Pygmy rabbit won't get species protection in U.S.

The hardships facing the pygmy rabbit of the western United States don't warrant protections under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced on Wednesday.

The pygmy rabbit is the smallest and one of only two rabbits in North America that creates its own burrows. An adult is from 9 to 12 inches in length and weighs from a half-pound to 1 pound (440 grams).

"We find there has been some loss and degradation of pygmy rabbit habitat range-wide, but not to the magnitude that constitutes a significant threat to the species," Bob Williams, supervisor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Nevada, said in a statement.

A population of pygmy rabbits in eastern Washington was listed as endangered in 2003 after its numbers dwindled. Wednesday's decision affects the species where it is found in California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Montana.

The pint-sized rabbit may be small, but the stakes are high as such a listing could throw up regulatory hurdles to energy or farming projects that require federal approval or funds.

Environmentalists had petitioned the government to list the population in the seven western states, arguing the sagebrush range they depend on was under assault from ranching and energy activities among other things. (Left: sagebrush in Nevada)

While environmental groups that sought the listing were quick to say the decision means the rabbit will be imperiled to the point of extinction, scientists were more cautious.

"What's a little bit different about this species in this day and age is that its ecology is not yet understood," said Janet Rachlow, an expert on pygmy rabbits and a University of Idaho professor specializing in mammal ecology.

Beth Waterbury, a biologist with the Idaho Fish and Game office in Salmon, said of her nine years' study of the species: "We don't have all the pieces of the puzzle yet."

But Erik Molvar, wildlife biologist with the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance in Wyoming, one of the groups that sought the listing, said there is "no question pygmies face severe threats throughout their range."

Molvar faulted the Obama administration for decisions this year denying immediate protections for sagebrush-dependent species like the pygmy rabbit and sage grouse (at right).

Source:
Reuters, "Pygmy rabbit won't get species protection in U.S.", accessed October 1, 2010

From the Inbox: Help save some frogs

Dear Friend, Several months ago, scientists in Australia made a startling and exciting discovery: A species of amphibian thought to be extinct was, in fact, alive and well in the wilderness near Sydney. It was the first sighting of the yellow-spotted bell frog ( Litoria castanea, in 30 years – the sort of find that underscores just how amazing and resilient nature can be. Unfortunately, other creatures might not be so lucky. One-third of about 6,000 amphibian species globally are at risk of extinction. Almost half are in decline. Many have not been seen in the wild in decades. These species are too important to be lost to extinction. If they still exist, like the yellow-spotted bell frog, they need to be found — and protected. So, teams of scientists convened by Conservation International, are going to look for them. You can join them by clicking here. Over the next few months, teams of scientists will span the globe to look for amphibian species — some of which haven’t been seen in decades. In doing so, they offer hope that we might find creatures believed to have been lost forever. Call it the Search for the Lost Frogs. Why amphibians matter Amphibians are important in nature. They play a key role in helping both terrestrial and marine ecosystems get the nutrients they need, and they serve as bellwethers of ecosystem health. Amphibians are also critical for human well-being. They control agricultural pests. They regulate disease-carrying species such as mosquitoes. And they may have chemicals in their bodies that could help fight human diseases – from HIV to skin cancer. Conservation efforts are therefore critical. But it is difficult to protect a species if scientists don’t know whether it exists. That’s why we’re undertaking the Search for the Lost Frogs. If we don’t act quickly, we risk losing countless benefits that amphibians can provide to humans. CI’s work CI is performing work like this around the globe. We care about nature, and we care about preserving the benefits that humans receive from its bounty – now, 10 years from now, and 1,000 years from now. Over the next 12 weeks, we’ll keep you updated as scientists head into the field. You’ll get a firsthand look at this unique project, learn about some amazing amphibians, and discover just how important one species can be to humans around the world. We hope you enjoy the journey.  Thank you for supporting CI. Sincerely, Robin Moore Amphibian Conservation Officer Photo: (Hyperolius marmoratus) Reed frog, Class: Amphibia (frogs, salamanders), Order: Anura (Frogs and toads), Family: Hyperolidae, Botswana . © Piotr Naskrecki How to follow the entire search So that we do not overwhelm our supporters with communications, Search for the Lost Frogs will only be sent to those who choose to follow the search. To join this once-in-a-lifetime experience click the button below. What will we send you if you follow the search? Weekly updates on over 15 international teams searching for frogs thought to be lost forever. Exciting frog facts and fun activities like a Q&A with Dr. Robin Moore. A final wrap-up report with the results from the frog teams and the impact this work has had.

