Announcing the 2012 Pollinator Challenge Champion Congratulations to Region 2, the 2012 Service Pollinator Champion!
February 2013 In Region 2, over 20 field stations participated in the Challenge. Regions 4 and 8 followed closely behind Region 2 in point totals – all earned over 1000 points. Nearly every Region earned more points than they did in 2011, which reflects an overall increase in activities conducted and reported for the Challenge.
Service-wide activities reported in the Pollinator Challenge included: 79 habitat enhancements; 49 pollinator garden enhancements; creation and/or consultation on 42 pollinator gardens and schoolyard habitats; 28 native bee surveys (most on National Wildlife Refuges); 32 surveys for butterflies and moths, and 31 surveys of other or multiple pollinators. In addition, over 300 outreach events featured or included pollinators, 55 educational brochures and exhibits were developed; 31 articles were published in print or on the web; 9 pollinator workshops and 6 art contests and/or gallery exhibits were held. Wow! Look for photographs from Challenge events at www.fws.gov/pollinators coming soon.
Whooping Cranes. Photo credit: USFWS, Steve Sykes.
2012-2013 Winter Whooping Crane Survey Results
February 2013 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) Winter Whooping Crane Survey (survey) estimates there are a total of 279 whooping cranes, including 257 found within the primary wintering grounds and 22 beyond that area. During December, Service personnel conducted seven surveys of the primary wintering grounds of the Aransas-Wood Buffalo flock, the last remaining wild flock of whooping cranes. With the help of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Texas Whooper Watch and other observers, documented sightings during that same time frame suggest there were at least 22 additional whooping cranes found outside the primary wintering grounds.
Last year, the survey estimated a total of 267 whooping cranes in the wild, including 254 on the primary wintering grounds and 13 beyond.
Collin County Man Guilty Of Customs Violations Chinese national attempted to smuggle ivory falsely labeled as “wood carvings”
February 2013 SHERMAN, Texas – A 44-year-old Plano, Texas man has pleaded guilty to negligently attempting to smuggle ivory carvings from the United States, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation of the case, along with law enforcement officers from partnering agencies.
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge Turns 50
February 2013 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southwest Region proudly celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. Established in 1963, the 34,000-acre refuge is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, a national network of lands and waters set aside for the benefit of wildlife and you. The management focus of the refuge (and its companion refuges, McFaddin and Texas Point) is to protect and manage the coastal marsh for migrating, wintering and breeding waterfowl, shorebirds and waterbirds, and provide strategic and crucial nesting areas for the neotropical migratory songbirds migrating across the Gulf of Mexico. Watch for details on the celebration later this month, or contact the Refuge for more information.
Winnie Depot Maintenance Facility Opens Its Doors!
February 2013 It is with great pride that we announce a dedication ceremony in recognition of the Winnie Depot. The ceremony will be held on Wednesday, February 20. The story behind this facility is a compelling one. On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike (Category 4) made landfall near Galveston, Texas, with maximum wind speeds of 145 mph, storm surge of over 20 feet, 103 fatalities, and 37.5 billion in damage. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southwest Region was hit particularly hard by Hurricane Ike. All of the National Wildlife Refuges within our Texas Chenier Plains Refuge Complex were badly damaged. Every one of the facilities at our Anahuac, McFaddin and Texas Point National Wildlife Refuges were leveled, leaving only debris at those sites. Getting our Texas coast refuges up and functional again was vital – both in terms of our mission critical wildlife and habitat management priorities. As we looked at the Texas Chenier Plain Refuge Complex as a whole, we took a broader view and developed an innovative approach to maintenance and fire needs. We considered efficiencies and recognized that we could provide maintenance service more effectively to all four refuges in the Texas Chenier Plains R efuge Complex by establishing a zoned maintenance facility. We also set out to find a centralized site where a facility for maintenance and fire operations for all four refuges could be located. We determined that the perfect location is near Winnie, Texas, where the facility now stands. The Design-Build, Construction Consulting Services Multiple Award Task Order Contract delivery approach for planning, design and construction makes the Winnie Depot one of the most successful contracted projects in our region.
Tree planting crew: about 2 dozen staff from the Southwest Regional office, Sevilleta NWR, and members of the New Mexico Invasive Species Strike Team, University of New Mexico and volunteers. - Photo Credit: USFWS
Riparian Restoration at Sevilleta NWR
February 2013 On February 13, 2013, Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) employees, volunteers and interns spent all day planting trees at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)! There were a total of 2,071 trees planted as part of an on-going riparian restoration project along the Rio Grande.
