A Utah wildlife expert considers wild animal poaching to be a significant problem in the Beehive State, following several incidents of game animals being killed and then left to waste. According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, four deer were killed in the Woodland Hills area of Utah County late last year. The heads were removed from each deer, and the carcasses were left. .
Since a reintroduction campaign began in 1998, about 10 Mexican gray wolves have been placed in the Southwest each year, and for them to further thrive, experts said genetic diversity is critical. Gray wolves once roamed not just New Mexico but Texas and Arizona. Due to persecution and poisoning, they all but disappeared from the landscape in the 1970s. .
A federal court ruling that limits wolf trapping and snaring in Idaho could aid recovery of grizzly bears in the region. U.S. Judge Candy Dale ruled that the state needs to cut back on wolf trapping and snaring because of its impact on grizzly bears, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. .
Oregon officials are considering providing additional protections to orcas in the region. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will decide on Friday if Southern Resident orcas should be listed as endangered in the state. Kathleen Callaghy is the Northwest representative for Defenders of Wildlife. .
In the wake of the latest, highly contagious bird flu outbreak in Arkansas and across the country, Congress is considering a bill to improve the monitoring of wildlife diseases. The Wildlife Disease Surveillance for Pandemic Prevention Act aims to strengthen monitoring and response systems for illnesses with the potential to affect humans. Miles Goggans, board member of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation, said the bill is critically needed, because it would establish systems to detect outbreaks early and collect data on their spread. .