and recreation. Water is the cornerstone of the health and well-being of every household in the state.

    Add to all that the complexities of our system of water allocation and water courts and you begin to understand what a challenge water policy in Colorado was when we served and why it remains so today.

    From the governor’s office at the Capitol, we were always looking for shared interests and common ground on water. It’s rare to find some policy or project that has broad support from a diverse set of interests. So when something like that comes along, it’s important to get behind it.

    That’s why we support the Colorado River District’s efforts to secure and permanently protect the water rights associated with the Shoshone Hydroelectric Plant in Glenwood Canyon. For over 100 years, the company which we now know as Xcel Energy, has owned these water rights (among the most senior on the Colorado River). Xcel used this water to produce hydroelectric power and then returned all the water to the river.

    Years ago, the Colorado River District started thinking about how to protect these rights, and through careful planning, analysis, and discussions with hundreds of stakeholders from every part of the state, has assembled an impressive coalition that supports the District’s purchase of these water rights for $99 million. Xcel Energy’s subsidiary, the Public Service Company of Colorado, has been a strong and willing partner in putting this transaction together for the benefit of the state.

    A broad-based coalition of West Slope interests – including counties, cities, elected officials, water conservancy districts, water providers, conservationists, recreation groups, and businesses – has raised over $55 million so far.

    Joining the majority of our Congressional delegation and a bipartisan group of state legislators, we also support the River District’s application to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR) Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation funding opportunity, known as Bucket 2E. The River District is putting the finishing touches on its application package, due by Nov. 22. If successful, these dollars will go a long way to fill the remaining funding gap.

    Beyond the proposal to the USBR, additional work remains to bring this historic opportunity to fruition. For example, the River District is working with the Colorado Water Conservation Board on a beneficial instream flow use to the water rights so that the river’s historical flows would always be preserved.

    In addition, as noted above, like every other water transaction in Colorado, this will have to go through water court, to make sure that other entities and water rights are not harmed by this transaction.

    Finally, the remaining funding, beyond any federal support received, needs to be secured in the next couple of years.

    [ad_2]

    Roy Romer, Bill Ritter Jr.

    Source link

  • ‘Conservation success story’: Rare lynx spotted repeatedly in Vermont

    ‘Conservation success story’: Rare lynx spotted repeatedly in Vermont

    [ad_1]

    A rare big cat caught on camera for the first time in years is once again showing up in Vermont, this time in a different area.See the rare cat in the video aboveVermont Fish and Wildlife said they have continued to receive verifiable photos of a Canada lynx that was first spotted in Rutland County back in August. To date, biologists have noted 15 confirmed sightings since then and believe the reports are the same juvenile male.The incredible animal, which was captured walking calmly along a roadside in Shrewsbury by resident Gary Shattuck, has appeared to move about 60 miles north into Addison County, according to the latest images of the cat provided by the department.Video: Rare Canada lynx spotted in VermontFish and Wildlife experts said reports indicate that the lynx is traveling about a dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same area for several days before moving on. This behavior is typical for young lynx, with the department saying that juveniles will often travel long distances as they search for a new territory in what is called “dispersal” by biologists. Brehan Furfey, a biologist with the department, said the lynx’s movements are a “conservation success” thanks to Vermont’s network of protected lands that allow the cat to move safely from area to area. “We’re rooting for this lynx to keep heading north where it will find more young forest habitat and plenty of snowshoe hares to eat,” Furfey said in a statement.To ensure that the lynx continues on its journey and remains safe, the department urged Vermonters to give this federally threatened animal plenty of space if they happen to see it. While the lynx is healthy, biologists say it is skinny and may be stressed by the act of being in unfamiliar territory. They also assured residents that the cat is not a threat to people.“The rule of thumb is always to keep a respectful distance from any wildlife you’re observing. If they are changing their behavior in response to you, then you’re too close,” said Furfey. The department said it previously posted a video to its social media accounts on how to tell a lynx apart from its more common cousin, the bobcat.

    A rare big cat caught on camera for the first time in years is once again showing up in Vermont, this time in a different area.

