Jaguar in Arizona's Dos Cabezas Mountains
Center for     Biological     Diversity   

Good News in Dark Times: Third Jaguar Detected in Arizona

Big news from the Southwest: Another new jaguar has been detected on a trail camera in southeast Arizona, the third in the past year and a half. The animal was roaming in the Dos Cabezas Mountains, about 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

"Jaguars are trying hard to return to their homelands in the United States," said Randy Serraglio with the Center for Biological Diversity. "But Trump's $20 billion border-wall boondoggle could stop them -- it's devastating for human communities and wildlife alike."

A young male jaguar was photographed on the Fort Huachuca military reservation last November, and a large male jaguar in the Santa Rita Mountains became an internet sensation last year after being named "El Jefe" by Tucson schoolchildren. The new cat's sex is unknown.

The Center has been working for decades to save jaguars. In 2014 we secured more than 750,000 acres of federally protected critical habitat for U.S. jaguar recovery.

Read more in the Arizona Daily Star.

California condor

On First Day, Zinke Rolls Back Protections From Lead Ammo

After riding into his downtown Washington, D.C., office on a horse named Tonto for his first day at work, new Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke quickly revoked Obama's phaseout of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on national wildlife refuges.

Looking to cash in on the $30 million it spent on ads promoting Trump's election, the National Rifle Association had pressured Zinke to reverse Obama's science-based decision.

"Switching to nontoxic ammunition should be a no-brainer to save the lives of both wildlife and people," said the Center's Jonathan Evans. "It's ironic that one of the first actions by Secretary Zinke, who fancies himself a champion of hunters and anglers, leads to poisoning of game and waterfowl eaten by those same hunting families."

Read more at NBC News.

Thousands Urge Texas to End Wildlife Gassing

Timber rattlesnake

The Center has submitted a petition with more than 5,400 signatures asking Texas wildlife officials to ban the harmful practice of using gasoline and other toxic substances to hunt rattlesnakes.

Commonly called "gassing," this indiscriminate hunting method harms habitats and nontarget wildlife, including endangered species living in holes and crevices along with rattlesnakes. Texas is one of the last states where gassing is still legal.

Read more in our press release.

Wyoming wolf

Ruling Allows for Widespread Killing of Wyoming Wolves

Somber news for gray wolves in Wyoming: The U.S. Court of Appeals has reversed a 2014 court decision that had restored Endangered Species Act protection to these beautiful, persecuted predators. The Center and allies challenged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2012 decision to strip the wolves' protections and hand over wolf management to the state, which promotes unlimited wolf killing across most of Wyoming.

Wolves in the rest of the Northern Rocky Mountains have already lost federal protections -- mass Wyoming wolf killings could wipe out their chance at recovery.

"We've been working long and hard to defend Wyoming wolves," said the Center's Noah Greenwald, "and we won't let this ruling stop us now."

Read more in The Washington Post.

Help Cook Inlet Beluga Whales -- Take Action

Beluga

An offshore pipeline has been leaking natural gas into Alaska's Cook Inlet for more than two months, threatening endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales. The escaped gas -- which is 99 percent methane, a powerful greenhouse gas -- is also entering the atmosphere and damaging our climate.

Hilcorp Alaska, the company that owns the pipeline, wants to wait until sea ice clears to shut down the leak. This delay is unacceptable -- and the Center intends to sue. You can help by telling state and federal officials today to take immediate action to stop the leak.

U.S.-Mexico border wall

Walls are the enemies of wildlife, communities and love. Check out our new video on Trump's border wall on Facebook or YouTube.

Utah Rep Proposes $50 Million Plan to Seize Public Lands

Valley of the Gods, Utah

Utah's Rep. Rob Bishop has released his latest plan to seize, dismantle and privatize America's public lands. His 2018 "budget request," whose price tag for taxpayers is $50 million, calls for relinquishing public lands to states and private interests for unfettered drilling, fracking, mining, grazing and development -- all of which would worsen climate change, degrade our landscapes and hurt wildlife.

"Rep. Bishop is sadly mistaken if he thinks the public is going to stand by and watch him destroy our national forests, wildlife refuges and other magnificent public lands," said the Center's Randi Spivak. Read more.

Mati Waiya

Chumash Leader Joins Center's Board of Directors

Mati Waiya, a Chumash ceremonial leader of the Santa Clara River Turtle Clan and founder of the Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation, has joined the Center for Biological Diversity's board of directors.

Waiya created the Wishtoyo Foundation in 1997 as a way to connect people and the environment, particularly land, air, water and wildlife. The foundation's goal is to preserve and protect Chumash culture and the natural resources all people depend upon through education, outreach, restoration projects, advocacy and legal action.

"We're deeply honored to have Mati on our board and helping set the Center's direction for years to come," said the Center's Kierán Suckling. "His passion, knowledge and incredible leadership at the intersection of native and environmental issues will be vital for the Center in meeting some of the most important issues of our time."

Read more in our press release.

Speak Up for North Cascades Grizzly Bears -- Take Action

Grizzly bear

Grizzly bears were once plentiful in the North Cascades ecosystem in Washington state, but now fewer than 10 remain in the area. Federal agencies have announced a plan for restoring a healthy grizzly bear population in the North Cascades and are taking comments from the public on their plan, which presents several alternatives.

Please take a moment to voice your support for the alternative that best ensures grizzly bear recovery in balance with the needs of people: Alternative C. With our help grizzlies can return to the North Cascades.

Freshwater mussels

Wild & Weird: The Sex Lives of Freshwater Mussels

Freshwater mussels have evolved a rather complex reproduction process that, in some cases, requires a male mussel, a female mussel, long-distance spawning, some gill brooding, the occasional flicking of a lure, and a short but absolutely necessary interaction with a fish -- which ends in the fish receiving a face full of mussel babies.

Can't wrap your mind around that? Take a look at our new video for a clearer understanding -- watch it on Facebook or YouTube.

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Photo credits: New jaguar in Arizona's Dos Cabezas Mountains courtesy BLM; California condor by Scott Frier/USFWS; timber rattlesnake by Frupus/Flickr; gray wolf in Wyoming by rwarrin/Flickr; beluga whale and calf by Tony Fox/Wikimedia; U.S.-Mexico border wall by Russ McSpadden/Center for Biological Diversity; Utah's Valley of the Gods courtesy BLM; Mati Waiya courtesy U.S. Navy; grizzly bear by Gregory Smith/Wikimedia; freshwater mussel video still by M.C. Barnhart.

Center for Biological Diversity
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Tucson, AZ 85702