This area had been overrun by tamarisk, an invasive non-native plant, and then cleared a few years ago. For this year's restoration efforts, one of the refuge employees drilled about 2,000 holes with a bobcat and auger over several days before the event. Meanwhile, several Service employees from Sevilleta NWR, the New Mexico Invasive Strike Team and the Los Lunas Inmate Work Camp crew harvested about 2,000 Gooding's willow poles from within the previously planted area adjacent to the new planting site.
Edwards Aquifer. Photo credit: Courtesy of the Edwards Aquifer Authority.
Service Approves Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program's Incidental Take Permit
February 2013
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has approved the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program’s (EARIP) Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and incidental take permit for the EARIP. The notice of availability of the final Environmental Impact Statement (fEIS) and an incidental take permit for the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program (EARIP), including the Habitat Conservation Plan will publish in today’s Federal Register.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Edwards Aquifer Authority.
The Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program’s HCP is the result of a successful consensus based collaborative effort by a diverse group of more than forty groups and individuals from south central Texas to address the conservation needs of eight listed species and the needs of the communities’ dependent upon the Edwards Aquifer. Issuance of this incidental take permit will enable the Edwards Aquifer Authority; San Antonio Water Systems; the City of New Braunfels, Texas; the City of San Marcos, Texas; and Texas State University (collectively the Applicants) to continue their projects and operations, while preserving protected species and their habitat.
Service Announces the Availability of a Draft Economic Analysis and Draft Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Jemez Mountains Salamander
February 2013 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is announcing the availability of a draft economic analysis and draft environmental assessment of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the Jemez Mountains salamander, and the reopening of the public comment period on the September 12, 2012, proposed endangered status for the Jemez Mountains salamander and proposed designation of critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act.
The Service is also announcing an amended required determinations section of the proposal. The Service is proposing minor amendments to the proposed critical habitat units based on updated mapping data. In addition, the Service is proposing minor changes to clarify the primary constituent elements. The Service is reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed rule, the associated draft economic analysis and draft environmental assessment, the amended required determinations section, and the proposed changes to the primary constituent elements and critical habitat units described in this document.
Woodland Caribou, painted by Sky Waters from Minnesota, was selected as the grand prize winner of the 2012 Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest. Photo credit: Endangered Species Coalition.
Service Announces Annual Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest!
February 2013
Parents, teachers, and scout leaders tell your kids to start the drawing engines and participate in the annual Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest! Entries must be postmarked by March 15, 2013. The Youth Art Contest provides students from kindergarten to high school with an opportunity to learn about threatened and endangered species and express their knowledge and support through artwork. Organized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Endangered Species Coalition, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the International Child Art Foundation, the art contest is an integral part of the eighth annual national Endangered Species Day on May 17, 2013.
Deputy Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Rowan Gould speaks to students. Photo credit: USFWS.
Conservation Career Symposium Held in Albuquerque
February 2013
Select Graduate and undergrad students from across the country were invited to attend the Southwest Conservation Career Symposium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Students had a chance to meet with top professionals in Natural Resource and the Biological Sciences and participate in an outdoor classroom environment at the Beccechi Open Space adjacent to the Rio Grande bosque and Rio Grande Valley State Park.
Mexican wolf being brought to Alpine facility for processing during 2012 pop count. Photo credit: USFWS.
2012 Mexican Wolf Population Survey Complete - Numbers Up from 2011
February 2013
During its annual year-end surveys, the Mexican wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) counted at least 75 Mexican wolves in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico at the end of 2012. Compared to the 2011 minimum population count of 58 wolves, this number demonstrates an increase in the known population in the wild.
Service Announces Availability of Draft Economic Analysis For Six West Texas Aquatic Invertebrates
February 2013
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is publishing the Notice of Availability of the draft economic analysis for the proposed critical habitat for the Phantom Cave snail, Phantom springsnail, diminutive amphipod, Diamond Y Spring snail, Gonzales springsnail and Pecos amphipod. The draft economic analysis provides estimated costs of the foreseeable potential economic impacts of the proposed critical habitat designation for the six west Texas invertebrates over the next 20 years.
In releasing the draft economic analysis, the Service is also reopening the comment period for 45 days to allow the public an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the August 16, 2012, proposed rules to list the six west Texas invertebrates as endangered and designate critical habitat, and the associated draft economic analysis. As part of the public comment period, on February 21, 2013, the Service will hold a public informational session and a public hearing. The informational session and public hearing will be held in the conference room at Balmorhea State Park, State Highway 17, Toyahvale, Texas. The public information session will begin at 5:00 p.m. CT and the public hearing will begin at 6:00 p.m. CT.
