The Kootenai River White Sturgeon

(Acipenser transmontanus)

By Hunter Herrin

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/assets/img/species/fish/KootenaiRiverWhiteSturgeon_ReneReyes_BureauOfReclamation_FPWC_PD.jpg

As the largest freshwater fish in North America, the white sturgeon is a prehistoric giant that has been around for the past 70-million years. They live over 100 years in the wild and are unable to reproduce until they are at least 20 years of age. The biggest of its kind have been up to 18 feet long, and weighing in at over 1500 pounds. With their massive size, it would seem these “freshwater sharks” could be something from our nightmares, but that is far from the truth.

All members of the sturgeon family are bottom feeders, which has resulted in them evolving to the point of not having teeth, and instead having a vacuum like mouth they use to feed along the bottom of whatever river or lake they reside in. As you can see comparing the picture below to the one at the top of this post, their mouth is actually able to extended a ways out from their body to assist in feeding as well.

http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I00002D17O7cpNcU/s/880/880/MLU-20130612-034902-61US.jpg

The original geographic range of the white sturgeon is along the Pacific side of North America, with sturgeon being found from the Aleutians Islands in Alaska all the way down to Baja California. The Kootenai River White Sturgeon is actually a subgroup of the population, as they are continuously landlocked. The majority of the species spend their adult lives in the brackish waters near river mouths, only entering further up the river in order to reach spawning locations.

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/missoulian.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/51/15149936-7b00-11df-8dde-
001cc4c03286/4c1baeb76cffc.image.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Kootenay_River_Map.png

The Kootenai River white sturgeon was isolated from the population of the Columbia River basin about 10,000 years ago in the last ice age, and since then has had no avenue out into the ocean. The range of this population can be seen on the highlighted section of the map to the right. 

So Why Are These Fish Endangered?

In 1972 the construction of the Libby dam created Koocanusa Reservior, and in 1975 it began to fully regulate downstream flows of the Kootenai River. Since then, the Kootenai River sturgeon population has been declining, and fast at that. They Kootenai River Population has had a yearly mortality rate of 3-4%, yet has had almost no successful breeding since the implementation of the dam. Although the Kootenai River White sturgeon still has that same native range to live in, the dam has interrupted the sturgeons breeding processes, effectively cutting them off from instinctual breeding grounds.

http://montana-surveytoolimages.s3-website-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/general/full-size/0196h.jpg

The Recovery Plan

Due to this circumstance, the Kootenai River White Sturgeon was placed on the Endangered Species list on September 6th, 1994. It had a recovery plan drafted on September 30th, 1999, which had a main goal of reestablishing spawning grounds for the sturgeon. They are considered endangered and at high risk of extinction unless breeding population can begin to revitalize the once large sturgeon population. 

Since the start of the recovery plan there has been significant feedback, as sturgeon numbers have started to rebound. The release of white sturgeon hatch lings into the Kootenai River Basin has had a large hand in this however, as spawning and breeding have not yet restored to a complete level. This will forever been the main threat to the species and unless this problem is solved, they may never recover completely. 

Another threat to the population is lack of genetic diversity, but the introduction of the hatch-lings from other white sturgeon populations will hopefully resolve any issues that would result due to interbreeding. 

What Can We Do?

Unfortunately, the sturgeon lives in such extreme area that it is difficult to have a heavy hand in their recovery. Outside of setting areas of the Kootenai River basin aside as protected lands or the release of juvenile sturgeon, there is almost no way for people to directly help this prehistoric fish. My best advice if you wanted to help protect the Kootenai River white sturgeon is to continue to support wildlife conservation of any kind, as the health of an overall ecosystem can always be a benefit to the animals living within it. 

