November 15, 2011 Alaska's 2011 Youth in the Great Outdoors
This year, the Alaska Region of the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service employed 284 youth on refuges, rivers and conservation projects throughout the state of Alaska. The 2011 Youth in the Great Outdoors Report celebrates these amazing youth. The report follows some of their adventures from remote field camps throughout the state, to teaching science to children, and to habitat restoration in Anchorage city parks. To read more...
November 14, 2011
At the Alaska/Canadian Border
During the last week of September, three U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Wildlife Inspectors collaborated with the Canadian Wildlife Service to detain and inspect vehicles coming in and out of Alaska at the Alcan Port of Entry near Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory. Their purpose was to enforce federal, state, foreign, and international wildlife laws and regulations; including the Endangered Species Act, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Lacey Act, Alaska State Hunting Regulations, and Canada’s Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act. Read more...
November 3, 2011
Southwest Sea Otter and Short-tailed Albatross Recovery Articles Published
Articles about the recovery of two Alaskan species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are available in the Summer 2011 "Endangered Species Bulletin."
The southwest Alaska sea otter was listed as threatened in 2005 and the article titled "Evaluating Threats for the Southwest Alaskan Sea Otter" was written by Douglas Burn.
"Is it a Colony Yet?" was written by Judy Jacobs about the short-tailed albatross translocation project. This bird was listed as endangered under the ESA in 1973 outside the United States and in 2000 the listing was expanded to include inside the U.S. In addition, Judy published another article in the bulletin "What Does It Take to be a Successful Recovery Biologist?"
October 26, 2011
Annual List of Candidate Species for Endangered Species Act Released
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today released its Candidate Notice of Review (CNOR), a yearly appraisal of the current status of plants and animals considered candidates for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Candidate species are plants and animals for which the Service has enough information on their status and the threats they face to propose them as threatened or endangered, but developing a proposed listing rule is precluded by higher priority listing actions. “The candidate list offers the Service and our partners a unique opportunity to address the threats to these species through voluntary conservation efforts on public and private lands,” said Service Director Dan Ashe. The document is available at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/what-we-do/cnor.html.
In Alaska, the Fish and Wildlife Service manages three candidate species. The Pacific walrus was designated a candidate species in February 2011, and is on the CNOR for the first time. Two bird species, the Kittlitz's murrelet (a seabird) and the yellow-billed loon are also on the CNOR. This year, we changed the listing priority number for the Kittlitz's murrelet from a 2 to an 8 because we now consider the threats to this species to be low to moderate, rather than high. The section "Listing Priority Changes in Candidates" in the CNOR explains the rationale for our decision.
For more information on candidate species in Alaska, please contact Sonja Jahrsdoerfer at 907/786-3323 or Bruce Woods at 907/786-3695.
October 24, 2011
Connecting People with Nature: Let's Go Outside Website Has a New Look
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has launched a new web site, "Connecting People with Nature: Let’s Go Outside" aimed at engaging young kids in outdoor activities, and educating them about nature, helping to implement the Department of the Interior’s Youth in the Great Outdoors (hyperlinked to Youthgo.gov website) initiative. In addition, the Neighborhood Explorers online activity has been revamped to include a section on conservation careers.
October 6, 2011 Celebrating America's Wildlife Legacy
October 9-15, 2011 marks National Wildlife Refuge Week. Since 1903, when Theodore Roosevelt established the first national wlidlife refuge at Pelican Island in Florida, the National Willife Refuge System has become the world's premier habitat conservation system, encompassing 150 million acres in 553 refuges and 38 wetland management districts. And more than 80% of the acreage in the entire Refuge System
is in Alaska's 16 spectacular refuges.
Every year Refuge Week gives us an opportunity to reflect on how fortunate we are to have America's wildlife legacy conserved within refuge lands, and how
important it is to get out and enjoy these treasures. As winter begins here in the north, we begin to put a wrap on summer activities enjoyed withinn our refuges -
camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, boating and more. As soon as temperatures are consistently below freezing these activities will be replaced by their
winter counterparts - sking, snowshoeing,, winter camping, ice fishing, snow machining, and more. The best way to celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week in Alaska is to
get out onto refuge lands and enjoy them. In addition, during this week a number of special indoor events are happening around the state. Learn More...
September 30, 2011 Lots Purchased to Complete Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center Site in Homer
The purchase of five lots in Beluga Slough by a partnership of conservation groups headed by Sharon Baur of Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges was feted at a National Public Lands Day Celebration Friday night September 23rd at Islands and Ocean Visitor Center in Homer, Alaska. The purchase was funded by the Conservation Fund, Kachemak Bay Conservation Society and Moose Habitat, Inc. Eighty five visitors and invited guests enjoyed a photo show of entrants in the “Picture the Heart of Homer” contest, a reception with refreshments provided by Alaska Geographic, music by local musician Sunrise Kilcher. In addition, a “Walk in Beauty: Art along the Beluga Slough Trail” featured luminaries and art made by Fireweed Academy (a charter school) students. After walking the lighted trail visitors were heard describing it as 'magical'. Read More...
September 13, 2011 2011 Alaska Fish Photo Contest
Alaska abounds with some pretty amazing fisheries resources. Help us celebrate Alaska’s fish and their importance to people and ecosystems by sending in your photos – we want to see all species in their different life stages from around the state! Photos you submit before November 1 will be entered in the 2011 Alaska Fish Photo Contest. Stewart’s Photo Shop in Anchorage is donating a Kodak Easyshare Sport waterproof camera to the winner. Photos submitted after that date will be entered in our 2012 contest. Help us spread the word! Read More...
September 12, 2011 Alaska Refuges’ Aquatic Ecosystem Studies Benefit from Partnerships
One of the mandated purposes for each of Alaska's National Wildlife Refuges is to ensure water quality and quantity. Surface water contained in the Alaska Refuge System’s 77 million acres consists of an abundance of rivers, lakes, wetlands, snowfields, and glaciers. These aquatic ecosystems remain a barometer for the health of the larger landscape. Changes in the water quality and quantity can impact fisheries, wildlife habitat and human health. Read More...
