October 2016 newsletter

Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center WILEY Ringing the bell for a treat

OCTOBER 2016

RAKSHA

LETTERS

EMAIL: From Louise Hendrickson

EMAIL: From Debra E. Re last months newsletter: My heartfelt condolences. I’ve been a long-term supporter of Darlene and the wolves. I had the amazing privilege of first holding Shunka and his brother when they were just 11 weeks old and Darlene was operating her sanctuary out of her home. I visited Shunka & Wakanda several times over the years through the Center’s personal encounters. I have treasured photos of this magnificently loving spirit. How blessed I am to have known him. Thank you Darlene, and all the volunteers, for all you do to make the lives of these angels safe and happy for their short stay on earth.

The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization certified by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). Look for this logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things.

The contents of the material we include in our newsletter does not necessarily reflect the views of Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. We collect information from sources that are from other organizations, the web, news feeds, and/or other sources. We choose articles that are in the related field of education and conservation.

With this year marking the 5th year of my son Duane’s passing on 10-10-2011, I chose to keep his spirit alive by being one with the wolves at the Wolf and Wildlife Center in Divide, Colorado. I was able to sit with, pet, feed and yes even get “kissed by the wolves”. The experience was so incredible. To look into the eyes at these wild, rescued creatures left me with an overwhelming feeling that Duane was right there with me. This is something Duane would have loved.

The care that Darlene, her staff and volunteers give to these misunderstood, beautiful, wild creatures is like no other I have ever known.

Not only are they totally attuned to the needs and lifestyles of each and every wolf, they also opened their hearts to me in my grief for the past five years. So thank you everyone at the Wolf and Wildlife Center for your compassion and understanding through all the tears, long enough to see the smile that is the spirit of my son Duane.

RAKSHA & ISHA - getting big fast

I highly recommend anyone to visit the Wolf and Wildlife Center and experience the wonder of these majestic creatures.

To subscribe to our newsletter, visit our website at wolfeducation.org and sign up on the newsletter page.

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NEWS FROM CENTER for BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

Environmental groups seek to block predator trapping that could harm ocelots

By Howard Fischer · Capitol Media Services

Lawsuit Filed to Protect Rare Cats from Government Killing The Center for Biological Diversity and Animal Welfare Institute this week sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stop endangered ocelots from being inadvertently killed as part of the longrunning program targeting coyotes, bears, bobcats and other wildlife in Arizona and Texas. USDA’s “Wildlife Services” program kills tens of thousands of animals in these two states alone every year using traps, snares and poisons.

Ocelots -- whose name comes from an Aztec word meaning “field tiger” -- are spotted, bigeyed, night-hunting cats living in Texas, Arizona, Mexico, and Central and South America.

“With fewer than 100 ocelots remaining in the United States, we’re trying to make sure none will suffer and die in traps set for other animals targeted by Wildlife Services,” said the Center’s Collette Adkins.

tucson.com — Two environmental groups are asking a judge to block moves by a federal agency to trap and remove predators from sections of Arizona and Texas until they ensure it won’t harm the endangered ocelot species.

The Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity and the Animal Welfare Institute are targeting the Wildlife Damage Management Program, which now seeks to remove coyotes and bobcats when there are conflicts with people; the conflicts are often with ranchers.

An attorney for the environmental groups, Collette Adkins, contends the methods are “fundamentally nonselective, environmentally destructive, inherently cruel and often ineffective.” She particularly cites leg-hold traps as inhumane. The lawsuit filed by the environmental groups also mentions the use of poisons.

The lawsuit does not seek to stop the practice overall, but argues that poisons and traps also can kill or ensnare ocelots, not just coyotes or bobcats.

Adkins said the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Wildlife Services division did a legally required study in 2010 and implemented measures where ocelots had been found, to help minimize the risk of capturing or killing them as part of the program. That includes areas around Globe in Gila County and the Whetstone Mountains in Cochise County.

But she said those measures haven’t been expanded and applied to the Huachuca and Santa Rita mountain ranges where there have been more recent sightings of ocelots. About 100 of the cats are believed to remain in the United States.

“We’re concerned that traps that are set for other similar-sized predators like coyotes and bobcats could accidentally take ocelots if they’re placed in areas where ocelot are known to occur,” Adkins said in an interview. “We want the agency … to work together with the expert wildlife agencies … to make sure that this predator-killing program is done in a way that minimizes the risk to ocelots.”

There was no immediate response from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

According to the environmental groups, ocelots have been detected at least five times in Arizona since 2009. The species was listed as endangered in 1982.

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Last Chance to Save America’s Most Endangered Wolf

Poll: Most Oregonians say killing is no way to manage wolves

Critically endangered red wolves have been abandoned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency charged with ensuring their survival.

