Obama, Wildlife...and Hope
Feature Story
Mapping Your Success
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Defenders Updates
Red Knots at Risk
The red knot has made the top ten -- but not in a good way. The Endangered Species Coalition named the migratory bird as one of the top ten species in need of protection under the Endangered Species Act. Red knot numbers in the Delaware Bay have plummeted over the past 20 years from 100,000 to fewer than 15,000. Without more protection, these birds could go the way of the dodo.
>> Learn More
Out With the Old...
Newsflash: Political manipulation of Endangered Species Act issues ran rampant in the Bush Administration. A scathing new report issued last month by the Interior Department’s Inspector General details how a former Interior official abused power by manipulating policies to benefit special interests at the expense of endangered wildlife.
>> Learn More
An Ocean Oasis
This week, the Bush Administration created three new marine monuments in the western Pacific Ocean, protecting large swaths of marine ecosystems. While this bright spot in a dismal conservation record is welcomed, it hardly makes up for eight years of undermining protections for endangered wildlife and wild places -- and ignoring global warming, the most important conservation crisis of our times.
>> Read more at the washingtonpost.com
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Wildlife Hero
 Grizzly Man
Snow and frigid temperatures usually send grizzly bears into a deep winter sleep. But for at least one bear near Banff National Park in Canada, the prospect of a free meal has staved off the long winter nap. Jim Pissot, Defenders’ Director of Canada Programs since 2003, is determined to help this bear get some sleep this winter -- and keep the rails safe for this grizzly and other wildlife.
For years, Jim has been hounding Canada Pacific (CP) Railway to clean up its act -- specifically grain spilled on the tracks near Banff National Park. The seemingly insignificant spills from grain cars attract wildlife onto the rails for a free -- and potentially deadly -- meal. In fact, train collisions have claimed the lives of four grizzlies near the park since 2000, becoming one of the top killers of the big bears in the area.
Jim brought national attention to the issue, and in 2007 helped convince CP to do their part to keep wildlife safe. The company has committed to a series of steps to repair leaking grain cars and clean up spills near the rails.
But this winter’s furry insomniac has brought Jim trackside once again. Braving the chill of winter, Jim has taken several photos of the grizzly and his tracks leading to and from spilled grain on the railway. Hopefully CP officials will respond, so that this hungry bear can finally get some sleep.
Find out more about Jim’s work in our Canada Office.
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 Wolverine
Called “skunk bear” by the Blackfeet Indians and the namesake of a popular comic book hero, the wolverine is the largest terrestrial member of the weasel family. Fewer than 500 of these feisty animals remain in the lower 48 states -- and they face daunting challenges from trapping, heli-skiing and global warming.
Learn more about wolverines
Whether you are an activist looking for ways to make your voice heard or a biologist seeking a conference where you can share your latest paper, Defenders has an event for you.
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