August 26, 2011 Anchorage’s Chester Creek Celebration
It rained hard the morning of Saturday, August 20th, but the weather didn’t deter the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Anchorage Field Office from hosting its first “Chester Creek Celebration” event. Starting at the restored channel at the outlet of Westchester Lagoon and heading a mile or so east on the Chester Creek trail, visitors had an opportunity to stroll and learn about a variety of topics from local Fish & Wildlife Service biologists and non-government partners. Each of the six tented stations focused on a different topic – habitat restoration, migratory birds, invasive species, water quality and contaminants, endangered species, and resident fish – with live organisms at all but one: guess which? Partners that assisted with the event included Audubon Alaska, Anchorage Waterways Council, and Citizens against Noxious Weeds Invading the North. The kids enjoyed fun activities and the adults had opportunities to tap the experts for information. For those hardy adults and energetic kids in rain gear, the weather was irrelevant!
August 15, 2011 Service Seeks Public Comment on Future Management of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today opened public comment on a draft plan developed to ensure long-term conservation of fish, wildlife and plants, and to sustain outdoor recreational opportunities and environmental education and interpretation in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.
August 23, 2011 2011 Fish Mural Adventure!
Youth from the Fairview neighborhood of Anchorage got to get their feet wet and hands dirty in more ways than one during the first annual Fish Mural Adventure. The Home Base After School Program, which provides local 4th-8th graders with “a safe, healthy, and nurturing home base," joined Fisheries Outreach Coordinator Katrina Mueller and summer Student Conservation Association interns Trish Barrere and Kristin Allgood for a two-part program: an overnight field trip (adventure) on the Kenai Peninsula followed by a fish mural painting event in Anchorage. By partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s “Connecting People with Nature” program, Home Base youth learned about fisheries conservation and got connected with local fisheries resources and professionals. Learn More...
August 10, 2011
The Murrelet “Grand Slam”: Three Unusual Species Observed in the Same Bay, Same Day
For birders--professional and recreational—it’s always exciting to spot a species outside of its range. In some cases, so little is known about a species that new sightings driven by taxonomic and genetic work can spur an increase in identification; and eventually an “expansion” of a species’ known range. Learn more...
August 4, 2011
Fire Season Mid-Summer Update
Alaska has had a quiet fire season so far this year, due to periodic rain and the lack of extended hot dry spells. As of August 1, 2011, 470 fires had burned 290,587 acres. That’s well below the same period last year, when 602 fires had burned 1,006,401 acres. Historically, about one million acres are burned by wildland fire in Alaska in an average year.
As of August 1, 26 fires had burned 37,078 acres on national wildlife refuge lands in Alaska. Read more...
July 11, 2011 Training Alaskans to Fight Alaska Wildfires
During her training at the Alaska Wildfire Academy, Joricha Thomas of Nikolai found herself challenged in ways she hadn’t expected. There were the 5 a.m. wake-up calls, the physical training, the hours in the classroom, and time spent away from her 2-year-old daughter. But Thomas, 20, also surprised herself by rising to the challenge.
“It was more than I expected, but I learned about not giving up. I wanted to set an example for my daughter,” said Thomas, who is from the Athabascan village of Nikolai in Alaska’s Interior. “I feel really proud of myself.”
For Cy Conrad, from the village of Tanana, the opportunity for a career fighting wildfires was worth the effort.
“I learned that the academy is a lot of hard work and it’s tough, but I also learned to be committed and it will pay off in the end,” said Conrad, 18. Read more...
July 27, 2011 Casting for Recovery
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Region’s Let’s Go Outside initiative encourages regional employees to “Give 8” to help people connect with nature. This program inspired Arctic Refuge employee Jennifer Reed to share one of her hobbies, while helping breast cancer survivors break through barriers to recovery. How did Jennifer “tie” together her interests with getting breast cancer survivors outside? She “Gave 8”and instructed fly fishing to Casting for Recovery retreat participants during the first-ever Fairbanks-based retreat, held July 17-19, 2011! By learning the rhythmic motion of fly casting in a natural setting where well-being can flourish, retreat participants receive an ideal physical therapy for the effects of breast cancer treatment and surgery. Read more...
June 30, 2011 Alaska: Warming Climate Presents Multiple Challenges for the Last Frontier
From loss of sea ice in the arctic, to changes in waterfowl nesting in the west, to record-setting forest pest outbreaks on the Kenai, the warming climate presents an array of challenges to fish, wildlife, plants, and people who inhabit America’s northernmost state.
June 22, 2011 2011 Alaska Weed Smackdown!
The first “Weed Smackdown” event was held in Fairbanks in 2010, in conjunction with Alaska Invasive Weed Awareness week, to create an opportunity for local residents and groups to have some outdoor fun while helping to contain the spread of invasive, non-native plants. This week (June 19-25, 2011) is Invasive Weed Awareness Week in Alaska (see Governor’s Proclamation at: http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/press-room/full-proclamation.html?pr=5802), and once again the weed warriors will be out in force to smack down some of these troublesome invaders.
Invasive species are species that do not naturally occur in the area (are non-native) and whose introduction can cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. For example, a non-native plant might spread aggressively (invade) and completely overgrow surrounding native plants. Some invasive plants can harm native fish and wildlife, while others can harm humans. European bird cherry can poison moose; reed canarygrass and purple loosestrife can damage fish and bird habitats; Canada thistle and giant hogweed have spiny leaves or stems and can give people an itchy or even painful rash. Read more...
June 22, 2011
Forested Area Near Russian River Ferry is Closed
Deputy Refuge Manager, Stephen Miller, of Kenai National Wildlife Refuge announced today that a temporary closure of all public entry is in effect in the forested area on the north side of Kenai River near the Kenai-russian River Ferry. Access to fishing and fishing along the banks of the Kenai River remains open. The closure has been enacted due to heightened bear activity in the immediate area.
The closed area encompasses approximately 29 acres near the Russian River Ferry.