Work Cited

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1999. Recovery plan for Kootenai River Population of the White Sturgeon, Pacific Region http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/990930b.pdf

Dershimer, C. 2001. "Acipenser transmontanus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed December 04,2015 at http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Acipenser_transmontanus/

Duke, S. March 3, 2000. "The Kootenai River Population of White Sturgeon" (On-line). Accessed Sunday, October 22, 2000 at http://endangered.fws.gov/r/fr94549.html

Hart, J. 1973. Pacific Fishes of Canada. Ottawa: Fisheries Research Board of Canada.

Polar Bears by Jenna Harrelson

Help Save the Polar Bears

By: Jenna Harrelson

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Picture-of-the-Day
-Polar-Bear-Cub-Cuddles-with-Its-Mom-438593.shtml

Description and Ecology:

When many people hear the name 'polar bear' they think big, white, and fuzzy, but what exactly is a polar bear beyond those commonly known characteristics? 

http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/where-do-
polar-bears-live/polar-bears-sea-ice-regions

Well, despite popular belief, polar bears' fur is not actually white, but transparent. The white hue is given off due to the way each individual hollow hair reflects sun light. Because polar bears live in the Arctics and send much of their time on the Arctic sea ice or in the Arctic oceans, as seen in the picture to the right, their hollow hairs will trap the sun's infrared heat and allow the bears to maintain a 98 degree F body temperature. Another natural and biological warming mechanism lies underneath their fur, polar bears skin is actually black-- allowing the skin to easily soak up the sun's heat and stay warm. 

Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in the world, growing up to ten feet tall and weighing up to 1400 pounds. They almost exclusively feed on ringed seals and bearded seals, yet they will also eat walrus, beluga whale, and bow head whale carcasses. When searching for their prey they tend to silently hover over breathing holes, waiting for a seal to surface. Polar bears are a keystone species-- after they feast upon their prey they often leave the left over carcass, which is the main food source for many other Arctic animals. 

Many baby polar bears do not live past their third birthday as they often starve before then. Due to polar bears' K-selective nature their reproduction rates are low and child mortality rates high, which makes it difficult for them to recover their decreasing populations. 

http://www.wunderground.com/climate/SeaIce.asp

Geographic and Population Changes:

In 2012 the all-time low sea ice extent record, previously set in September 2001, was shattered. The record was broken on August 26, 2012, a full 3 weeks before the melting season was predicted to end. The picture to the right depicts the lessening of the Arctic sea ice and how there has been and will be a considerable amount of loss done if no action is taken. The polar ice caps help in regulating the global temperature by reflecting sunlight back into space. 
The diminishing ice caps have resulted in certain polar bear populations decreasing by up to 40% in some areas. 

Listing Date & Type of Listing:

Polar bears were listed under the ESA (Endangered Species Act) on May 15, 2008 as a threatened species. Today, polar bears are considered a vulnerable species with a progressively decreasing population. 

Cause of Listing:

Polar bears were originally listed under the ESA due to the on going and continuously increasing loss of their habitat-- the Arctic sea ice. The figure below shows how much the Arctic sea ice has decreased between 1982 and 2007 and then continues to predict how much it will decrease between 2010 and 2090. 

http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/the-decrease-
of-arctic-sea-ice-minimum-extent-in-1982-and-2007
-and-climate-projections_acef

Main Threats:

The main threat to this species stem from humans and human activities. In fact, humans are the polar bears only predator. However, hunting is not the main cause, or even a significant factor, in the decline of the polar bears' population. The main threat is actually climate change and how global warming is melting the polar bears' habitat. Scientists have projected that 2/3 of polar bears will disappear by the year 2050 if nothing is done to halt the progression of habitat loss. The following link helps explain the major threat of climate change and why polar bears cannot just "adapt" to a new climate or to new diet. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzhTovSH6OQ

patriotpost.us

Because the sea ice platforms are retreating, the remaining ice is farther out from shore, making it less accessible. The larger gap of open water makes the bear's swim from shore to the sea ice more hazardous and has begun to cause polar bears to drown. In 2004, biologists found 4 drowned polar bears in the Beaufort sea and suspect the actual number of drowned bears to 

have been much greater. 

