1 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. 2 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 2: This is Col's We Can Review with Ryan cal Callahan. 3 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 2: Now Here's Cal. A total solar eclipse is scheduled to 4 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 2: hit the continental US on April eighth, and locals are 5 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 2: preparing to make the most of it. Hit probably isn't 6 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 2: the right way to say, and eclipses is nigh is 7 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 2: on the verge of being here, but you know I 8 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 2: said it, deal with it. Cal's We Can Review co 9 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 2: producer Jordan Sillers lives in a town along the path 10 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 2: of the eclipse, and he reports gas stations selling eclipse 11 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 2: t shirts, schools canceling classes, and home depot outlets with 12 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 2: displays of tinted viewing glasses. Zoos are also preparing for 13 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 2: some odd animal behavior. The last time the lower forty 14 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 2: eight saw a total eclipse in twenty seventeen, a South 15 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 2: Carolina zoo said that their population of Galopagos tortoises started 16 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: breeding as soon as the lights went out, which, let's 17 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 2: be honest, actually kind of makes sense. Tortoises weren't the 18 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 2: only species to respond to the darkness in unusual ways. 19 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 2: A mated pair of siamangs, blackfurred gibbons native to the 20 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 2: Melee Peninsula, saying unusual songs during the event, a few 21 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 2: male giraffes began to gallop in quote apparent anxiety, according 22 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 2: to the Associated Press, and the flamingos huddled around their juveniles. 23 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 2: Other animals acted as they normally would during dusk, apparently 24 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 2: unconcerned that dusk came about four hours early that day. 25 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 2: This time around, scientists at zoos along the path of 26 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: the eclipse are hoping to gather some additional data, and 27 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 2: they're calling on citizen scientists to help them. Total eclipses 28 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 2: don't happen very often before twenty seventeen. The last one 29 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 2: to arrive in North America or shadow in North America 30 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 2: was in nineteen seventy nine. The next one won't be 31 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 2: until twenty forty four. They also don't last very long. 32 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 2: The partial eclipse takes a little over two hours, but 33 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 2: the totality only lasts about four minutes. That's not a 34 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,239 Speaker 2: lot of time to conduct many experiments. So Zoos and 35 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,959 Speaker 2: Fort Worth, Little Rock, Toledo, and Indianapolis are seeking help 36 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 2: from zoo visitors to track animal behavior. Visitors will receive 37 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 2: a form upon arrival where they'll be encouraged to jot 38 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 2: down any unusual behavior, like, for example, tortoises believing in 39 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 2: a thing called love. The eclipse will affect wild animals 40 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 2: as well. Nate Bickford and Animal Research at the Oregon 41 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 2: Institute of Technology analyzed data from GPS callers placed on 42 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 2: several species of wild animals. He told the AP that 43 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 2: many react to the eclipse much like they'd react to 44 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 2: a fast moving storm. Data from bald eagles and feral 45 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 2: horses suggests that they seek cover as they would if 46 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 2: a dark thunderhead rolled in. If you live in the 47 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 2: path of the total eclipse, you probably already know if 48 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:02,799 Speaker 2: you'd like to travel to see the event for yourself. 49 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 2: The first major city to the eclipse will be Dallas 50 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 2: at one. It will then pass through Little Rock, Carbondale, Cleveland, 51 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 2: and Buffalo and and in Cariboo Main around three thirty 52 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 2: four that afternoon. Again, this will be your last chance 53 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 2: to see one here in the US for another two decades. 54 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 2: And I remember where I was on the last one. 55 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 2: I was, unfortunately, in the Atlanta airport coming back from 56 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 2: my buddy Dave's wedding. Dave just is a listener to 57 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,239 Speaker 2: the show Dave Cromwell just want to say, hey man, 58 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 2: welcome to being older than forty. Every day you're older 59 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 2: than forty. Good job Dave. Congrats to you and thanks 60 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 2: for listening and your old This week what's good for 61 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 2: the bird corner, crossing, grizzerbars, the crime desk, and so 62 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 2: much more of it. First, I'm going to tell you 63 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 2: about my week. In my week is you know it's 64 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 2: going well. I'm a little, a little tired, little sunburn. 