June 20, 2011 Federal Biologists, University Researchers, Local Fishermen Join in Sea Otter Research
A partnership among U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists, University of Alaska researchers, local fishermen, charter boat operators, and community members recently culminated in a 2-week trip to capture, sample, and implant radios in 30 sea otters in southern Alaska, near the village of Kake. The Southern Southeast Alaska Sea Otter Project (http://seagrant.uaf.edu/research/projects/10/otter/ for more information) is an effort to conduct research on sea otter population growth in southern Southeast Alaska, and to provide information to a variety of audiences (including subsistence and commercial fishermen, wildlife and fisheries managers, and the general public) on the potential effects of a growing sea otter population on shellfish and other invertebrate species. As the numbers and range of sea otters in southeast Alaska have increased, so has concern among commercial and subsistence fishermen who harvest species that the animals prey upon. This is the first time such a research effort has been mounted in southern southeast Alaska. Read more…
June 14, 2011
Girl Scouts Learn About “Alaska Invaders"
On June 3-4, 2011 approximately 1,000 Girl Scouts from across the state assembled in Palmer at the Alaska State Fairgrounds for the “Alaska Girl Scout Encampment 2011.” The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, along with the National Park Service and U. S. Forest Service, taught 114 girls and over 25 adults (troop leaders) in 1-hour sessions about biodiversity, native and non-native species and what invasive species are. Concepts were illustrated with games that had the girls up and participating in physical activities. There were lots of pictures (of pike, reed canarygrass, tunicates) to show the girls, along with some actual specimens for them to put their hands on too (mostly weeds collected right there on-site, but also including samples of New Zealand mudsnails & zebra mussels). Learn more…
June 9, 2011
New USFWS Alaska Chief of Refuges Announced
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alaska Region announced today that Mr. Mitchell R. Ellis has been selected as the new Regional Refuge Chief for Alaska. Mr. Ellis most recently served as Refuge Manager for the Southwest Arizona National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
Mitchell Ellis has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills over a 24-year career with the Fish and Wildlife Service, including field and Washington Office assignments, and has a long history of conservation accomplishments. Learn more…
June 6, 2011 Kids Help Restore Cottonwood Creek
Situated between Wasilla Creek to the east and Big Lake to the West, Cottonwood Creek flows through several lakes as it meanders through the city of Wasilla, Alaska and into the Knik Arm of Cook Inlet. While salmon, rainbow trout, and Dolly Varden char still make a decent living in the creek and its tributaries, localized habitat degradation and population declines have spurred local partners to help ensure fish populations remain strong in the fast-developing lower Matanuska-Susitna valley (so named for the two major rivers that flow through it). For these reasons, the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP) designated Cottonwood Creek as one of the nation’s 10 top “Waters to Watch” in 2011, and Wasilla Creek in 2010.
The cooperative spirit of a large scale effort to elevate fish habitat as a priority in the Mat-Su valley via the Mat-Su Salmon Habitat Partnership was evident this spring on a section of Cottonwood Creek just downstream of the Parks Highway. With funding from NFHAP, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wasilla Soil and Water Conservation District, Teeland Middle School, city of Wasilla, Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Plant Materials Center, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game teamed up to re-create a functioning riparian zone along a section of Cottonwood Creek.
Facebook - check out more photos at our fisheries and habitat facebook page
June 3, 2011 Let’s Go Fishing
June 4-12 is National Fishing and Boating Week across the nation. Celebrate in the Anchorage area by taking your kids to the annual Kid's Fishing Day event Saturday, June 4, 10 am-2pm.
The event is held at the Moose Flats campground in Alaska’s Portage Valley located in Chugach National Forest. It is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service Glacier Ranger District, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and the Anchorage Municipality’s Watershed Management Division.
Kids Fishing Day is designed to introduce young people, 13 years old and under, to the pleasures of recreational fishing and the importance of our fisheries and watershed resources. Activities available to participating youngsters June 4th will include a casting contest, making fish prints on commemorative t-shirts, a bait and fishing rod table for those who show up without any personal gear, appearances by Smokey the Bear and Woodsy Owl, a free lunch including hot dogs and drinks, a fly-tying booth, a display on Alaska Native traditional fishing gear, a raffle for fishing-related prizes, and, of course, the main attraction; fishing tanks full of hungry rainbow trout! Learn more...
May 25, 2011 Alaska Tribes Share Almost $600,000 in Federal Wildlife Grants
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that three Alaska tribes will receive a total of almost $600,000 in tribal wildlife grants. Tribal wildlife grants assist federally recognized tribes in carrying out activities that benefit fish and wildlife and their habitats.
The Native Village of Newtok’s grant will allow the Nelson Island Consortium to develop a Conservation Plan designed to protect, enhance, and restore Nelson Island’s wildlife and habitat in perpetuity. Press Release
May 25, 2011 Flying High
“Oooooh, look how high mine is!”
“They sound really weird!”
“Could I try one of the big ones?”
“Gramma, this is the most fun we’ve had in a long time. Can we do it again next weekend?”
These are just a few of the comments we overheard on Tetlin NWR’s Connecting People With Nature Day, “Kites and Cranes.” And rightly so, as it was fun and cranes do sound weird.
On Sat. April 30, we congregated at the Tetlin NWR headquarters and caravanned to a local kite-flying nirvana - there’s always a breeze – on Mount Fairplay, up the Taylor Highway. En route we scouted for birds, which wasn’t all that successful as it was still a little early in the season. But once we arrived at the giant pullout near the highest part of the road, wings filled the air. Learn more....
May 20, 2011
Celebrating Japanese Recovery Champions Endangered Species Day 2011
Rob Suryan of Oregon State University, a long-standing partner with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in short-tailed albatross conservation efforts, presented Kiyoaki Ozaki and Tomohiro Deguchi of the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology with a USFWS 2010 Recovery Champion Award. The presentation was made on Mukojima Island, site of short tailed albatross translocation efforts, the week of May 9th.
