The U.S. Fish and Wildlife and National Forest Services are headed back to the drawing board after a federal appeals court ruled that the authorization to kill up to 72 grizzly bears, including females, on public lands near Yellowstone National Park violated federal law. Andrea Zaccardi - carnivore conservation program legal director with the Center for Biological Diversity - said grizzlies have one of the lowest reproduction rates of all mammals, and the survival of females is critical for the bears recovery. .
Nevadans will have the opportunity to learn more and weigh in on a proposed public lands rule that shifts the Bureau of Land Management s focus to prioritize wildlife conservation and protecting cultural resources. Tomorrow, the B-L-M invites the public to an in-person meeting in Reno to better understand the proposal. Russell Kuhlman, Executive Director for the Nevada Wildlife Federation, said the measure would help the agency put conservation efforts "on par and act as a balance," with recreational and commercial uses of public lands such as grazing, energy development and camping. .
Critical Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear habitat has been degraded by a 2019 U.S. Forest Service decision to allow more than 17,000 livestock to graze in Wyoming s Upper Green River Basin, according to a new report. John Carter, ecologist for the Yellowstone to Uintas Connection and the report s co-author, said 84% of the area is designated as having a wildlife emphasis in the Forest Plan. .
New funding recently added to the Colorado Wildlife Safe Passages Fund could provide relief for mule deer and elk populations, which are on the decline in Colorado, home to several of the largest herds in the U.S. Tony Cady, Region 5 planning and environmental manager for the Colorado Department of Transportation, said there are an estimated 14,000 wildlife-vehicle collisions each year, at a cost of $80 million to the state s economy. More wildlife are killed through collisions with motorists than during hunting harvests. .