During its regular meeting Monday, June 1, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission accepted a $250,000 contribution from the oil and gas industry for efforts to conserve the lesser prairie-chicken. The Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association, which represents about 2,700 oil and gas producers, presented the check to help fund surveys of the bird in northwestern Oklahoma, in accordance with the range-wide conservation plan developed by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Kim Hatfield, OIPA board member and Regulatory Committee chairman, said the surveys to locate areas where lesser prairie-chickens are found not only benefit the efforts of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, but make it easier for the oil and gas industry to remain in compliance with the…
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Game Commission urges outdoors enthusiasts to take precautions to prevent Lyme disease. A gorgeous spring day simply shouldn't be wasted indoors. But enjoying the state's scenic beauty and plethora of outdoor recreational opportunities comes with its risks. Pennsylvania leads the nation in confirmed cases of Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness that poses a serious human health risk that is heightened for those who spend more time outdoors. So when heading outside to enjoy those perfect days, outdoors enthusiasts should remember that taking a few simple precautions can greatly reduce the risk of picking up ticks that might carry Lyme disease. About Lyme disease Lyme disease is a chronic illness transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick, also known…
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Spokesman Mike Demick said his agency got a few reports the first week after the news broke, but that lately the page has been sparsely visited. Dr. Elizabeth Cienava with WestVet, the 24-hour emergency veterinary clinic in Garden City, said her office has had two people bring in dogs to be tested. People are concerned and asking questions, she said. The plague, a bacterial disease, can be spread by the bites of fleas or by direct contact with infected animals.
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Chris Lowenthal said he ran after a coyote that was gripping a dog with its mouth. That includes bags of trash left out in the open, bird feeders or pet food. Still, attacks between people and coyotes are extremely rare, she said.
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Continued survival is good news at this juncture. The statewide survival rate of lambs within their first year is approximately 25 percent.
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...federal land use plans "may be, in fact, more dangerous than a listing" of the bird. She added that state plans "can be much more nimble" than federal plans, which are very difficult to modify.The Interior Department is expected to finalize updated land use plans related to the sage grouse this month and faces a Sept. 30 deadline to decide whether to recommend federal protection for the bird. Environmental advocates have been pushing for nearly a decade for the...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Verdict Is In: State Management Plans Work Fmr. Federal BLM Director Warns of 'Federal Unilateralism' Preaches 'Stewardship of Federal Lands' to Protect Sage-grouse May 19, 2015 Contact: [email protected] (703) 535-3390 National Desk: Ryan Benson, President of BigGame Forever, released the following statement following this morning's U.S. House Natural Resources Committee hearing on "Empowering State Management of Greater Sage Grouse": "Chairman Rob Bishop and members of the House Committee on Natural Resources deserve to be commended for exploring the most effective means possible of achieving Sage-grouse conservation," Benson said. "The insightful commentary offered by state management officials shed important light on the effectiveness of state-led species conservation across nearly 165 million acres of western…
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BigGame Forever: State Management Works Sporstmen Org Applauds Rep. Bishop for Local Solutions Hearing on Sage-grouse May 18, 2015 Contact: [email protected] (703) 535-3390 National Desk - On Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. ET in Washington, D.C., the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources will hold a hearing on "Empowering State Management of Greater Sage-grouse". Ryan Benson, President of BigGame Forever, released the following…
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...to New Mexico. But a new management rule that took effect in February permits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to introduce "new" wolves, or those bred in captivity, directly into the New Mexico wild -- a critical step, advocates say, toward improving the genetics of the population. Wolf advocates say they are concerned about the fate of permit requests by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pending before the New Mexico Game and Fish Department to release new wolves. They say the...
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Every spring Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks issues a message to Montanans to leave new born fawns, birds, and other infant wildlife where people find them. "If you care, leave them there," said Ron Aasheim, spokesman for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Helena. Aasheim said that most birds, for instance, learn to fly from the ground up, and not from the nest. "Whether you find a fawn or fledgling bird under a tree in a neighbor's yard or bunny under a bush it's important to know that wild animals commonly cache their young for periods of time to protect them from predators while the adults are feeding." Montana law prohibits the capture, feeding, possession and harassment of wildlife—both game…
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