Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Dr. Cristina Eisenberg is back with us today with her latest Island Press blog post about the connection between wilderness and thriving carnivore populations.................Cristina in her own words-----"Studies worldwide compellingly demonstrate that large carnivores enrich ecosystems by controlling their plant-eating prey, which in turn reduces herbivore damage to plants"............... "However, large carnivores, such as grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) which need lots of room to roam and are vulnerable to conflicts with humans, need protected wilderness in order to thrive."......................"As we move into the brave new world of climate change, the Wilderness Act’s legacy becomes increasingly vital"................ "In today’s rapidly warming world, wilderness is essential to help large carnivores and other at-risk species, such as caribou (Rangifer tarandus), adjust to climate change"................... "Wilderness gives them room to roam and find habitat that better meets their ecological needs"............... "Therefore, as part of climate change adaptation, we should examine how our wilderness areas are distributed and identify areas where wilderness could be extended or added, to ensure corridors for migration and adaptation for the large carnivores and other species"

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THE WILDERNESS ACT AT 50: WHERE THE CARNIVORES ARE August 26, 2014  · by  Cristina Eisenberg   Fifty years ago, Congress cr...
Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Nova Scotia, Canada is estimated to historically been home to a Moose herd of some 15,000....... THE FRENCH EXPLORER LESCARBOT REPORTED BACK TO HIS SPONSORS AN OCEAN AWAY THAT THE MOOSE WAS "THE MOST ABUNDANT FOOD WHICH THE SAVAGES HAVE, EXCEPT FISH"..............HOWEVER, ,BY THE END OF THE 1600S, THERE WERE NO MOOSE LEFT ON CAPE BRETON, AND THE NATIVES FLED THE ISLAND FOR THE MAINLAND IN SEARCH OF GAME WITH WHICH TO FEED THEMSELVES. ...................THE PILLAGE CONTINUED AFTER THE BRITISH WON ACADIA FROM THE FRENCH IN THE MID 1700S................... THE DEMAND FOR MOOSE AND BEAVER PELTS IN ENGLAND BROUGHT BOTH SPECIES TO NEAR EXTINCTION............... BY 1825, ONLY A FEW THOUSAND MOOSE SURVIVED IN THE WOODLANDS............ PROTECTIVE LEGISLATION AND CLOSED SEASONS THROUGH THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY BROUGHT THE POPULATION BACK.............. BY THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, THEIR NUMBERS WERE NEAR OR AT THEIR PRE-SETTLEMENT PEAK...........A DECLINE THEN SET IN AGAIN, DUE TO INCREASED HUNTING PRESSURE............ ... BY THE MID 1970'S ,SURVEYS COUNTED 1,600 TO 1,700 ANIMALS..........HUNTING THEN WAS BANNED IN 1981................TODAY, MORE AND MORE LAND IS BEING CONSERVED AS A CORRIDOR BETWEEN THE HEALTHY NEW BRUNSWICK MOOSE HERD AND MAINLAND NOVA SCOTIA TO ONCE AGAIN RESTORE MOOSE TO SOMETHING MORE AKIN TO HISTORICAL POPULATION DENSITIES

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https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/moose-mating-project-expands-in-n-b-n-s-1.1969677&ct=ga...
Monday, August 25, 2014

While Illinois State biologists at this point in time say that only about 14.7 percent of Illinois’ area is suitable for black bears, 6.6 percent for mountain lions and 14 percent for gray wolves, Gov. Pat Quinn and the state Legislature get a standing ovation from me and other like minded rewilding advocates for their decision to put these carnivores under the protection of the Illinois Wildlife Code effective come January 1, 2015..............While this code does call for the protection of the wolves, bears and pumas, it does give human residents the leeway of killing these creatures if there is perceived to be an imminent threat to their lives and property...........Let us hope that we can get the Illinois politicians to tighten up this policy so as to truly prevent "shoot, shovel and shut up" from taking place if and when viable populations of these carnivores come to roost in the state.

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https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://newstrib.com/main.asp%3FSectionID%3D2%26SubSectionID%3D28%26ArticleID%3D38657&c...
Sunday, August 24, 2014

Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, head of PANTHERA and the architect of "the Jaguar Corridor Initiative" (that stretches from northern Argentina up into Mexico), overcame a childhood handicap to become one of the worlds most esteemed Wild Cat biologists..............In his own words: "Visiting with the big cats at the Bronx Zoo taught me early in life that you could be big, strong, and clever, yet still locked inside a cage from which there was no escape".............. "Despite this sobering realization as a young child, I also realized that if the cats and other animals at the zoo had a human voice, if they could cry, laugh, or plead their case, they would not be locked up so easily in small cages for display".................. "They would never have that human voice—but I would, I was sure of it".................. "And when I found that voice, I promised the cats at the zoo, every time I visited them, that I would be their voice"............. "I would find a place for us".....Dr. Rabinowitz has been stubborn about supporting the rewildling of Jauguars in the USA saying "there is no evidence that a large population of jaguar every existed in the U.S".......... "Trying to recover an animal that has not occurred in the United States, at least in historic times, I can't see where that makes a lot of sense"............But the good Doctor is not correct about the Jaguar not occupying the USA as at the time of colonization up through the late 1800's, Jaguars roamed from our southwest up into San francisco,,,,,as well as eastward through Texas, Arkansas and clear across to Florida up into the Carolinas................Here is hoping that Dr. Rabinowitz will have a change of heart about his up-until-now lack of support for critical USA habitat for the Jaguar ........His great energy, knowledge and perseverance with other Governments in preserving core and corridor Jaguar habitat is needed here at home where it is feasible for Jaguars to occupy Wolf and Puma habitat...........Time to come home and full circle "Dr. R".............You have overcome much in your life and your next achievement should be rewilding the Jaguar where it belongs, "in the land of the free and the home of the brave"

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http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-jaguar-saved-my-life-excerpt/ How the Jaguar Saved My Life [Excerpt] A love of t...