May 10, 2011 Practice Makes Perfect for Polar Bear/Industry Interaction
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alaska Region has a long history of working with industry to ensure that development projects in the Arctic proceed with the least possible risk to human safety and the lowest possible impacts to polar bears. Recently, events related to ExxonMobil’s Point Thomson Project, a drilling site some 60 miles east of Prudhoe Bay, underscored the value of this ongoing cooperation. Learn more....
April 27, 2011 Information on Radiation and Alaska’s Wild Foods
The nuclear reactor accident in northeast Japan that was caused by the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami has generated concerns about radiation exposure beyond Japan’s borders. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that, based on current information regarding the accident at the nuclear power plant in Japan, there’s no risk of exposure to concerning levels of radiation from consuming foods in the commercial U.S. food supply. Additionally, the risk of radiation from consuming subsistence foods in Alaska is expected to be extremely low due to the long distance between Japan and Alaska and the relatively few Alaska birds that might have been exposed to radiation from the incident.
In Alaska, an inter-agency group representing health, wildlife, and environmental scientists is working together to better understand the actual risk to subsistence food consumers and to update information if the situation changes. More information is available at the links below - More Information
April 22, 2011 Earth Day Birth Day: A Polar Bear Cub’s Strange Awakening
On March 18th 2011, a polar bear sow and her new cub emerged from their snow den on the Spy Island Drillsite, an artificial island constructed a few miles off the Beaufort Sea coast in northern Alaska. When the pregnant mother bear entered her den, probably in October or early November of last year, there had been little or no human activity for several weeks on the small, artificial island. When she and her cub emerged, however, they found themselves on the edge of an active construction site.
ENI Petroleum, the Italian firm that built the offshore island, completed an ice road over the frozen Beaufort Sea from nearby Oliktok Point in February. Equipment, material and workers were moved over the ice road and construction had begun when workers were surprised by the bears. Following a response plan previously approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ENI immediately ceased operations, evacuated personnel, established a one mile no-disturbance zone around the bears, and contacted the Service.
Giving the Land a Voice
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Wildlife Refuge Association invite youth, ages 15-24, to have a voice in the Refuge System’s vision process, Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next Generation. Young people are asked to use the art medium of their choice – poster, podcast, or written media – to answer the question: What kind of future do you want for America’s wildlife and wildlands? Entries are due May 27, 2011.
April 2011 Summer Jobs for Students
Calling all high school and college students! School will end in a couple of months. Check out summer jobs and internships with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Alaska. Hear from students that worked for us last year on this YouTube clip. There are positions of all kinds – both in the field and in the office. Email us about Student Internship or Youth Conservation Corps opportunities with questions or to express your interest.
March 7, 2011 USFWS Selects “No Action Alternative” and Issues “Finding of No Significant Impact,” on Unimak Island EA
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) released today its decision related to an Environmental Assessment (EA) of management alternatives for the Unimak Island caribou herd (UCH). In December, 2010, the Service, in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), prepared an EA to analyze management options for responding to the declining Unimak Island caribou herd. The EA was released to the public at that time, initiating a public comment period that extended through January 31, 2011 and produced approximately 95,000 comments. In consideration of the public comments received, and following a thorough evaluation of pertinent laws, refuge regulations, and policy, the Service has decided that the No Action alternative is warranted at this time, and issued a Finding of No Significant Impact resulting from that decision.
Salazar Announces Draft Vision for Future of Refuge System WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced a draft vision plan to guide the growth and management of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The draft document, developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Wildlife Refuge Association, articulates a 10-year vision for the Refuge System.
The vision document, entitled Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next Generation, offers nearly 100 draft recommendations to protect and improve the world’s premier system of public lands and water set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife and plants for the continuing benefit of the American people. Starting today, the draft document will be available for public comment until Earth Day, April 22, 2011.
President Obama Announces Plan for Community-Based Conservation through the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative
WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Barack Obama announced the Administration’s action plan, under the America’s Great Outdoors initiative, to achieve lasting conservation of the outdoor spaces that power our nation’s economy, shape our culture, and build our outdoor traditions. By making the Federal Government a better partner with American communities, this initiative seeks to reinvigorate our approach to conservation and reconnect Americans, especially young people, with the lands and waters that are used for farming and ranching, hunting and fishing, and for families to spend quality time together. Recognizing that many of these places and resources are disappearing and under intense pressure, the President established the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative last April to work with the American people in developing a conservation and recreation agenda that makes sense for the 21st century.
April 27, 2011 Celebrate Birds This May
Across the nation, on or around the second Saturday in May, we celebrate International Migratory Bird Day. For Alaskans, the arrival of migratory birds is a long awaited sign of spring. The woods once again are alive with sound and activity. Take a few hours to enjoy and learn about our migratory birds by attending a bird event in your community. Learn more...
March 22, 2011 USFWS Alaska Announces National Science Excellence Award Winners
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today the recipients of the Service’s Science Leadership and Rachel Carson awards for 2010. The awards recognize Service employees for significant contributions to expanding knowledge in the scientific, conservation, and wildlife management fields. The Alaska Region’s Conservation Genetics Laboratory’s Mixed-Stock Analysis Rapid Response Team was selected over groups from across the country for the Rachel Carson award. Learn more...
March 21, 2011 USFWS Alaska Announces Two Recovery Champion Awards
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director Rowan Gould announced today the recipients of the Service’s 2010 Recovery Champion awards. These awards recognize U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees and their partners for contributions to the recovery of threatened and endangered species. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska employee, and a Japanese institution that has been a valuable partner to the Service in Alaska, were among those honored. Learn more...
February 10, 2011 Pacific Walrus to be Designated a Candidate for Endangered Species Protection
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has determined that the Pacific walrus warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), but an official rulemaking to propose that protection is currently precluded by the need to address other higher priority species. As a result, the walrus will be added to the agency’s list of candidates for ESA protection and its future status will be reviewed annually.
