Loved ... and Hated ... Species

There have been a few posts over at SDBirds here and here and here (Yahoo! and ListServ memberships required) that can be summed up as "Yea, hurrah for Gull-billeds, down with endangered Leasts."  

The controversy seems to be concern by people worried about one species (Gull-billed or Black Terns ... kind of hard to tell which) getting over as it were on other, more maligned and/or deserving species (Least Terns).

This is a great example of the kind of tensions faced every day by folks involved in wildlife conservation.  What’s good for one endangered, threatened, or protected species … may be very bad for another endangered, threatened, or protected species.

I dealt with this problem firsthand in Oregon, where I managed lands on the Lower and Middle Reaches of the Columbia River for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – including the infamous East Sand Island which houses the largest known nesting colonies of Double-crested Cormorants and Caspian Terns in the world. 

In the Columbia River, threatened and endangered Salmon species are king, and most conservation policy revolves around them.  Which means that even Cormorants and Terns, which are “protected” by domestic and international law and treaties, still take a back seat to Salmon. 

Likewise, while Sea Lions are “protected” by the U.S. and most other civilized nations, when Sea Lions feed on migrating Salmon below the Army’s Bonneville Dam, wildlife workers are authorized to use rubber bullets, underwater bombs, and flares to drive the animals away.  And if the non-lethal approach fails, the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho are authorized to kill up to 92 sea lions a year.

Meanwhile, back down river, the birds at the Mouth of the Columbia are continually challenged by erosion of their nesting areas, fluctuating water levels, gull predation on eggs and young, and harassment by predators and humans.  And to add to their troubles, these nesting colonies have already been “relocated” once during 1999-2001, and there is an effort underway to “relocate” at least half of them again by 2015 because of the massive toll they take on migrating Salmon. 

And so it goes.

Adding to these problems is the fact that while the Endangered Species Act mandates that conservation decisions be made solely on the basis of science rather than politics, my good friends over at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) have done yeoman’s’ work documenting all the instances where politics have in fact trumped science.  And that’s a trend that’s apparently only gotten worse during President Obama’s time in office.

And to add even more complication to the mix … otherwise well-meaning people seem helpless to not choose their own favorite and hated species.   And again, not based on science, but because one species is cute, seems vulnerable, or there’s some other emotional attachment.  Or, conversely, another species – perhaps the American Crow, European Starling, Rock Pigeon, or House Finch – may seem vulgar, ugly, or otherwise unwholesome.

So what’s the answer?  That’s a tough one.  I guess less people and more habitat would be a start.  But we here at SDVO don’t hold out lots of hope.

In the Buzz About Bees, Don’t Forget the Natives

Over at the National Wildlife Federation blog, there's a fascinating story about bees.

Honeybees have been in the news a lot this month. On May 2, the federal government published results of a comprehensive study looking at potential causes of the insects’ dramatic decline in a phenomenon known as colony-collapse disorder. 

The widely publicized report blamed a combination of problems, including parasites, pesticides, bad nutrition and low genetic diversity within hives.

The following week, some U.S. activists made headlines by demanding the government ban a class of insecticides, neonicotinoids, after learning the European Union placed a moratorium their use due to concerns the chemicals are harming honeybees. 

The upshot of the story, however, turns on the fact that our familiar honeybees (Apis mellifera) were imported to North America during the 1600s from Europe -- probably because most native American bees weren't honey producers.

While we should not be unconcerned about something as pervasive and disruptive as colony-collapse disorder, the good news is that recent studies show that wild bees and other wildlife are more effective crop pollinators than domestic honeybees.

So what can you do to help?  

Simple.  Kill your lawn, and landscape with native plants!

Sick and dead Gull-billed Terns in San Diego Bay

Local avian biologist Robert Patton has reported that the Gull-billed Tern colony at South San Diego Bay has been experiencing a significant mortality event over the past three days, with 30 documented dead adults to date and additional impaired but still flying individuals observed.

To put this loss in perspective, Robert notes that the local breeding population is estimated at 65 pairs, with a few additional pairs likely but not yet nesting.

Robert says that testing of carcasses and necropsies are currently being conducted to attempt to determine cause of death.

Robert advises that if you observe apparently-impaired or Gull-billed Terns or carcasses, you should contact him, or the staff at the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Reserve.

It's not possible to say at this juncture whether or not this event is similar to the one in 2004, when Southern California experienced a widespread wildlife mortality event in which numerous dead and ill birds were encountered at various locations.  But thinking about recent news stories regarding the incidence of Avian Influenza in Sea Lions and other mammals, it would probably not be a good idea for the untrained and/or poorly-equipped to approach or handle sick or dead birds in such a large-scale event.

Of Eagles, the Law, and Political Favorites

What with all the "scandals" swirling around the Obama Administration these past few days, you'd be forgiven if you missed the local commotion about local raptor expert John David "Dave" Bittner, 68, Executive Director of the Wildlife Research Institute (WRI) based in Ramona, California.  (This WRI appears to be entirely unrelated to the Wildlife Research Institute of Ely, Minnesota which is focused on Black Bear research.)

According to a news release from United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy of the Southern District of California, Julian resident Bittner pleaded guilty to the unlawful "take" of a golden eagle, in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, on 18 April 2013.  

A "take" under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act means to "pursue, shoot, shoot at, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap, collect, molest or disturb."  16 U.S.C. 668c; 50 CFR 22.  In this particular instance, Bittner's offense involved collection of at least one female Golden Eagle for banding without the required permit.  Duffy noted in her conviction announcement that such banding data provides USGS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with valuable information about the health and distribution of the eagle population in the United States.  