Industrial pollution is also causing major harm to polar bears. Arctic pollution is mostly transported northward from large rivers that drain into the Arctic and from wind and ocean currents that carry the pollutants from the southern latitudes. Polar bears are the apex predator of their food chain and the bioaccumulation of industrial chemicals is starting to effect the species and is creating a cause for concern. 

If you're interested in learning more in depth details surrounding the pollutants that are harming polar bears and their environments, take a look at this link: 

http://pbsg.npolar.no/en/issues/threats/pollution.html. 

Recovery Plan:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's polar bear conservation management plan lists several high priority conservation and recovery actions: 

1. Stop Arctic warming and the loss of sea ice by limiting atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases; the principal mechanism for doing that is to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions 
2. Managing human-bear conflicts 
3. Collaboratively managing subsistence harvest
4. Protecting denning habitat 
5. Minimizing the risk of contamination from spills. 

What can WE do?:

There needs to be a collaborative effort to help save the polar bears. If you feel like you'd like to join me in the movement to help save the polar bears here are a few simple ideas to get you started: 

1. Make a difference with a monthly donation to WWF (World Wildlife Fund).
2. Take part in the thermostat challenge-- a challenge in which you adjust your thermostat by 2 degrees (2 degrees higher in the summer and 2 degrees lower in the winter) in order to save energy consumption and thereby reducing your personal waste. 
3. Turn your lights off-- who needs artificial lighting when you have easy access to natural (and free!) lighting just by opening up your blinds! Save energy by using sunlight to light up your house instead of turning on your lights. 
4. Vote for politicians who openly recognize that our current carbon-based society isn't sustainable and who are adamant about change.
5. Write letters to your senator, your congressmen, a local politician, or even the president. Let the government know that the public wants change in regards the conservation of our wildlife. 

Works Cited:

1. Arctic Sea Ice Decline." Climate Change Impact on Sea Ice Decline. Weather Underground, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015. <http://www.wunderground.com/climate/SeaIce.asp?MR=1>. 
2. "Basic Facts About Polar Bears." Defenders of Wildlife. Defenders of Wildlife, 24 Feb. 2012. Web. 04 Dec. 2015. <http://www.defenders.org/polar-bear/basic-facts>. 
3. "Global Warming and Polar Bears - National Wildlife Federation." Global Warming and Polar Bears - National Wildlife Federation. National Wildlife Federation, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015. <http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Global-Warming/Effects-on-Wildlife-and-Habitat/Polar-Bears.aspx>. 
4. "KidZone Animal Facts The Polar Bear." Animal Facts: The Polar Bear. KidZone, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015. <http://www.kidzone.ws/sg/polarbear/polar_bear.htm>. 
5. "Polar Bear: Draft Conservation Management Plan." US Fish and Wildlife Service. US Fish and Wildlife Service, n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2015. <https://www.fws.gov/alaska/PDFs/PBRT%20Recovery%20Plan%20Book.pdf>.

Photographs:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Picture-of-the-Day-Polar-Bear-Cub-Cuddles-with-Its-Mom-438593.shtml

http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/where-do-polar-bears-live/polar-bears-sea-ice-regions

http://www.wunderground.com/climate/SeaIce.asp

http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/the-decrease-of-arctic-sea-ice-minimum-extent-in-1982-and-2007-and-climate-projections_acef

patriotpost.us

The Bull Trout

By Kevin Husten

 The Bull trout was not long ago a very common fish found throughout the Pacific Northwest, ranging all the way from North California to the Bering Sea. They once traveled one of the longest migration routes of any trout in North America for thousands of years. These fish are members of the char subgroup in the salmon family. Native to the Northwestern section of North America, these Bull Trout can grow to over 20 pounds when found in the right environment for them such as a lake. The Fish receives its name from its abnormally large head and mouth, which gave it the name of a Bull. The Migratory bull trout are typically much larger than resident bull trout, which usually only grow to be around 4 pounds in size.