The Service’s determination – also known as a 12-month finding – that sufficient scientific and commercial data exist to warrant protecting the Pacific walrus under the ESA was made after a comprehensive review of the best available scientific information concerning the walrus and the threats it faces. This review found that the walrus is primarily threatened by the loss of sea ice in its arctic habitat due to climate change.
February 10, 2011 Service Publishes Proposed Incidental Take Regulations for Walrus and Polar Bear
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) Alaska Region will publish in the Federal Register tomorrow proposed Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) for the non-lethal, incidental take of small numbers of polar bears and Pacific walrus associated with ongoing oil and gas activities on the North Slope region of Alaska. Learn more...
February 9, 2011 Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Reclassification of Wood Bison from “Endangered” to “Threatened”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today announced it has prepared a status review of the wood bison (Bison bison athabascae), which is listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as endangered. After evaluating the best scientific and commercial data available, the Service has determined that reclassifying the species from endangered to threatened is warranted. Learn more...
January 3, 2011 Fish and Wildlife Service Will Not Conduct Status Review for Alaska Breeding Red Knot Subspecies
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) today announced a petition seeking to protect the roselaari subspecies of red knot (Calidris canutus roselaari) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) does not present substantial information to indicate that protection may be warranted. Therefore, the Service will not initiate a status review in response to this petition.
The red knot (Calidris canutus) is a medium-sized (9 to 11 inches in length), Arctic-breeding shorebird. The breeding plumage of the red knot is distinctive: the face, breast, and upper belly are a rich rufous-red, and the lower belly and under tail-coverts are light-colored with dark flecks. Learn more...
December 2010 Final Report on Rat Island Eradication Effort Nontarget Mortality Released
An evaluation of the higher than expected nontarget mortality associated with the 2008 rat-eradication efforts on Rat Island is now available. Prepared by the Ornithological Council, the report maintains that "the success of the eradication effort and the likely conservation benefit of the rat eradication was slightly marred by the discovery in 2009 of approximately 422 bird carcasses on the island." The report includes straightforward recommendations for future rodent eradication projects that should reduce the risks to nontarget species. You can read the complete report Learn more...
December 20, 2010 Work and Play through the Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program
“Everybody Loves Whales” wasn’t the only movie-making news in Alaska recently. The “Animal Planet” television network filmed a special on wood bison at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, thanks to grants through Region 7’s Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration program (WSFR). The mission of the program is to provide grant funds to fish and wildlife agencies for projects designed to restore, conserve, manage, and enhance fish, birds, and mammals and their habitats for the use and enjoyment of current and future generations. Learn more...
December 17, 2010 USFWS Seeks Comments on Draft Assessment of Unimak Island Wolf and Caribou Issues
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Department), has prepared an EA to analyze management options, including a No Action alternative, for responding to the declining Unimak Island caribou herd (UCH). Learn more...
December 15, 2010 An Outdoorsperson's Dream Job?
If the lure of wild places and wide spaces calls to you, and if you’d rather stare into the embers of a camp fire than a computer monitor, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alaska Region might just have the job(s) you’re looking for. Learn more...
December 10, 2010 Celebrate Alaska's Refuges this December
Fifty years ago on December 6, 1960, two historic refuges were established: Arctic and Izembek National Wildlife Refuges. In addition, on December 2,1980 the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Jimmy Carter.
For Arctic Refuge's 50th celebration, a series of events in early December will feature a new film, new photo exhibit and book, and a new original stage production. These will be touring Fairbanks, Homer and Anchorage.
The 50th anniversary celebrations for Izembek Refuge featured an exhibit by photographers Tom Collopy and Mary Frisch. During October and November, 2010, the photo exhibit was displayed in Anchorage, Homer, and Juneau. Learn more...
November 24, 2010 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Announces Final Designation of Polar Bear Critical Habitat
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today designated more than 187,000 square miles of barrier islands, on-shore denning areas, and offshore sea-ice as critical habitat for the threatened polar bear under the Endangered Species Act.
The designation identifies geographic areas containing features considered essential for the conservation of the bear that require special management or protection.
“This critical habitat designation enables us to work with federal partners to ensure their actions within its boundaries do not harm polar bear populations,” said Tom Strickland, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. “Nevertheless, the greatest threat to the polar bear is the melting of its sea ice habitat caused by human-induced climate change. We will continue to work toward comprehensive strategies for the long-term survival of this iconic species.” Learn more...
November 16, 2010 25th Anniversary for Coastal Program
The U.S. Fish Wildlife Service’s Coastal Program is celebrating its 25th year of conserving coastal wetlands and habitats for fish and wildlife across the country. This remarkable program received the Restoration Partnership Award at the Restore America’s Estuaries Conference, which recognizes an individual or group who has demonstrated their dedication, commitment and passion for estuary habitat restoration. Learn more...
The Alaska Coastal Program, established in 2000, provides Federal funds and technical assistance for coastal conservation efforts throughout Southcentral Alaska, Alaska Peninsula, Alaska Gulf Coast, and Southeast Alaska, with particular focus on projects benefiting migratory birds, anadromous fish, marine mammals, and endangered species and their habitats. Learn more...
November 2010 Have a Say in Your Refuge System's Future
What should your National Wildlife Refuge System be like over the next 20 years? Now — and in the months ahead — is the perfect time to weigh in. The National Wildlife Refuge System, part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is drafting a new vision for the 107-year-old network of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants. The vision will be the centerpiece of its "Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next Generation" conference the week of July 10 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Conference teams, building on a 1998 document called "Fulfilling the Promise," are focusing their goals on conservation design, planning and delivery; science; relevance; and leadership. Drafts of team documents will be posted at http://www.americaswildlife.org, where the public can read them and comment on them. Learn more about Alaska's National Wildlife Refuges at http://alaska.fws.gov/nwr/nwr.htm
October 19, 2010 Celebrate Izembek Refuge's 50th Anniversary
A 50th anniversary celebration of Izembek Refuge’s establishment will be hosted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Friends of Alaska
National Wildlife Refuges on Friday, October 22 from 5:00-7:00 pm at the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Wendy Williamson Auditorium.