Service Will Evaluate Proposed General Conservation Plan for the American Burying Beetle
February 2013
America’s fish, wildlife and plant resources belong to all of us, and ensuring the health of imperiled species is a shared responsibility. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is working to actively engage conservation partners and the public in the search for improved and innovative ways to conserve and recover imperiled species.
The Service intends to prepare a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate the impacts of, and alternatives to, the proposed General Conservation Plan (GCP) for incidental take of the federally listed American burying beetle (ABB) resulting from activities associated with construction, maintenance, operation, and repair of oil and gas pipelines, and related well field activities. The GCP will include measures necessary to minimize and mitigate impacts to covered species and their habitats to the maximum extent practicable. Publication of this notice in the Federal Register opens a 30 day public comment period, with comments due by March 5, 2013.
Arizona Navajo Man Sentenced for Violating Migratory Bird Treaty Act
February 2013
Daniel Chee Walley, 47, a member of the Navajo Nation from Chambers, Ariz., was sentenced this afternoon for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales and Nicholas E. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement.
Scottsdale Man Sentenced for Stealing Cacti from Public Lands
February 2013
PHOENIX – On Jan. 28, 2013, Kenneth Brian Cobb, 46, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to five years supervised probation with eight months of weekend incarceration and was ordered to pay $32,000 in restitution. Cobb pleaded guilty on Sept. 10, 2012, to theft of government property and a violation of the Endangered Species Act.
January 2013
The Endangered Species Act provides a critical safety net for America’s native fish, wildlife and plants. This landmark conservation law has prevented the extinction of hundreds of imperiled species across the nation and promoted the recovery of many others.
To conserve the Zuni bluehead sucker, whose distribution rangewide has been reduced by over 90 percent in the last 20 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is proposing to list the Zuni bluehead sucker as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. The service has also identified and is proposing to designate approximately 293 miles of stream habitat as critical for the species. The critical habitat is being proposed on lands primarily owned by Forest Service, State of New Mexico, Navajo Nation, and Zuni Pueblo.
Service Evaluates Vermejo Park Ranch Application for an Enhancement of Survival Permit for Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout (Public Comment Sought)
January 2013 America’s fish, wildlife and plant resources belong to all of us, and ensuring the health of imperiled species is a shared responsibility. To that end the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is working to actively engage conservation partners and the public in the search for improved and innovative ways to conserve and recover imperiled species.
Vermejo Park Ranch has applied for an enhancement of survival permit pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act. The permit application includes a draft Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) between the Service and Vermejo Park Ranch, along with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife who are partners in conservation with Vermejo, for the Rio Grande cutthroat trout in Taos County, New Mexico, and Costilla County, Colorado. A draft environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared by the Service to further analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of the CCAA on the quality of the human environment and other natural resources.
Public Hearings Being Held on the Listing Proposal for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken
January 2013 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will conduct four public hearings to obtain comments on the Service’s proposal to list the lesser prairie-chicken as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (Act). Public hearings will be held in Woodward, Oklahoma; Garden City, Kansas; Lubbock, Texas; and Roswell, New Mexico.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two Utah Men for Violating Migratory Bird Treaty Act
January 2013 A federal grand jury sitting in Albuquerque has indicted two men from Bluff, Utah, for violating the Migratory BirdTreaty Act, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales and Nicholas E. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement.
Service Announces Availability of Draft Economic Analysis for Four Central Texas Salamanders
January 2013 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced today the Notice of Availability of the draft economic analysis (DEA) for the proposed critical habitat for the Austin blind salamander, Jollyville Plateau salamander, Georgetown salamander, and the Salado salamander. The DEA provides estimated costs of the foreseeable potential economic impacts of the proposed critical habitat designation for the four central Texas salamanders over the next 23 years. The Service is also announcing the reopening of the comment period on the proposed critical habitat for four central Texas salamanders for 45 days.
USFWS Wildlife and Sports Fish Restoration Program Has Generated $14 Billion for Conservation from Hunters and Anglers
January 2013 The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service has released a landmark publication celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, the cornerstone of fish and wildlife conservation in North America. This vital program provides more than $700 million each year through the sale of hunting and fishing equipment to support habitat conservation and outdoor recreation projects across the nation.