Bull Trout are distinguished from trout and salmon by the missing teeth in the roof of their mouth, and presence of light colored spots on a dark body. They are found distributed farther north than any other group of freshwater fish except Alaskan black fish, and are very well acclimated for life in cold water conditions. The younger Bull Trout eat aquatic insects but shift to preying on other fish as they grow larger. Large Bull Trout are primarily fish predators. They evolved with whitefish, and other trout and use all of them as a food source.

The population of Bull Trout that inhabit the Northwestern area is at a critical low right now. In 1998, the populations of Bull Trout, within the United States were federally listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2008 a status report was done on the population and status remained stable. Currently there is a total of 163 local populations in the Columbia Headwaters Recovery Unit, which is a site specific management tool. 

Bull Trout are vulnerable to many factors in nature that they can not control. One problem they are facing is a degradation of their stream water. The Trout face a major problem of combined issues, not just one. Human activity is polluting the quality of their water and destroying habitat by eroding sides of rivers and lakes where the fish live. These poor conditions have severely reduced or even eliminated migratory bull trout as the water temperature, stream conditions and other water quality problems fall below the range of conditions which these fish can tolerate.

Juvenile Bull Trout Catch

In response to the ultra-low population of Bull Trout, a list was organized and a plan was created to make a plan that would bring back the Species. Included here is some of the criteria. To conserve bull trout in a way so that they are geographically widespread across representative habitats and demographically stable in six of recovery units that have been established. We need to effectively manage and act against the primary threats in each of six recovery units at the core area so that bull trout isn’t likely to become endangered in the near future. We need to build upon the numerous and ongoing conservation actions implemented on behalf of bull trout since their listing in 1999, and improve our understanding of how various threat factors can affect the species, so that we can stop them in the near future.

The Recovery Plan covers both the short term and the long term conditions of the Bull Trout. In the Short Term, the young fish are being focused on the most. With a strong healthy young population the future will have a better chance. In the long term, the national services are trying to get a better grasp on industrial factors. These factors such as gold mining will destroy the habitats because of pollution such as acid run off and mercury, both in turn harming the water conditions. The industries need to be better educated for the future so that the fish are not having their ecosystem harmed in a negative way.  The prevention of habitat fragmentation and destruction caused by urban and industrial disturbances is key to survival of this species.

In terms of the actual plan to recover this once striving animal, the government agencies have to take a big part in instilling rules and education to big business' and industries. At the core of the plan’s strategy are six specific geographical plans, which identify specific conservation actions needed to attack threats such as loss of habitat connectivity, water conditions and passage barriers, and the effects of poor land-management practices and water pollution from large industries and mining operations  

What Can We Do?

       We can reduce or stop altogether practicing actions that degrade or destroy river or stream sides that can erode and destroy the homes for these fish. Or publish a small letter to private land owners who may not know these fish live in their stream and teach them how to protect them.

The Ocelot: Your House Cat’s Cooler Cousin

What is the Leopardus Pardalis?

Source: http://www.tpwmagazine.com/archive/2010/feb/ed_2/index.phtml

The ocelot is one of the most mysterious big cats in the world. Known for its precious spotted fur, the ocelot resembles a jaguar but much smaller. The ocelot is about twice as big as a house cat and weighs 24 pounds to 35 pounds. The ocelot loves to lurk in the shadows. Its preferred area of living has dense vegetation with more than 75% canopy cover and 95% cover of the shrub layer. It operates mainly during the night, stalking all kinds of prey. Rabbits, rodents, iguanas, fish, frogs, monkeys, and birds satisfy its appetite. These jungle cats are well-rounded hunters as they are not afraid to climb the highest trees or swim to the lowest depths to catch a meal. Ocelot families range from two to four cats, consisting of one to three kittens. Gestation takes between 79 and 85 days and kittens typically stay with the mother for a year. Their lifespan is about 20 years, and can even adapt to human life and become domesticated. Even with a moderate family size and decent reproduction rate, these cool cats are endangered in the United States.