The event opens the “Incredible Izembek” photo exhibit which may be viewed until November 2, 2010. Learn more..
October 12, 2010 Draft Recovery Plan for the Southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment of the Northern Sea Otter
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our draft recovery plan for the southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the northern sea otter (Enydra lutris kenyoni), listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Our recovery plan describes the status, current management, recovery objectives and criteria, and specific actions needed to enable us to delist the southwest Alaska DPS. We request review and comment on our plan from local, State, and Federal agencies and the public. We will also accept any new information on the species’ status throughout its range. Learn more..
October 6, 2010 USFWS Announces Final Polar Bear Deterrence Guidelines
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has announced final deterrence
guidelines that may be safely used to deter a polar bear without seriously injuring or causing the death of the animal. The deterrence guidelines, which take effect November 5, 2010, are voluntary and are intended to reduce occurrences of interactions between bears and humans in manners safe for both. They provide clear guidance for minimizing incidental encounters with polar bears, but will not change the legal status quo for any
activities in Alaska. News Release
October 1, 2010 Mapping Kenai's Soundscape
Why does Tim Mullet plan to collect moose poop for a two-year study of noise levels on Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Because bagging moose pellets is safer and easier than taking blood samples from wild horned animals weighing half a ton and up.
Mullet, a biological technician at Kenai Refuge and a PhD candidate at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, will test the moose poop for levels of glucocorticoids — hormones that are indicators of animal stress. Chronic high levels of these hormones can lower wildlife densities and displace animals from preferred habitat. Mullet hopes to find out whether exposure to human-made noise causes such stress. Learn more..
August 30, 2010
Rat Island is officially rat-free Restoration for Aleutian seabirds brings new life to refuge island
Biologists who are restoring seabird habitat on a remote island in Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge confirmed today that Rat Island is now rat-free. The report comes after two years of careful field monitoring at Rat Island, where the invasive predator decimated native seabird populations by preying on eggs and chicks. Learn more..
September 22, 2010 North Slope Walrus Haul-out Update
There has been considerable interest in the recent appearance of large numbers of Pacific walrus hauled out on beaches in the vicinity of Point Lay, Alaska. The purpose of this release is to provide updated material on the situation and on the steps the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its partners are taking to protect the walrus until they move on. News Release
August 26, 2010 An island’s rebirth: Life emerges after a catastrophic volcanic eruption
A secluded island in the Aleutian chain is revealing secrets of how land and marine ecosystems react to and recover from a catastrophic volcanic eruption that appeared at first glance to destroy all life on the island. Yet little by little – a wingless beetle here, a tuft of grass there, Kasatochi, an island in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge rarely studied by scientists before its Aug. 7, 2008, volcanic eruption, is showing signs of recovery Learn more
August 18, 2010 Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Joins in Swan Study
Each year, large groups of molting tundra swans stage near coastal regions of Kotzebue Sound. As part of an effort to monitor Alaska’s migratory birds for avian influenza, biologists from Migratory Bird Management, Selawik NWR, Koyukuk/Nowitna NWR, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) teamed up for the final year of a 5-year study to sample and mark tundra swans. Since 2006, Migratory Bird Management has spearheaded the project, working with collaborative crews to capture and sample more than 850 swans in this region. Learn more
August 2010 Highlighting Summer Employment
The US Fish & Wildlife Service hires students interested in obtaining future careers in Conservation under a few different programs. These programs include Youth Conservation Corps (YCC), Student Conservation Association (SCA), Student Temporary Experience Program (STEP), Student Career Experience Program (SCEP), Student Education Employment Program and internships. The FWS also contributed to a portion of the funding for the Youth Employment in Parks program in Anchorage. These employment options significantly benefit the FWS by constructing a new generation of trained workers and fresh ideas. A STEP student in External Affair was hired to produce short video clips illustrating these programs and the work of Alaska’s field stations. A series will be available for viewing as the stories are finished.
The goal of the Youth Employment in Parks (YEP) program is to positively engage a new generation of diverse youth leaders with the environment and the Anchorage community through meaningful training, employment, and outdoor recreation. Crews built a rain garden with funding from the Municipality of Anchorage Raingarden program and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
.
July 22, 2010 Fairbanks’ 1st Annual Weed Smackdown a Success
“Can you pull more weeds than the Fairbanks Rollergirls?” In response to that challenge, eighty-eight people hefted green bags and dug weeds on June 26th from 10:00am – 1:00pm at the Tanana Lakes Recreation Area in Fairbanks, Alaska. The event included an orientation and weed identification session, 1 ˝ hours of weed pulling, followed by a weed weigh-in, lunch, and awards ceremony.
There is a growing problem with invasive weeds in Alaska. These plants are aggressive non-native invaders that have the ability to spread rapidly and out-compete native plants for growing space. Learn more..
June 30, 2010 BioBlitz Southeast Alaska
At noon on Saturday, June 26, the starting gun for BioBlitz Southeast Alaska went off, opening a 24-hour effort by scientists and the public to document every species in the Fish Creek watershed near Juneau. At the closing gun, at noon on Sunday, the 400 participants had documented 763 species, with more to be added as scientists finish up the identifications of plants and invertebrates that will take additional study Learn more..