January 2013 The Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Project’s interagency field team successfully released a radio collared 4-year-old male Mexican wolf, designated M1133, last week in the Apache National Forest, and preliminary tracking data shows the wolf remains well within the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area.
M1133 was snowmobiled in to the release site by Arizona Game and Fish and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel and “hard released”, that is, released directly from the transport crate upon arrival rather than being placed in a temporary holding pen in that area for a period of time to acclimate (a soft release). M1133’s release was adjacent to the Bluestem pack’s territory in hopes that it will replace the pack’s breeding (alpha) male that was illegally killed in 2012. Surveys were conducted prior to the release to ensure that the Bluestem pack alpha female had not paired with another male wolf. The release was timed to coincide with normal early-season breeding activities. The Bluestem pack currently consists of four collared wolves; the collared alpha female, and three collared young of the year (m1275, m1277, f1280). At least 3 uncollared wolves have been documented with the pack, likely a yearling and two more young of the year.
ESA 40th Anniversary Celebration
Photo credit USFWS.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Begins Commemoration of 40th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act
January 2013 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will honor the 40th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act with a year-long commemoration of the Act that has been so successful in stabilizing populations of species at risk, preventing the extinction of many others and conserving the habitats upon which they depend. The Service launched a dedicated web site spotlighting the history and accomplishments of efforts to protect and recover America’s threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act, found at www.fws.gov/endangered/ESA40/index.html.
FWS staff and partners attach planks to the Pelican Island walkway commemorating the establishment of two new refuges in the Southwest.
Photo credit USFWS.
Commemoration Ceremony at Pelican Island Walkway Includes Recognition of Two Newly Named Refuges in the Southwest - Valle del Oro and Rio Mora
January 2013 Friday, January 11, 2013, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar celebrated the establishment of six new national wildlife refuge units during the past year by laying commemorative planks on a walkway at Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, the nation’s first refuge. “Each time we establish a new national wildlife refuge, we set aside a treasured landscape, conserving our priceless fish and wildlife and their habitat not only for this generation but for future generations,” said Salazar. “We also provide a place for people to connect with nature through fishing, hunting, hiking and other outdoor recreation. This not only restores the spirit and refreshes the mind but also supports economic growth and jobs in local communities.” During the ceremony, Salazar added planks to the walkway that now commemorates all 561 national wildlife refuges. This included planks in recognition of two recently named refuges in the Southwest: Valle del Oro National Wildlife Refuge and Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area.
After the investigation, the Coastal Research Laboratory identified the rescued turtle as a Green Sea Turtle. Photo credit: USFWS.
Narcotics Seizure and Arrest Leads to Recovery of Green Sea Turtle
January 2013 January 8, 2013, Texas - Following an execution of a search warrant for narcotics by the Harlingen Police Department, there was discovery of an unlawful possession of an endangered species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service worked with the local police to recover an endangered Green Sea Turtle and to issue a citation for an Endangered Species Act Violation to one of the individuals already in custody.
Service Identifies Important Habitat for Recovery of Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
January 2013
As part of its ongoing efforts to conserve our nation’s most imperiled species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has identified riparian lands that are important for the recovery of the southwestern willow flycatcher. This small songbird, which nests in vegetation along rivers and streams or other wetlands, is known to occur only in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah, and has been listed as endangered since 1995 under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Draft Recovery Plan for the Gulf Coast Jaguarundi Available for Public Review and Comment
January 2013
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announces the availability of the draft revised recovery plan for the Gulf Coast jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli) for public review. This draft revised recovery plan updates current biological knowledge of the endangered Gulf Coast jaguarundi. The Service is requesting review and comment on this plan from local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public. A 60 day public comment period begins today and all comments should be submitted by February 25, 2013. The Service will also accept any new information on the status of the Gulf Coast jaguarundi throughout its range to assist in finalizing the revised recovery plan.
Feathers from 15 different migratory bird species were seized during the search. Photo credit: USFWS.
Wildlife Trafficking Investigation Leads to Five Year Sentence for
Possession of Child Pornography and Trafficking in Wildlife
December 2012
On December 20, 2012, Emerson Austin, 36, of Leesville, La., was
sentenced to serve five years in federal prison for possession of
child pornography and five years in prison for trafficking in
wildlife, to run concurrent. On March 11, 2009, law enforcement
officers executed a search warrant at Austin’s residence for the
purpose of obtaining information related to wildlife trafficking.
During the search, officers found a significant amount of hard core
child pornography. Additionally, feathers from 15 different migratory
bird species were seized. The case was investigated by the United
States Fish & Wildlife Service and the Louisiana State Police.