The Service has refused to close loopholes that have led to excessive wolf killings, including the recent death of a lactating pack mother. In fact, it just announced it’s limiting red wolf recovery to a single small county in North Carolina.

It’s a devastating move -- as few as 45 wolves remain in the wild, and they don’t stand a chance without proper protection. That’s why the Center has submitted an emergency petition to the Service demanding that it reduce these tragic shooting deaths now.

By: Eric Tegethoff, Oregon News Service

We won’t let the Service doom the red wolf to extinction. Help us fight back by supporting the Center’s work for red wolves today.

Beautiful and elusive, these wolves are uniquely American. They once ranged from the East Coast to Texas, but now there’s only a handful left, in a tiny corner of their historic range. That’s why this latest decision by the Fish and Wildlife Service is nothing less than tragic. We must get this critical program back on track to ensure that red wolves survive and recover in the wild.

If we allow this program to crumble, these distressingly rare wolves will surely slip into oblivion. Help us fight for the last few wild red wolves with a gift today to the Center for Biological Diversity.

For the wild, Kierán Suckling - Executive Director

Majority say species still deserves protection www.ktvz.com/ PORTLAND, Ore. - A majority of Oregonians believe hunting wolves is no way to manage them and that the species still deserves endangered species protections, according to a new poll conducted by Mason Dixon Polling and Research.

More than 70 percent of Oregon voters who responded said nonlethal prevention methods should be attempted before officials are allowed to kill wolves.

Two-thirds said wolves don’t pose such an economic threat to the cattle industry that killing them is required.

Arron Robertson, communications coordinator for the conservation group Oregon Wild, said proposed changes to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission’s wolf conservation plan could make it easier to kill wolves.

“What are the conditions in which the agency essentially deputizes hunters to go out and do wildlife management?” he asked. “And what we found in this poll was that Oregonians disapproved of the kind of management tools that the agency was proposing.”

Respondents to the poll spanned the political spectrum, and 30 percent came from rural Oregon.

The poll was conducted at the end of September. As of the end of 2015, the commission said there were about 110 wolves in Oregon.

According to the poll, 63 percent disagree with the state’s removal of endangered species protections for Oregon’s wolves.

Robertson’s group, along with the Center for Biological Diversity and Cascadia Wildlands, are challenging this decision in court, saying the science behind the decision is flawed.

“There were a number of scientists that commented that the science wasn’t rigorous enough and they had a number of concerns and those concerns were never addressed because there was no revision,” Robertson stressed.

“So the decision, which was based on a report that was never peer-reviewed, was in violation of Oregon law.”

Recently, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission held a meeting open to the public in La Grande on proposed changes to the state’s wolf management plan, and will hold another meeting on Dec. 2 in Salem.

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Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center urges stewardship From GroupTour.com

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CONSERVATION CORNER

Say “Aloha” to the Hawaiian Monk Seal Iris Olivares - summer intern

On August 26th, 2016, President Barack Obama created the largest ecologically protected area in the world when he more than quadrupled the size of the Papahanaumokuakea (pronounced “Papa-ha-now-moh-koo-ah-kayah”) Marine National Monument in Hawaii. Established in 2006, the monument covered 140,000 square miles of ocean around the uninhabited northwestern islands of Hawaii and now it is a 583,000-square-mile “no-take” zone. Papahānaumokuākea is a sanctuary for many endangered species including the last Hawaiian monk seals.

Unlike most seals that consider frigid waters their home, the Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) is a rare tropical exception. They live in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands that are either uninhabited or little used by humans and spend two-thirds of their time at sea. The ancient Hawaiian name was “llio holo I ka uaua” meaning, “dog that runs in rough water,” which make sense because they do kind of look like dogs. The seal’s common name comes from the thick fold of skin around the neck that looks like the hood of a monk’s robe and because the seal lives a solitary lifestyle, unlike other seals that live in groups called colonies. Newborns are born with a black fur coat that they shed this as they grow. Adult Hawaiian monk seals have dark gray backs and light-colored bellies, are 7 to 7.5 feet in length and can grow up into 400 to 600 pounds as adults, with females larger than males. Reef fishes, eels, octopuses, and lobsters make up their diet. While they usually hunt in shallow reefs, they’re known to dive over 900 feet to capture certain prey. In order to accomplish this, Hawaiian monk seals exhibit bradycardia—their heart rate

slows down to about eight times less than the rate on the surface. This reduces the need for oxygen, so the seal can stay down longer.