65 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 2: The weather for fly angling on the big body of 66 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 2: water known as the Atlantic is not great. But that's 67 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 2: Florida recording live from Goodland, just a stone's throw from 68 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 2: Stan's Idle Hour, a truly documentary worthy establishment. I'm on 69 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 2: my second year visiting this neck of the woods with 70 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 2: good buddy Ed Anderson, hosting a really fun fishing trip. 71 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 2: We put together an auction off for BHA. If you're 72 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 2: interested in doing something like this, we want to do 73 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 2: this again. It's super fun. The folks that got this 74 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 2: year's trip have, despite the weather, landed a real nice 75 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 2: snook and a giant tarpun So we're off to the 76 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 2: races and hope to put together another opportunity in the 77 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 2: near future. Big news that we're just going to hit 78 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 2: this real hard and move on. Auction House Oddities is live. 79 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,679 Speaker 2: We're dropping new oddities on the site every couple of days. 80 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:54,840 Speaker 2: So if you haven't checked in in a bit, check 81 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 2: in right now and then consider picking up a trip 82 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 2: or a unique media eater souvenir, or sending that link 83 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 2: to somebody who you think might not know about this 84 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 2: and might be interested in something. Every cent of the 85 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 2: auction will go to increasing access to public lands, specifically 86 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 2: by the way for paying for the corner crossing legal defense. 87 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 2: Right now, the initial decision is up for appeal, meaning 88 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 2: that we stand to lose what we gain in the 89 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 2: first trial, and that we also stand to further solidify 90 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 2: the simple answer of can you step from one corner 91 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 2: of public land to another? Take a look at on 92 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:36,280 Speaker 2: X's corner Locked report. There are currently eight million acres 93 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 2: of public land in a bizarre, questionable, and sometimes contentious 94 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 2: access dispute. This is the best bang for our collective 95 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 2: dollars if we keep winning this fight, which I am 96 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 2: confident we will. Unfortunately just takes cash. We will secure 97 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 2: undisputed access to our public acres, and you can always 98 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 2: choose to donate directly through Wyoming Country Hunters and Anglers 99 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 2: Corner Crossing Defense Fund. Okay, got it awesome? Moving on 100 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 2: to the upland desk, The Bureau of Land Management recently 101 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 2: released a proposal that would increase protections for greater sage 102 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 2: grouse in ten western states. The environmental impact statement analyzes 103 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 2: six alternatives for sage grouse habitat management, and the BLM 104 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 2: has decided to back the alternative that balances increase protections 105 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 2: with the agency's multiple use mandate. Before we get to 106 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 2: what's in the plan, you should know a thing or 107 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,559 Speaker 2: two about sagebrush habitat in the US. There's a ton 108 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 2: of amazing work being done in these ecosystems, but it's 109 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 2: still not looking great. A twenty twenty two report from 110 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 2: the US Geological Survey shows that half of the original 111 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 2: sagebrush ecosystem has been lost in our country. We've been 112 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 2: losing this biome at a rate of approximately one point 113 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 2: three million acres each year in the last two decades. 114 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 2: That is not great for any species that rely on 115 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 2: these ecosystem and there are a ton of them, but 116 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 2: greater sage grouse have been especially impacted. A local population 117 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 2: may need up to forty square miles of intact landscape 118 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 2: to stay healthy. Populations once in the millions, now number 119 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 2: fewer than eight hundred thousand, largely due to habitat loss. 120 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 2: A real long term solution would be to pass something 121 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 2: like the North American Grasslands Conservation Act, which we've covered 122 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 2: several times on this podcast. But if passing that bill 123 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 2: isn't possible in the current political climate, action from the 124 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 2: BLM is a fine place to start. That's because the 125 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 2: BLM manages the largest single share of sage grouse habitat 126 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 2: in the United States. Nearly sixty seven million acres of 127 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 2: one hundred and forty five million total acres are in 128 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 2: the sagebrush habitat that these awesome birds literally need to survive. 