Hudson Bay polar bears 'could soon be extinct'

Polar bears in the Hudson Bay area of Canada are likely to die out in the next three decades, possibly sooner, as global warming melts more Arctic ice and thus reduces their hunting opportunities, according to Canadian biologists.

The animals in western Hudson Bay, one of 19 discrete sub-populations of the species around the Arctic, are losing fat and body mass as their time on the floating sea ice gets shorter and shorter, according to the researchers from the University of Alberta.

The sea ice is where the bears hunt ringed and bearded seals, their main prey, and they have to build up enough fat in the winter, when the ice is at its greatest, to get through the summer, when the ice retreats from the shoreline and the bears can find no food.

But the ice has been melting earlier in the spring and forming later in the autumn, so that the bears are now spending on average three more weeks on land per year, without food, than they did three decades ago, the researchers say. As a consequence, their body weight in that time has dropped by 60lb, females have lost 10 per cent of their body length, and the west Hudson Bay population has declined from 1,200 animals to 900.

If the decline in the sea ice continues – as predictions of global warming suggest it will – it is feared that the bears could die out in 25 to 30 years, or perhaps in as few as 10, if there are a succession of years with very low sea ice cover. The Hudson Bay group of bears is the second-most southerly population and might be expected to feel the effects of climate change early. The Arctic sea ice as a whole reached its lowest-ever recorded extent in September, 2007. In the last two years it has recovered, but it is once again declining rapidly this year.

The dependency of the bears on the ice has long been known, and the animals have become an iconic species in terms of being used to promote awareness of global warming. But predictions of how long they may survive have until now been little more than educated guesses.

The significance of the new study is that it is based on a mathematical model which matches the weight and energy-storing capacity of the bears, which are known – the west Hudson Bay animals are the most closely observed of all polar bear populations – against the annual ice shrinkage and the time they have to spend on land without food.

Carried out by Professors Andrew Derocher and Mark Lewis, with graduate student Peter Molnar, it has been published in the journal Biological Conservation, and Professor Derocher talks about it at length in the current issue of Environment 360, the online environmental journal of Yale University in the US.

"We understand very well things like how fat a bear has to be to produce a certain number of cubs, and we know a lot about how much energy these bears are burning during the period of time over the summer that they're forced ashore when the sea ice melts," Professor Derocher says. "And from there it's fairly easy to run various scenarios of sea ice change to look at when, basically, the bears' fat stores run out – and when that happens the bears, of course, subsequently die."

He adds: "There's been a gradual decline in [the bears'] body condition that dates to the 1980s and we can now correlate that very nicely with the loss of sea ice in this ecosystem. And one of the things we found was that the changes that could come in this population could happen very dramatically, and a lot of the change could come within a single year, if you just ended up with an earlier melt of sea ice."

Source:
The Independent, "Hudson Bay polar bears 'could soon be extinct'", accessed July 16, 2010

From the Inbox: Butterfly numbers plummenting - help them today

Dear Friend, Have you ever looked out into your backyard and noticed a monarch butterfly quietly alighting on a flower? I’m sure you found it not only beautiful and peaceful, but also rewarding to watch as this striking creature benefited from your garden. But unfortunately, monarchs are experiencing one of their worst years on record. And if they don’t receive help from friends like you, it may take years for their numbers to recover. Create a Certified Wildlife Habitat™ site today, and help monarch butterflies! Due to extreme weather in their winter habitat, as many as half the monarch population died this year. If that wasn’t enough, these butterflies are also facing a triple threat of habitat loss, climate change and non-native plant species overrunning milkweed — the only “host plant “eaten by their caterpillars. There is good news! When you turn your yard into an official Certified Wildlife Habitat™ site, you’ll be helping to ensure these beautiful butterflies — and so many other wildlife — always have a place to eat, drink and rest. Plus, you’ll receive many tangible benefits as well! (see right) Getting started is easy, and we’ll show you how! Here are a few simple ideas to help attract all kinds of butterflies (as well as birds and other wildlife too!): Plant native, colorful flowering plants to provide nectar Provide a shallow water dish as a place to get a drink Include milkweed host plants to serve as larval, or caterpillar, food Offer dense shrubs to provide shelter It’s a great feeling to know wildlife are benefiting from your garden and your generosity. You can be part of the solution to help monarchs recover, and create a striking garden at the same time. Certify today! Sincerely, David Mizejewski NWF Naturalist, Media Spokesperson, Author *For new members only.