The Ocelot’s Home

Less than 100 ocelots are located in the United States. The ocelot can adapt to many different habitats including tropical rainforest, pine forest, gallery forest, riparian forest, semi-deciduous forest, and dry tropical forest, to savanna, shrub lands, marshlands, and thornscrub. Their range in the western hemisphere compromises northern Argentina and Uruguay through Central America and into southern most Texas and southern most Arizona, although they once ranged into northern Ohio. The current Texas population has fewer than 50 ocelots split between two separate locations, and the habitat is described as thornscrub.

Ocelots are kept under close watch in southern Texas. They live in Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, and Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. In both states the nearby Mexican cities, Taumalipas and Sonora, located on the Texas and Arizona border, respectively, contain a large amount of the North American population. Unfortunately, the Mexican populations are unable to migrate towards the American populations due to road mortalities and the international border.

Source: http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Leopardus+pardalis

When did the Ocelot Become Endangered?

The Endangered Species Act has protected the Ocelot since 1982, when it was listed as endangered. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) protects the ocelot also. The ocelot is listed on Appendix I of CITES and trade of the animal is strictly prohibited.

Ocelot Adversity
When the ocelot was first listed as endangered, it was because of its luscious fur. Ocelots were killed to make a profit off of their unique skin. Today, the fur trade is no longer the main contributor and prohibiting factor to ocelot existence. Instead, habitat conversion, fragmentation, and loss comprise the primary threats. The Lower Rio Grande Valley thornscrub has almost entirely been destroyed. It has been converted to agricultural land, urban land, or rangeland. The small population size means a greater potential for inbreeding and less genetic diversity, meaning less resistance to disease. Finally, as mentioned above, migration danger and border limitations prohibit natural migration to extirpated areas.

http://blog.nature.org/science/2014/07/09/every-cat-counts-conserving-ocelots-on-the-border/

The Road to Recovery

The first recovery plan for the ocelot was implemented in 1990, but it has been updated since then. In the revised plan, the strategy involves finding out more about the animal through its range, cover information gaps, and figuring out actions necessary to conserve the species in and of the United States. More strategy involves taking action to rebound the limited population in Texas and source population in Taumalipas, Mexico. Finally, cooperative efforts will be implemented to conserve the population in Arizona and Sonora.

Recovery objectives include preserving habitat and eliminating human influence. Considering the biggest hurdle to recovery in Texas is habitat fragmentation, conservation of land is crucial to allow faster recovery and limit population loss. In turn, human influence on ocelot habitat must be curtailed to garnish recovery.  It is imperative to work with existing landowners, foster partnerships, and use regulations, public education, and outreach to ensure long-term sustainability. The recovery team will aim to practice adaptive management and international efforts to maximize ocelot recovery. Overall, the objectives set forth will improve genetic fitness, demographic conditions, and health of ocelots to bring recovery and self-sustaining populations by 2040. To learn more about their ongoing recovery, click this link: http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/100826.pdf

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/22/santos-ocelot-cincinnati-zoo_n_4647083.html

If you wish to help this cool cat, then make sure you stay informed. Write to your government leaders. Take a symbolic adoption. Whatever you do, make sure to spread the word to your friends and family about the ocelot. We do not want to see these majestic creatures gone forever.

By Brendan Johnston

Works Cited:

"Basic Facts About Ocelots." Defenders of Wildlife. N.p., 11 Apr. 2012. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.

First Southwest Region U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Albuquerque, New Mexico. OCELOT RECOVERY PLAN (Leopardus Pardalis) DRAFT FIRST REVISION. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Pdf.

"Mammals | Ocelot." Ocelot. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.

"Ocelots, Ocelot Pictures, Ocelot Facts - National Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.

U.S.Fish & Wildlife Service. "The Ocelot Leopardus Pardalis." Fws.gov. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jan. 2010. Web. 4 Dec. 2015.

"What You Can Do to Help Ocelots." Defenders of Wildlife. N.p., 26 Apr. 2012. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.