    See the rare cat in the video above

    Vermont Fish and Wildlife said they have continued to receive verifiable photos of a Canada lynx that was first spotted in Rutland County back in August. To date, biologists have noted 15 confirmed sightings since then and believe the reports are the same juvenile male.

    Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

    A juvenile male Canada lynx photographed in late September 2024, in Addison County.

    The incredible animal, which was captured walking calmly along a roadside in Shrewsbury by resident Gary Shattuck, has appeared to move about 60 miles north into Addison County, according to the latest images of the cat provided by the department.

    Video: Rare Canada lynx spotted in Vermont

    Fish and Wildlife experts said reports indicate that the lynx is traveling about a dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same area for several days before moving on. This behavior is typical for young lynx, with the department saying that juveniles will often travel long distances as they search for a new territory in what is called “dispersal” by biologists.

    Brehan Furfey, a biologist with the department, said the lynx’s movements are a “conservation success” thanks to Vermont’s network of protected lands that allow the cat to move safely from area to area.

    “We’re rooting for this lynx to keep heading north where it will find more young forest habitat and plenty of snowshoe hares to eat,” Furfey said in a statement.

    To ensure that the lynx continues on its journey and remains safe, the department urged Vermonters to give this federally threatened animal plenty of space if they happen to see it. While the lynx is healthy, biologists say it is skinny and may be stressed by the act of being in unfamiliar territory. They also assured residents that the cat is not a threat to people.

    “The rule of thumb is always to keep a respectful distance from any wildlife you’re observing. If they are changing their behavior in response to you, then you’re too close,” said Furfey.

    The department said it previously posted a video to its social media accounts on how to tell a lynx apart from its more common cousin, the bobcat.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • ‘Conservation success story’: Rare lynx spotted repeatedly in Vermont

    ‘Conservation success story’: Rare lynx spotted repeatedly in Vermont

    [ad_1]

    A rare big cat caught on camera for the first time in years is once again showing up in Vermont, this time in a different area.See the rare cat in the video aboveVermont Fish and Wildlife said they have continued to receive verifiable photos of a Canada lynx that was first spotted in Rutland County back in August. To date, biologists have noted 15 confirmed sightings since then and believe the reports are the same juvenile male.The incredible animal, which was captured walking calmly along a roadside in Shrewsbury by resident Gary Shattuck, has appeared to move about 60 miles north into Addison County, according to the latest images of the cat provided by the department.Video: Rare Canada lynx spotted in VermontFish and Wildlife experts said reports indicate that the lynx is traveling about a dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same area for several days before moving on. This behavior is typical for young lynx, with the department saying that juveniles will often travel long distances as they search for a new territory in what is called “dispersal” by biologists. Brehan Furfey, a biologist with the department, said the lynx’s movements are a “conservation success” thanks to Vermont’s network of protected lands that allow the cat to move safely from area to area. “We’re rooting for this lynx to keep heading north where it will find more young forest habitat and plenty of snowshoe hares to eat,” Furfey said in a statement.To ensure that the lynx continues on its journey and remains safe, the department urged Vermonters to give this federally threatened animal plenty of space if they happen to see it. While the lynx is healthy, biologists say it is skinny and may be stressed by the act of being in unfamiliar territory. They also assured residents that the cat is not a threat to people.“The rule of thumb is always to keep a respectful distance from any wildlife you’re observing. If they are changing their behavior in response to you, then you’re too close,” said Furfey. The department said it previously posted a video to its social media accounts on how to tell a lynx apart from its more common cousin, the bobcat.

    A rare big cat caught on camera for the first time in years is once again showing up in Vermont, this time in a different area.

    See the rare cat in the video above

    Vermont Fish and Wildlife said they have continued to receive verifiable photos of a Canada lynx that was first spotted in Rutland County back in August. To date, biologists have noted 15 confirmed sightings since then and believe the reports are the same juvenile male.

    Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

    A juvenile male Canada lynx photographed in late September 2024, in Addison County.

    The incredible animal, which was captured walking calmly along a roadside in Shrewsbury by resident Gary Shattuck, has appeared to move about 60 miles north into Addison County, according to the latest images of the cat provided by the department.