129 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 2: Increasing protections on BLM land could go a long way 130 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,679 Speaker 2: towards slowing the decline of the species. The draft plan 131 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 2: offers a range of alternatives for managing these lands, everything 132 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 2: from doing nothing to almost totally restricting other land uses 133 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 2: on habitat management areas. As is usually the case with 134 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 2: these environmental impact statements, the BLM has selected the alternative 135 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 2: they prefer. Under this alternative, new fluid mineral leasing would 136 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 2: remain open and so called priority habitat management areas. These 137 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 2: are areas the agency believes are especially important sagebrush habitat 138 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 2: for the grouse, Wind and solar development, and major rights 139 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 2: of way projects would also be considered if companies are 140 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 2: willing to create habitat elsewhere to offset adverse impacts. However, 141 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 2: new mining of saleable materials, which include construction resources such 142 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 2: as sand, gravel, dirt, and rock, would be closed in 143 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 2: most priority habitat areas aside from the expansion of existing pits. 144 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 2: Of course, no plan is perfect, which is why the 145 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 2: BLM will hold thirteen public meetings to answer questions and 146 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 2: take further comments on the draft, alternatives and analysis. Can 147 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 2: also submit comments online. To learn more about these meetings 148 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 2: and ways to comment, you can find that at the 149 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,439 Speaker 2: meaeater dot com forward slash col along with a bunch 150 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 2: of other useful information. You can also learn more at 151 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 2: BLM dot gov forward Slash Programs. Fish and Wildlife sage grouse. 152 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 2: Western States are working to restore sagegrouse habitat, and out 153 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:21,680 Speaker 2: East Pennsylvania has been doing the same for Bob white quail. 154 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 2: Several of you sent me a story about a plan 155 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 2: to bring northern bobwhite quail back to the Keystone State, 156 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 2: and I can see why folks are excited. The bobwhite 157 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,679 Speaker 2: quail population declined in Pennsylvania up until the early two thousands, 158 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 2: when the species was declared extirpated from the Commonwealth. But 159 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 2: back in twenty seventeen, the Pennsylvania Game Commission partnered with 160 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 2: the Letter Kenny Army Depot to begin restoring habitat for 161 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 2: a future reintroduction. The natural resources managers at the Army 162 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 2: Depot cleared invasive brush and conducted prescribed fires to get 163 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,199 Speaker 2: the area suitable for Bob white quail. This long term 164 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 2: approach seeks to create a sustainable population rather than just 165 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 2: a temporary population for hunters to pursue. Each year, the 166 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 2: project has released quail from Virginia and Kentucky, and this 167 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 2: year they released an additional seventy four birds from Florida. Hopefully, 168 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 2: in the coming years they can continue to expand the 169 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,839 Speaker 2: population and move into other countries. I'm sure all the 170 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 2: upland hunters in Pennsylvania love the idea of their kids 171 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 2: and grandkids having a chance to go after Bob white 172 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 2: in their natural habitat. Oh Fine I will talk about 173 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 2: the fact that transplanting birds is like very very hard 174 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 2: to do well. I need to read through this plan 175 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 2: a little bit more. I apologize for having not done 176 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 2: that already. But if they are planning on releasing these 177 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 2: birds without at the exact same time doing heavy predator management, 178 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 2: specifically of the nest robbing type of predators raccoons, possums, skunks, 179 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 2: those birds are just it's going to be real hard 180 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 2: to get them established, even with great habitat. Once that 181 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 2: population is established, you can ease off on some of 182 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:01,439 Speaker 2: that predator management, but you go to maintain good habitat. 183 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 2: Habitat's king for sure. But to establish these transplanted populations, 184 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 2: you really got to take care of them until they 185 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 2: start kicking butt. Moving on to the monument's desk, the 186 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 2: US House of Representatives is considering a bill that would 187 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:22,559 Speaker 2: require Congress to approve any and all national monument designations. 