June 10, 2010 Upload Your Nature Images to the New Flickr Group “Let’s Go Outside”
This summer, get out into nature and see some wildlife – in your backyard, at a local park or on a nearby national wildlife refuge. You'll create family memories to last a lifetime, and if you take your digital camera, you can capture these memories and share them through a new Flickr group called “Let’s Go Outside.” Upload images of yourself, your family and friends outside in nature; use Flickr’s Map function to identify where your photos were taken; blog about particular photos and your experiences in nature; and chat on the Flickr Discussion board with other group members about their favorite places to go. You can even upload images from your cell phone. Check it out at http://www.flickr.com/groups/1385215@N24/
For more information visit http://www.fws.gov/letsgooutside/
June 10, 2010 U.S.- Russia Polar Bear Commission Meets in Anchorage
The 2nd meeting of the U.S.-Russia Polar Bear Commission was held from June 7-9 in Anchorage, Alaska. The group, which consists of representatives from the United States and Russia representing federal, state, and Native interests, first met in Moscow in September of 2009. This meeting follows on the heels of the first annual meeting of the Commission’s Scientific Working Group, held in Anchorage from March 1st through the 5th of this year. The Scientific Working Group was formed to assist the Commission in resolving questions pertaining to the protection and management of the Alaska-Chukotka Polar Bear Population. Learn more..(pdf)
June 7, 2010 Decision Reached in Hearing on Unimak Island Predator Control
At a hearing today, District Judge H. Russel Holland announced his decision relative to the State of Alaska’s request for a preliminary injunction that would have allowed the State to conduct aerial predator control on Unimak Island in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. In that decision the Judge concluded that a Preliminary Injunction could not be granted in this case because the State failed to make the requisite showing that the Fish and Wildlife Service had withheld or unreasonably delayed action. He also stated that there had not been a final agency action that would result from an analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act. Learn more..(pdf)
June 2, 2010 Two Rivers School: Creating Green Spaces for Better Learning
Working with an innovative teacher and a group of enthusiastic students, USFWS Alaska is in the process of creating a “Learning Landscape” for the Two Rivers School’s kindergarten through 8th grade pupils. The project grew out of a history lesson that teacher Kim Kelly developed to celebrate the school’s 50th anniversary last spring, and has bloomed into a cooperative effort among the Fairbanks North Star Borough, the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, and the Service. It involves the creation of a trail from Two Rivers School to an eight-acre parcel on which the original school was located 50 years ago (now called the "old school grounds"). From this main trail, a smaller pathway will lead to a new landing on a pond located on the current school campus. Learn more..
May 31, 2010 The Region 7 Regional Office Celebrates 2010 Bike to Work Day
It could have been much worse, but not much better. The weather in May can be unpredictable, but U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office employees were greeted with a glorious sunny morning to celebrate the national 2010 Bike to Work Day.
In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint, Regional Director Geoff Haskett rode his bike to work and invited all Regional Office employees to do the same. All in all, 18 bikers chose to ride to work on May 21st. The Municipality of Anchorage set up several bike stations where riders were able to stop and grab a drink or a bite to eat, and received a t-shirt for their participation in the 2010 event. Tracy Fischbach of Refuges organized the Region 7 team, and 20 people signed up. The regular bike commuters like Assistant Regional Director Todd Logan and Amber O’Brien of Office of Subsistence Management convinced others to sign up and try it for a day. Others, like Judy Jacobs of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration chose to bike to work all week. Kevin Painter of Visitor Services rode his bike all the way from Eagle River, more than 20 miles! Learn more. (pdf)
May 20, 2010 Successful breeding of Steller’s eiders continues at the Alaska SeaLife Center
In July 2009, Steller’s eider ducklings again brightened the day for staff at the Alaska SeaLife Center when a total of 9 healthy ducklings hatched. This event marked the second time Steller’s eiders bred and hatched ducklings at the Center, as a result of efforts to develop captive breeding methods and protocols for this threatened species. Learn more..
May 2010 Anchorage 2nd Grader Wins National Art Contest
Carter Schroeder, a 2nd grader at Rilke Schule German School of Arts and Sciences in Anchorage, was recently awarded the Grand Prize in the national Endangered Species Day art contest. Carter's painting showed a polar bear and a beluga whale in their sea-ice habitats. Carter and his Dad, Mark Schroeder, enjoy learning about polar bears by reading books and articles, and hope to see polar bears in the wild some day.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Coalition, Association of Zoos and Aquariums and Ogden Museum of Southern Art/University of New Orleans sponsored this contest, which was intended to help kids learn about and promote the conservation of endangered species through art. The winners were chosen by a prestigious panel of artists, photographers, actors, scientists and conservationists including Jeff Corwin, host of Animal Planet’s Jeff Corwin Experience; and Jack Hanna, host of Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild. Artwork of the 40 semifinalists will be displayed at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, in a special exhibition from May 13 to July 4, 2010. Learn More (pdf).
May 12, 2010 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Announces more than $22,000 Grant for Neotropical Migratory Birds and Habitat Conservation
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced more than $4.9 million in grants for 37 projects that support Neotropical migratory bird conservation throughout the Western Hemisphere. Matched by more than $14.8 million in additional funds from partners, the projects will support habitat restoration, environmental education, population monitoring, and other priority activities within the ranges of neotropical birds in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and 27 Latin American and Caribbean countries. Learn more (pdf)
June 30, 2010 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Releases Draft Economic Analysis of Polar Bear Critical Habitat
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announces a draft economic analysis of the potential impacts of designating critical habitat for the threatened polar bear. The Service also announces it will reopen the public comment period on the proposed designation of critical habitat for the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Both measures will be subject to a 60-day comment period that will open upon publication in the Federal Register on May 5, 2010. Learn more...
April 23, 2010 Great Outdoor Careers for Youth
The U.S. Department of the Interior, including the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, manages America’s backyard, and it’s our job to make sure that backyard is available for all young people to enjoy. To this end the Youth in the Great Outdoors Initiative will employ, educate, and engage young people from all backgrounds in exploring, connecting with and preserving America’s natural and cultural heritage. Through employment and educational opportunities offered by the Department, youth will have a key role in creating a new energy frontier, tackling climate change issues, empowering Native communities, building trails, enhancing wildlife habitat, and restoring our cultural and historic landmarks. Learn more...
April 19, 2010 Celebrate Earth Day by Volunteering this Summer
On Earth Day, April 22, 2010, the Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges will celebrate by inviting the public to a short presentation in Anchorage about Alaska’s 16 National Wildlife Refuges and volunteer opportunities available. The event will be at the BP Energy Center, 900 East Benson Blvd., Anchorage, Alaska from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Free pizza, refreshments and prizes will be available to those attending. Contact akrefugefriends@gmail.org for more event information.