    Video: Rare Canada lynx spotted in Vermont

    Fish and Wildlife experts said reports indicate that the lynx is traveling about a dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same area for several days before moving on. This behavior is typical for young lynx, with the department saying that juveniles will often travel long distances as they search for a new territory in what is called “dispersal” by biologists.

    Brehan Furfey, a biologist with the department, said the lynx’s movements are a “conservation success” thanks to Vermont’s network of protected lands that allow the cat to move safely from area to area.

    “We’re rooting for this lynx to keep heading north where it will find more young forest habitat and plenty of snowshoe hares to eat,” Furfey said in a statement.

    To ensure that the lynx continues on its journey and remains safe, the department urged Vermonters to give this federally threatened animal plenty of space if they happen to see it. While the lynx is healthy, biologists say it is skinny and may be stressed by the act of being in unfamiliar territory. They also assured residents that the cat is not a threat to people.

    “The rule of thumb is always to keep a respectful distance from any wildlife you’re observing. If they are changing their behavior in response to you, then you’re too close,” said Furfey.

    The department said it previously posted a video to its social media accounts on how to tell a lynx apart from its more common cousin, the bobcat.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Sighting of Newborn Calf Sparks Hope for World’s Most Endangered Rhino

    Sighting of Newborn Calf Sparks Hope for World’s Most Endangered Rhino

    [ad_1]

    Here’s some good news to close the workweek on. On Friday, government officials in Indonesia announced the arrival of a new Javan rhino calf within its borders—a female dubbed Iris. Javan rhinos (Rhinoceros sondaicus) are the most endangered species of rhino in the world.

    Iris was actually spotted earlier this May in Ujung Kulon National Park, thanks to an ongoing effort by the government’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry to monitor the only remaining Javan rhino population worldwide using camera traps. She was recorded walking alongside her mother, Putri. Since Putri has never been seen with a calf until now, it’s likely that Iris is her first child. Based on the footage, Iris was deemed to be around three to five months old at the time, and she appeared to be in good health.

    Footage of a Javan rhino calf taken in 2021 (and not the newly spotted rhino dubbed Iris). © Ujung Kulon National Park

    Javan rhinos are relatively small compared to their rhino cousins, even though the tiniest adults can still weigh 2,000 pounds. Only male Javan rhinos have a (singular) horn, which are also smaller than the horns seen on other species. Around 80 Javan rhinos are estimated to currently exist, making them the most threatened of the five living rhino species in the world. Following the death of the last Javan rhino in Vietnam in 2009, all such rhinos today are thought to live in Ujung Kulon National Park, located on the westernmost tip of Java. So any successful Javan rhino birth is cause for celebration.

    While Iris did seem to be doing well, and Javan rhinos in the park are legally protected by the government, these animals still face a precarious life. Since last year, Indonesian authorities have arrested at least six alleged poachers under suspicion of having killed 26 Javan rhinos, though it’s not clear how this hunting has affected the overall population. In addition to illegal hunting, the rhinos are still at risk from diseases, predators, and natural disasters. Their small population numbers also make them more susceptible to genetic disorders caused by inbreeding.

    “For that reason, we and all parties who help in the Javan rhino conservation efforts must not be careless and must always anticipate any threats that may emerge,” Ardi Andono, head of Ujung Kulon National Park, told Antara, an Indonesian news outlet.

    Iris seems to be the third new Javan rhino calf spotted this year. In April, Ujung Kulon National Park officials publicly announced an earlier calf sighting. Officials could not make out the gender of this calf, though they similarly estimated it to be between three to five months old. This calf was officially designated ID.093.2024, while Iris has been given the designation ID.094.2024. These sightings follow reports of new calves in both 2022 and 2023.

    [ad_2]

    Ed Cara

    Source link

  • Protecting Our Common Ground

    Protecting Our Common Ground

    [ad_1]

    </div></div>”],”filter”:{“nextExceptions”:”img, blockquote, div”,”nextContainsExceptions”:”img, blockquote, a.btn, a.o-button”},”renderIntial”:true,”wordCount”:350}”>

    Your favorite outdoor spaces are irreplaceable. Whether you find your connection to nature while hiking in the mountains, picnicking at a city park, or moving cattle on horseback, the outdoors is a place that needs care and protection. The topic of land conservation is where people from many different backgrounds meet and something out of the ordinary happens—they all agree. Hiker and adventurer Myranda Hausheer got to learn this firsthand when she went to visit Welch Cattle Company in Larkspur, Colorado. Here’s what she learned from the experience.