The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world, and the most rare seal in US waters. Listed as endangered on the U.S. Endangered Species List and the State of Hawaii’s Endangered Species List, and also protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, there are only about 1,100 Hawaiian monk seals left in the wild. The population of monk seals in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands is currently diminishing at a rate of 4 percent per year.

Tiger shark and Galapagos shark predation, mostly of young pups, contributes to the declining number of Hawaiian monk seals. However, the bigger threat comes from humans. They are at risk from entanglement in fishing gear, beach disturbance, overfishing, ocean acidification, and sometimes, intentional killing. Hopefully through education and President Obama’s recent expansion of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, this seal can begin to thrive in wild again.

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ADOPTION CORNER Available from TCRAS · Teller County Regional Animal Shelter tcrascolorado.com · 719.686.7707 · NO-KILL shelter in Divide, Colorado

Available from San Luis Valley Animal Welfare Society slvaws.org · 719.587.woof (9663) · Non-Profit NO-KILL Shelter

4 year old male/neutered Blond German Shepherd/Retriever, Labrador Hi there. I am in the market for a new home to call my own. Do you like Husky dogs? Do you like Shepherds? Do you like to play fetch? Do you like to teach new tricks? Are you in the market for a fantastic new addition to your family? I am a Husky/ Shepherd mix, who loves to play fetch and learn new tricks! I think you just found your new pal!! I am a bit picky about my doggie friends, so please let the staff know all about your other 4 legged kids at home. I am ready to go home and learn lots, are you ready to teach me and love me forever?

FREJYA. Rottie mix girl about 1 1/2 years old. Owner surrender because she jumped their fence. She didn’t run away, just wanted to visit with people on the other side. Gets along well with other dogs, CATS, and children. Spayed, all vacc’s.

2 y 6 m male/neutered Brown/White Domestic Shorthair/Mix Hi. My name is Jock. I am one handsome cat. I get along with other cats. I am also a great talker.

I would love to have a home and family of my own. I love to be around people. So, if you are looking for a great companion, I am your guy.

$30 THURSDAYS There are some amazing and unique cats at TCRAS right now!

We have kittens, young adults, older cats…

And all kinds of personalities!

For a limited time, check us out on $30 Thursdays when many of our cats (ages 6 months and up) will have adoption fees of just $30!

(Some restrictions do apply)

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OTTO is so lovable, such a ham. Loves attention, wrestling, good with children. He will chew on your arm and clean your face. About 2 years old. He came in with a face full of quills. He was starving and tried to eat a porcupine. He is always a hit at our adoption fairs at Petco.

Stop by on Saturday and meet this lovable boy.

TOBY THE DOBIE came in as a stray. We thought he had been crated for long periods of time. Perhaps he had been a breeding dog. His hind legs were weak and his back humped. x-rays normal. Within a few weeks he was normal. He loves to play with other dogs. About 2 years old, neutered.

ADOPTION FAIR Every Saturday 11am to 5pm · Petco Colorado Springs · 5020 N. Nevada

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IN THE GARDEN WITH KATIE

Aspen trees

While much of the country boasts beautiful autumn foliage, the Colorado mountains are best known for our spectacular aspen trees. The weather cooperated this fall with the aspens brilliantly golden for a few weeks.

Here are a few fun facts about Colorado’s mountain deciduous tree from the Denver Botanic Gardens.

• Stakes made of aspen wood can kill vampires and werewolves.

• Aspen is a dioecious plant which means that male and female flowers develop on separate trees.

• Native Americans used the leaves to soothe burns, swollen joints and headaches.

• Ancient Greeks wore crowns made of aspen leaves because they believed they possessed magical properties.

• Some believe that life’s mysteries can be revealed by carefully listening to the sound produced by the trembling aspen leaves.

• The roots may survive thousands of year, while the vegetative part lives 40-150 years.

A few more facts from the Arbor Day Foundation.

• The leaves of the quaking aspen are eaten by snowshoe hare, deer and elk. Fallen leaves are avidly taken by deer in fall and early winter. It is an important food supply and building material for beavers. Grouse depend on the buds for winter food. The tree is also a host to a myriad of birds and butterflies.

• Unaided, this humble but sturdy little tree has restored many of the forests that man has destroyed and, when cultivated, has replenished many harvested forests within 50 years.

• Aspen holds the title of largest living organism. The reason is that aspens grow in stands (called clones) and reproduce primarily by sending up sprouts from their roots. This means that virtually all the trees in a clone are connected. In Utah, where it serves as the state tree, one clone was observed to have 47,000 stems. It’s estimated that this interlinked organism weighs 6,000 tons. And how about age records? While individual aspen trees live a vigorous 100–150 years, a clone in Minnesota has been estimated to be 8,000 years old, making it one of the oldest living things on earth.

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