The U.S. Attorney acknowledges that Bittner had possessed a federal bird banding permit, which expired on January 31, 2010.  In February, 2010, Bittner asked the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) to renew his permit.  However, the BBL advised Bittner that he was not in compliance with his expired permit because he had not reported any data for the birds he had banded since October 31, 2006, and that his permit would not be renewed until he submitted the delinquent data.

Dave Bittner (Ramona Sentinel photo)

In entering his guilty plea, Bittner told the judge that he "makes his living" conducting studies of birds and wildlife. His work includes the capture and banding of eagles and other migratory birds, and the tracking of their movements. 

Even though he was refused a succeeding permit by the BBL, the Ramona Sentinel reports that Bittner has admitted that between January 31, 2010, and August 12, 2010, he captured and banded more than 140 migratory birds -- including at least one female Golden Eagle.  Moreover, Bittner admitted that he was fully aware that he had no valid permit to do these things.

Given the popularity of WRI's "Hawk Watch" annual events in Ramona, and in light of Bittner's relatively high political visibility in San Diego County, it seems remarkable that no local media outlet has apparently reported on this story.  Aside from the brief write-up in the Ramona Sentinel, only East County Magazine (a web-only publication) has reported on the story locally.  

Nor did Doug Manchester's San Diego Union-Tribune mention Bittner's recent conviction in a May 17th story about a Bald Eagle hatchling at the Ramona Grasslands.   Although rather than citing Bittner, the story only mentions Chris Meador, WRI's "assistant director."

A check of WRI's website also reveals no comment, nor even a mention, of Bittner's impending sentencing on July 11, 2013, by U.S. Magistrate Judge David H. Bartick.  Instead, WRI continues to sell merchandise, report its good works, and solicit funds from donors.

* * *

So when you add it all up, what have we got here?  

Well, it doesn't take an "expert" to understand that capturing and handling a wild raptor, for any purpose, is going to be stressful for the bird.  It also opens up the very real possibility of injury or even death to the bird.

If an individual like Dave Bittner is subjecting birds to that kind of stress and risk, and if it doesn't lead to any contribution to scientific knowledge or understanding (at least outside of Bittner's own personal database and experience), then it seems fairly clear that he was violating both the spirit and the letter of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

Hawk in a Can

Add to that the fact that Bittner and WRI have collected many thousands of dollars, from donors who have every right to expect that their contributions will be used for a lawful and objectively scientific purpose,  and you've also now identified very real concerns about the continued legitimacy of WRI's 501c(3) charitable tax-exempt status.

* * *

Of course, in these mixed up times, nothing is ever quite that black and white, is it?

While it in no way excuses Bittner's actions,  we need to also think about the fact that while it was zealously prosecuting Dave Bittner for ignoring the permit requirements of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Obama Administration was being much more lenient with certain other folks.

How so?  

Well, the law which forbids killing, capturing, harassing, etc., eagles, hawks and condors is enforced against oil fields, utility companies and others (like Dave Bittner).  But the Obama administration says those laws will no longer be enforced – if, that is, you happen to own or operate a wind farm.

According to an investigation by Dina Cappiello of the Associated Press, and as reported by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), more than a half-million birds are killed each year by windfarms, including more than 80,000 eagles, falcons and other raptors.  But federal officials have not written a single citation or pursued a single prosecution!

In fact, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is quietly paving the way for more raptor deaths by: 

• Handing out “take" permits that can last for 30 years ... instead of the usual five years 
• Enforcing no penalties for exceeding even these hyper-generous take limits 
• Providing no incentive for wind firms to minimize mortality
• Treating reported bird deaths as confidential business information that will not be made public

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service even went so far as to announce it was issuing "take" permits to wind farms for highly-endangered California Condors.

And unlike the recent allegations regarding selective enforcement of the Tax Code by IRS career employees, AP's investigation reveals that all these actions favoring wind power over raptors were green-lighted by political appointees overriding the objections of USFWS's own scientists.

* * *

Well, that's enough on that subject.  And don't get us wrong.  We're not arguing that Dave Bittner should be let off the hook.  The scientific work he's been doing for years is inextricably bound up with the domestic and international laws and conventions which protect raptors and other species.  Based on the U.S. Attorney's press release, Bittner knew precisely what he was doing when he chose to thumb his nose at the law, and he should most assuredly pay the price.

In addition, when a very public figure like Bittner -- someone who is deeply involved in both the land conservation and wildlife conservation issues that we care deeply about -- takes this kind of very public stumble, it makes it that much tougher for the rest of us doing this important work.

Bittner's serious offense also calls into question the integrity of all the scientific work Bittner has done on projects like the San Diego County Ramona Grassland Preserve, or the Iberdrola Tule Wind Power Project in East San Diego County to name just two.

And that's not even going into the bitter allegations made in several public comments to the Ramona Sentinel story that Bittner "imported" the endangered-wherever-found Stephen's Kangaroo Rat into the Ramona Grasslands.  If that's true, in one fell swoop Bittner enhanced the importance of "his" grasslands, and also killed a Ramona airport expansion project that still rankles among some Ramona residents.

All we're saying is, if one non-lethal raptor "take" negates all the work Dave Bittner has done ... if it merits ending Bittner's career, taking away his livelihood, and jeopardizing the existence of the conservation organization he helped build ... then the very lethal "take" of upwards of 83,000 of these magnificent hunting birds every year by the wind power industry should be met with something other than fat utility deals, government subsidies, and White House insider meet-and-greets. 

And don't even get us re-started on all the federally executed raptor and other bird "takes" in the name of air travel, crop protection ... or even just a bird-free game of golf. 

Fair is fair.