    Outside: Where do you find connection with the outdoors?

    Myranda Hausheer: I love everything outdoors. Some of my favorite activities are hiking, mountain biking, fly-fishing, skiing, camping, backpacking, off-roading, and paddleboarding. The longer I live in Colorado, the more hobbies I seem to collect! But getting outdoors doesn’t have to be complicated or intense—I also love taking walks at the local park or drinking coffee on my patio. Spending time outside makes such a positive impact on my life. It helps me get physically stronger, gain confidence (especially on solo adventures), and improves my mental health and overall well-being. I love seeing the wide variety of folks out on trails and meeting new people who love nature too. It’s really special to feel connected to people from different backgrounds through nature.

    What do hikers, conservationists, and ranchers all have in common?

    We all love the outdoors and share a profound connection to the natural world—preserving it for future generations is a shared responsibility and mission. As an outdoor enthusiast who has a variety of hobbies, following trail etiquette, practicing Leave No Trace ethics, and educating others about how to care for our wild spaces are important to me. And these things are generally valued by all who love and cherish our natural resources and recreation areas.

    On my visit to Welch Cattle Company in Larkspur, Colorado, I learned more about how much outdoor enthusiasts and ranchers have in common. Both communities share an admirable level of determination and grit, whether that’s summiting a challenging peak or fixing fences on a hot summer day.

    What are some of the benefits of cattle grazing and ranching? 

    Similar to bison, cattle have been part of a natural cycle of grazing land, providing food for humans for centuries. Grazing even provides a variety of beneficial ecosystem services.

    • Water cycle regulation: Cattle grazing increases the population of native plants and returns nutrients to the soil. This cycle improves soil quality and water retention, preventing excessive runoff from rainfall.
    • Wildfire suppression: Grazing helps manage overgrowth—often inclusive of invasive weeds and shrubs—that would otherwise act as wildfire fuel. By reducing overgrowth and increasing soil moisture, grazing significantly reduces the intensity of a fire, should one catch.
    • Wildlife habitat preservation: Cattle can coexist with many species of wildlife—some of these species even rely on grazing for survival. By grazing land instead of developing it, we’re protecting essential wildlife habitat. Additionally, invasive plant removal from grazing helps restore native plants that are crucial to wildlife, including insects and birds.
    • Carbon sequestration: One of the best ways to sequester carbon in the soil is with proper grazing management. When cattle graze, they chew down the plants to a healthy level. When the plants regrow, they pull more carbon from the atmosphere than would be sequestered without grazing. Cattle’s hooves also help extract nutrients from manure and plant residue back into the soil, increasing soil nutrient levels.

    Grazing lands in the United States are crucial for carbon sequestration, as they are estimated to contain 10 to 30 percent of the carbon stored in the soil. On land where crops would be unsuccessful—29 percent of the total grazing land in the United States—cattle become part of a process to upcycle vegetation, inedible for humans, into high-quality protein.

    How do the benefits mentioned above align with your conservation values as an outdoor recreationist?

    We all have an important part to play in taking care of nature. Although our roles as hikers, conservationists, and ranchers are different, they’re each crucial. We all love nature, enjoy the benefits of getting outside, and care for animals (wildlife and cattle) and the planet. If we can all do our part and help educate future generations, then we can leave a positive impact for years to come.

    Why is land and natural resource conservation important to ranchers?

    Anyone who works in agriculture, ranchers included, cares deeply for the environment and has a vested interest in sustainability. They want to care for the land and leave it better for future generations—just like outdoor recreationists. And without careful, strategic management, there are no cattle. Ecosystems all work in symbiosis, and if the land and the organisms that inhabit it are not healthy, it won’t be there for recreationists, conservationists, or ranchers.

    Paid partnership with National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. Learn more at beefitswhatsfordinner.com.

    [ad_2]

    elessard

    Source link