188 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 2: The Congressional Oversight of the Antiquities Act was introduced by 189 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 2: US Rep. Marionette Miller Meeks, a Republican from Iowa. Under 190 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 2: this bill, Congress would be required to approve or reject 191 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 2: any national monument designations within six months of a designation 192 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:41,079 Speaker 2: or before the last day of the sitting Congress during 193 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 2: which the monument was designated, whichever is earlier. If Congress 194 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 2: does not approve the designation, the land covered in the 195 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 2: proclamation cannot be designated again by a president for twenty 196 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 2: five years. This bill is part of a larger campaign 197 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 2: by House Republicans to push back against what they described 198 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 2: as overreached by the Biden administration. They characterize monument designations 199 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 2: as anti energy land lock ups and believe the president 200 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 2: should have more oversight when designating certain areas as national monuments. 201 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 2: This particular fight is just one chapter in a long 202 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 2: running debate about national monuments. More generally, the president has 203 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 2: the power under the Antiquities Act to protect areas of 204 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 2: federal land as national monuments. One side argues that this 205 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,680 Speaker 2: power was intended to be used only on small portions 206 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 2: of land that hold special historical or cultural significance. The 207 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 2: other side says the president is well within his rights 208 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 2: to set aside much larger areas, sometimes millions of acres. 209 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 2: While national monuments usually allow some recreational activities, they generally 210 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 2: don't allow for mining, logging, and other extractive use unless 211 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 2: it is historically a part of that area because in 212 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 2: like typically not going to start a brand new mine 213 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 2: in the middle of monument. Some hunters oppose national monuments 214 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 2: because some don't allow hunting, but that's not always the case. 215 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 2: The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership describes national monuments as a 216 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 2: net gain for hunters and encourages federal policy makers to 217 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 2: protect recreational activities when designating national monument areas. Whichever side 218 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 2: of the debate you land on, this new bill would 219 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 2: make it more difficult for national monuments to be designated. 220 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 2: Conservation initiatives are often bipartisan, but requiring congressional approval would 221 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 2: raise the bar to a majority in the House and Senate. 222 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 2: It would also be seen as a win for whatever 223 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:32,200 Speaker 2: president was in power, which is often reason enough for 224 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 2: members of Congress to vote against a proposal. Whether you 225 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 2: agree with this new bill or not, be sure to 226 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 2: let your US representatives know what you think and remember 227 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 2: the Antiquities Act has given us some amazing stuff like 228 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 2: national forests, national parks, and national monuments, specifically those that 229 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 2: you can still hunt on. Moving on to the Grizzly desk, 230 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,560 Speaker 2: a quick update for you about the proposed reintroduction of 231 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:05,319 Speaker 2: grizzly bears into Washington State. Last time we talked about 232 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 2: this was in episode two thirty three. The National Park 233 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 2: Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service had released a 234 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 2: draft plan to restore grizzly bears to the Northern Cascades 235 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 2: ecosystem in northern Washington. At that time, these agencies were 236 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 2: soliciting public feedback. Now they've released their final plan. The 237 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 2: agencies received over twelve thousand comments and held four in 238 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 2: person meetings to solicit feedback. In the end, they decided 239 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 2: to move forward with the reintroduction. Under their preferred alternative, 240 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 2: three to seven grizzly bears will be released into the 241 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 2: Northern Cascades each year over five to ten years, with 242 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 2: the goal of establishing an initial population of twenty five 243 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 2: grizzly bears before switching to adaptive management. The agencies estimate 244 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 2: that over sixty to one hundred years, the population will 245 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 2: grow to about two hundred bears, but rather than manage 246 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 2: the population is threatened under the Endangered Species Act, this 247 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 2: population will be managed as exc experimental. This means that 248 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 2: the population isn't essential to the continued survival of the species. 