New Images of a Jaguar and an Ocelot in Southern Arizona Available
December 2012
An adult male jaguar and an adult male ocelot have been photographed in two separate southern Arizona mountain ranges by automated wildlife monitoring cameras. The images were collected as part of the Jaguar Survey and Monitoring Project led by the University of Arizona. Both animals appear to be in good health.
Victoria Jury Convicts Missouri City Man of Illegal Possession of Bald Eagle
December 2012
VICTORIA, Texas - Sam Mathew, 53, of Missouri City, has been convicted of illegally possessing a bald eagle, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Mathew was indicted in May of this year for one count of violating The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The jury returned its verdict late yesterday after two days of trial and approximately an hour of deliberations. The case was investigated by agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Black footed ferret. Photo credit: USFWS.
New Multi-Agency Partnership Expands Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Efforts
December 2012 A new agreement in the form of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between federal and state agencies has set the stage for an innovative effort to recover the black-footed ferret, one of the most endangered mammals in North America. The agreement seeks to engage more private landowners, including tribes, in recovery efforts for this species.
Service Announces Availability of Final Recovery Plan for the Mexican Spotted Owl
December 2012 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is announcing the availability of the final Mexican Spotted Owl Recovery Plan (Plan), first revision. The Mexican spotted owl was listed as threatened on March 16, 1993 under the Endangered Species Act. This species occurs in the States of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah, and south through the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico.
First Stronghold of Protected Habitat for Lesser Prairie-Chicken Established in New Mexico Private-Public Partnership Utilizes Land and Water Conservation Fundto Enhance Land Protection
for Species at Risk
December 2012 ROSWELL, N.M. (Dec. 7, 2012) – The Conservation Fund announced today it has completed a multi-year effort with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to secure critical habitat for the lesser prairie-chicken, a species the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is proposing to list as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The BLM has acquired 1,789 acres of land in eastern Chaves County that will expand protection in and around a special management area for the lesser prairie-chicken.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Initiates Process to Consider Lesser Prairie-Chicken As "Threatened" Species Under the Endangered Species Act
November 2012 Based on scientific evidence that the lesser prairie-chicken and its habitat are in decline, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that it is initiating a process to consider whether the species should be recognized as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
November 2012 Flip, the Kemp's Ridley sea turtle that was found stranded and almost dead last December on the coast of Holland was returned to her home in the Gulf of Mexico Friday. She was rehabilitated at the SEA LIFE Aquarium Scheveningen, Holland, then flown to SEA LIFE Grapevine, Texas and checked over at the Animal Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) before being released on the beach at Padre Island National Seashore to scurry into the Gulf waters. Flip was fitted with a radio transmitter and her progress can be followed at seaturtle.org.
For more info: (These are 3 media reports with video of the release)
Tamara Kurey poses with the fish she caught. Photo credit: Tamara Kurey.
Southwest Regional Director on the Wounded Warrior Project
November 2012
In the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) Southwest Region, we have partnered with Wounded Warrior Project to provide internships to any member of the military cleared to participate. These Wounded Warriors serve our country with honor and distinction, and now it is our privilege to host them in our offices and field stations as they gain work experience that will enable them to re-enter the workforce.
Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, Southwest Regional Director, USFWS, addresses the crowd at the establishment of the Rio Mora NWR in the Southwest Region. Photo credit: Jill Goldstein, USFWS.
AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS:
Dr. Benjamin Tuggle Celebrates At Rio Mora NWR
September 2012 "This is an important day for New Mexicans and a special day for me to be a part of. Earlier today, the Secretary announced the formal establishment of the Southwest’s first urban national wildlife refuge and now, this afternoon New Mexico’s 9th national wildlife refuge," said Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, the Southwest Regional Director for the USFWS.
"Protection of these lands will help support the recovery and protection of threatened and endangered species such as the southwestern willow flycatcher and the Mexican spotted owl, and conserve rare species such as the Rio Grande cutthroat trout, Gunnison’s prairie dog, and the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, all candidate species considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act."
Dr. Benjamin Tuggle joins the Secretary of the Interior and celebrates partnerships in conservation with the announcement of two new national wildlife refuges, the Valle de Oro and the Rio Mora:
Secreatry Salazar announces two new wildlife refuges in the Southwest Region. Photo credit: Nicole Osborne, USFWS.
AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS: Salazar Dedicates Two National Wildlife Refuges in New Mexico Valle de Oro and Rio Mora Become Nation’s 559th and 560th National Wildlife Refuges
September 2012 Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today dedicated the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge in Albuquerque, making it the first urban refuge in the Southwest and one of a handful across the nation. Later today, Salazar will travel to Wind River Ranch near Mora, New Mexico for a signing ceremony establishing the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area on over 4,200 acres donated by the Thaw Charitable Trust.
The Secretary will announce the name of the urban refuge in Albuquerque on Thursday, September 27, funded in great part by local agencies, non-profits and the Bernalillo County, with a check of $5 million. Photo credit: USFWS.
Salazar Makes Announcements on National Wildlife Refuges During Trip to New Mexico
September 2012 Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar travels to New Mexico to make a major announcement on conservation efforts underway on the Middle Rio Grande in Albuquerque and the proposed Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge in Watrous. Both of these partnership driven efforts are examples of diverse approaches taken to protect lands for conservation benefit and engage youth in outdoor education and recreation.
Fire burns through 300,000 acres of the Gila Wilderness Area of southwestern New Mexico. Photo credit: USFWS.
Heroic Efforts Save Fish Caught in the Whitewater Baldy Complex Fire
September 2012 The Whitewater Baldy Wildfire Complex was ignited by lightning in May 2012, burning through 300,000 acres of the Gila Wilderness Area of southwestern New Mexico, and causing a major problem for threatened and endangered fish in its path. The fire was fought by 35 engines, 27 water tenders, four dozers, 10 helicopters, 12 mules and 900 people. Fish were airlifted out of the wilderness or captured in lower elevation habitats.
Rescued fish were then sent to waiting facilities at the Mora National Fish Hatchery, the New Mexico Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, Dexter National Fish Hatchery, and to habitats outside the reach of the wildfire in Ash Creek on the Coronado National Forest in southeastern Arizona. The fire affected eight out of the 14 populations of Gila trout, two core populations of spike dace and loach minnow, and the two largest populations of Gila and headwater chubs. After weeks of work, 438 Gila trout, 167 loach minnow, 267 spikedace, and 323 chubs were brought to safety.
July 2012 The carcass of a 2-year-old female Golden Eagle was found on May 17 in a field southeast of Dulce, New Mexico. The eagle had been fitted with a satellite tracking device when it was a nestling on June 2, 2010 in western Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. The device allowed precise GPS location information to be recorded hourly and transmitted by satellite to researchers. The eagle was then tracked nearly 2 years as it moved back and forth between Rio Arriba County and adjoining parts of southern Colorado. More recently she was located southeast of Dulce in northern Rio Arriba County. A reward of $2,500 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved in the shooting of this eagle. If you have any information you are asked to contact the FWS Office of Law Enforcement at (505) 248-7889.
Landmark Conservation Agreements Keep Dunes Sagebrush Lizard off the Endangered Species List in NM, TX
2012 WASHINGTON – As a result of unprecedented commitments to voluntary conservation agreements now in place in New Mexico and Texas that provide for the long-term conservation of the dunes sagebrush lizard, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the species does not need to be listed under the Endangered Species Act.
“This is a great example of how states and landowners can take early, landscape-level action to protect wildlife habitat before a species is listed under the Endangered Species Act,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “The voluntary conservation efforts of Texas and New Mexico, oil and gas operators, private landowners and other stakeholders show that we don’t have to choose between energy development and the protection of our land and wildlife – we can do both.”
Reward Offered in Mexican wolf shooting in Arizona
2012 PINETOP, Ariz. – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Special Agents and Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) law enforcement personnel recovered the carcass of a Mexican wolf pup on March 27, 2012, found next to Forest Road 249 west of Alpine, Ariz. They identified it as female pup fp1247, produced by the Hawks Nest Pack in 2011.
A preliminary exam failed to reveal an obvious cause of death. The carcass was shipped to the National Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Lab in Oregon for a complete necropsy, where they determined the wolf died of a single gunshot wound. If anyone has information regarding this incident, they are requested to contact the FWS Special Agent at (928) 213-8017 or AGFD Operation Game Thief at (800) 352-0700.
The FWS is offering a reward of up to $10,000 and AGFD Operation Game Thief is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the illegal shooting death of this wolf or any other Mexican wolf. Other nongovernmental organizations and private individuals have pledged an additional $46,000 for a total reward amount of up to $57,000, depending on the information provided.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with
others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and
their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
All images Credit to and Courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service unless specified otherwise.
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Last updated:
February 25, 2013
