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Arizona Game and Fish Not Supporting USFWS Finding on Jaguars

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On March 4, 2014, the Southwest Region of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) notified the public that the Service had designated 764,207 acres of land in Southern Arizona as critical habitat for the rarely-present jaguar. This action completed the third review by the Service that examines the need for jaguar critical habitat in Arizona. The two prior reviews found that designation of critical habitat in Arizona-New Mexico was not warranted. The Arizona Game and Fish Department does not support the latest finding of the Service that designating critical habitat is essential to the conservation of the jaguar. Game and Fish Assistant Director for Wildlife Management Jim deVos states, "I find it difficult to justify designating critical habitat…
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Feds set aside habitat in Southwest for jaguar

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...habitat in Arizona and New Mexico is essential to jaguar recovery ignores basic biological principles of conservation," the Arizona agency said in a five-page letter to federal officials."To be effective, jaguar conservation must occur in areas of their range where consistent breeding occurs," the agency stated.The Fish and Wildlife Service acknowledges that no female jaguars or breeding have been documented in the U.S. in more...
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Lochsa land swap opposed by Forest Service retirees

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The deal would consolidate Forest Service holdings in the headwaters of the wild-and-scenic-designated Lochsa River and put a portion of the historic Lewis and Clark Trail into public ownership. Popular recreation areas were targeted for exchange with steep, inaccessible timberlands on the Idaho-Montana border, they said. Last fall, U.S. Sens. Blixseth left the resort as it spiraled into bankruptcy in 2008, according to Associated Press reports.
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Oklahoma’s Lankford probes process for listing endangered species

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Bean said. The Fish and Wildlife Service is weighing whether to list the lesser prairie chicken as threatened; the designation would restrict land use in the five-state habitat that includes Oklahoma. Last fall, the service endorsed a conservation plan by the five states, leading to optimism among state leaders that the bird won't be listed for protection. Lankford said the origin of the Fish and Wildlife Service's examination of the bird -- a type of prairie grouse -- appeared...
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Valley likes Obama visit, but water would be better

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We need water and farm jobs." Obama's visit came at a desperate hour for growers who have loans and contractual commitments on seasonal crops, such as tomatoes. How do you compensate the hardware store or any number of businesses relying on the farm economy? We really need water." Staff writer Bob Rodriguez contributed to this report.
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