This summer, Friends will help refuges with over 40 projects including: celebrating Arctic Refuge’s 50th Anniversary, a native plant garden at Kenai Refuge, an invasive weed pull on the Dalton Highway, and habitat restoration at Tetlin Refuge. Friends provide most travel costs for our members to volunteer with projects. More
Conservation Planning Update for the Arctic Refuge Begins
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced today that the
Service is beginning an update of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s 22
year-old Comprehensive Conservation Plan that will establish goals and
objectives and include wilderness and wild and scenic river reviews. A
comprehensive conservation plan is required for each national wildlife
refuge, guides stewardship of the refuge and is normally updated every 15
years.
February 22, 2010 Service Mourns Loss of Director Sam Hamilton
“Visionary” Leader a Career 30-year Service Employee
The conservation world lost one of its most dynamic leaders Saturday, as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Sam D. Hamilton died suddenly while skiing in Colorado following a Service regional leadership meeting which ended Friday. Hamilton, 54, was a career Fish and Wildlife Service employee whose vision and commitment to wildlife conservation was unmatched. He will be sorely missed by his friends and colleagues in the Service and across the conservation community. The thoughts and prayers of Fish and Wildlife Service employees go out to Sam’s family.
December 23, 2009 New Eagle Permit Web Site
Two new permits are available through the Service that allow for the take of eagles and their nests under certain, specific conditions. Since November 2009, the Service has been accepting applications under CFR 22.26 and 22.27 that provide for the issuance of these permits under regulations developed for the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. While the bald eagle was listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a permit was available to take bald eagles incidental to an otherwise lawful activity. Alaska was not included in these permit issuances because Bald Eagles were not listed here. However, since the delisting in 2007, there have been no regulations under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act to allow disturbance and other incidental take of either species of eagle; the new regulations establish permits for activities or projects that result in such take.
The Region 7 Eagle Permit Implementation Team has developed a website that will help applicants, Service employees and the public understand the new permit process. You can view Alaska's Eagle Permit Program website. For additional information contact the Permit Office at 907-786-3685.
December 29, 2009 Final Stock Assessment Reports for Walrus and Polar Bear Available
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has revised marine mammal stock assessment reports (SARs) for the two stocks of polar bear and the Pacific walrus in Alaska. The purpose of SARs is to identify marine mammal stocks most affected by interactions with commercial fisheries. These reports are periodically updated to reflect the most current information. Draft versions of these reports were published in the Federal Register on June 18th, and that publication was followed by a 90-day period during which the drafts were available for public review and comment.
Stock assessments use the best available scientific information to describe the geographic range, minimum population estimate, current population trend, annual human-caused mortality and serious injury, and commercial fisheries interactions for each marine mammal stock. There are six marine mammal stocks in Alaska that fall under the jurisdiction of the Fish and Wildlife Service; of these six, the Service previously updated the SARs for the three northern sea otter stocks in 2008. The SARs find that polar bear and walrus stocks have minimal commercial fisheries interaction.
March 24, 2010 Queen Charlotte Goshawk Listing in Canada Proposed
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today its proposal to list the British Columbia distinct population segment (DPS) of the Queen Charlotte goshawk (Accipiter gentilis laingi) as threatened, (except on the Queen Charlotte Islands, which the agency considers to be a significant portion of the DPS’s range, where we propose to list the goshawk as endangered), under the Endangered Species Act.
June 30, 2010 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Polar Bear Critical Habitat
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a proposal to designate critical habitat for the polar bear, and will open a 60-day public comment period on the measure. The critical habitat proposal identifies habitat in three separate areas or units: barrier island habitat, sea ice habitat and terrestrial denning habitat.
June 30, 2010 Service Designates Critical Habitat for Threatened Population of Sea Otters
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the designation of critical habitat for the southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment of the northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. In December 2008, we proposed designating approximately 5,900 square miles of nearshore, marine waters as critical habitat for this threatened population of sea otters. An economic analysis indicated that designation of critical habitat would not result in a large economic impact to residents of southwest Alaska. After consideration of the economic analysis, public comments submitted in writing and at one public hearing, the final designation is essentially unchanged from what we originally proposed.
October 1, 2009 Trampling Likely Cause of Icy Cape Walrus Deaths
Trampling by other walruses was the most likely cause of death of 131 walruses carcasses found on the shore near Icy Cape, Alaska, according to an investigative team. The carcasses, the majority of which were young animals, were discovered along the beach above the high-tide line on Sept. 14 by a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) survey crew in the area.
In response to the discovery, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service put together a team comprised of representatives from USFWS, USGS, the Alaska SeaLife Center and the North Slope Borough to determine the extent and cause of the die-off. The National Marine Fisheries Service provided additional financial and technical support, with hunters from Barrow and Wainwright also assisting in the investigation. More...
September 15, 2010 Protection of Pacific Walrus Under the Endangered Species Act
May Be Warranted, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Finds
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that a petition to protect the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) under the Endangered Species Act presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that adding the species to the federal list of threatened and endangered species may be warranted. This preliminary finding is based, in part, upon projected changes in sea ice habitats associated with climate change.
As a result, the Service is initiating a more detailed status review to determine if listing the species is warranted and opening a 60-day public comment period in order to give all interested parties an opportunity to provide information on the status of the Pacific walrus throughout its range. The 60-day public comment period will close November 9, 2009.
July 1, 2009 No Rats Found, Lab Results on Six Bird Tests Received
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has received laboratory results on an initial group of bird carcasses collected on Rat Island in late May and Early April. Examination of the livers of two bald eagles, two glaucous winged gulls, one peregrine falcon, and one rock sandpiper all tested positive for the rodenticide brodifacoum. We are in the process of analyzing all of the viable bird remains and tissue samples collected, in order to more fully understand the cause of mortalities and more effectively plan future operations in the Aleutians. Results will be released when they are available. In addition, soil and water samples were collected, and will be analyzed to more fully understand the potential movement of the rodenticide into, and degradation from, the ecosystem. Learn more...