249 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 2: As a whole because there are plenty of grizzly bears 250 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 2: in other recovery areas, State and local wildlife management agencies 251 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 2: would have more latitude to deal with human bear conflicts 252 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 2: and depredation. Federal officials say this reintroduction is necessary because 253 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 2: so far, grizzly bears haven't been able to naturally repopulate 254 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 2: this area. Of the six recovery zones, the Northern Cascades 255 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 2: is one of only two without an established population. That's 256 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 2: partly due to the relative distance of this region from 257 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 2: the other five. While the Greater Yellowstone, Northern Continental Divide Cabinet, 258 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 2: yak Selkirk, and Bitterret areas are bunched in Montana, Wyoming, 259 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 2: and Idaho, the Northern Cascades is farther to the east 260 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 2: in Washington. Despite this great distance, roads, highways, interstates, and 261 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 2: a good jillion people in between these populations, some do 262 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 2: argue that these bears could eventually make their way and 263 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 2: inner breed, but more than likely they're going to come 264 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 2: south out of British Columbia. Federal biologists disagreed. Even though 265 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 2: the US Fish and Wildlife Service in the National Park 266 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 2: Service have chosen a reintroduction strategy, it will still be 267 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 2: a long time before pause hit the ground. In the meantime, 268 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 2: stay engaged, stay informed, and make sure you let your 269 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 2: representatives and wildlife managers know what you think. Moving on 270 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 2: to the foreign affairs desk, the British Parliament is considering 271 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 2: a bill that would ban imports of so called hunting trophies, 272 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 2: but the President of Botswana has called the move condescending 273 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 2: and colonial. The Hunting Trophies Import Prohibition bill is being 274 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 2: sponsored by a member of the Labor Party, but it 275 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 2: also has the backing of the Tory government. According to 276 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 2: sky News, this from my limited understanding of British politics, 277 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 2: means it has a pretty darn good chance of passing. 278 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 2: The bill wouldn't ban the import of all hunting trophies, 279 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 2: but it would ban species considered threatened or endangered, which 280 00:16:55,920 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 2: includes elephants. The President of Botswana, a fellow named Masisi, 281 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 2: is especially concerned about this ban on elephant trophies. He 282 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:09,679 Speaker 2: told sky News that he is aboard, disappointed and disturbed 283 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 2: by the legislation and sees it as a resurgence of 284 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 2: a clodial conquest. His basic argument is probably one you're 285 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 2: familiar with, banning elephant trophies into the UK will almost 286 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:24,160 Speaker 2: totally dry up the demand for elephant hunts from British citizens. 287 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 2: If that happens, communities in Botswana and elsewhere in Africa 288 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 2: will lose out on the revenue generated by those hunts. 289 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 2: They will also have less incentive to protect elephant habitat, 290 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 2: which will eventually harm the very animals that this bill 291 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 2: is designed to protect. The African Wildlife Foundation reports that 292 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 2: Botswana is home to the world's largest elephant population, but 293 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,440 Speaker 2: it's also one of the world's fastest growing economies. Much 294 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 2: of the economic growth is driven by mineral extraction, which 295 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:53,119 Speaker 2: is yet another reason to use every tool to protect 296 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,920 Speaker 2: the place's elephants live. Messisi also argues that the elephant 297 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 2: population is doing well. In fact, he says the country 298 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 2: has two many elephants. There are about one hundred and 299 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 2: thirty thousand elephants in the country today, which is more 300 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 2: than twice as many as nineteen eighty four. Hunting is 301 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 2: an important tool to control that population and keep elephant 302 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 2: human conflicts to a minimum. To put an even finer 303 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 2: point on it, other African politicians have threatened to send 304 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 2: ten thousand wild elephants to Hyde Park in London, so 305 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 2: British people know what it's like to live with them. 306 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 2: None of this has apparently convinced members of the British Parliament. 307 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 2: The Tory government, which is more conservative party, pledged in 308 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:33,280 Speaker 2: twenty nineteen to enact the trophy import ban. The bill sponsor, 309 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 2: a labor minister named John Speller, claims that the overwhelming 310 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 2: majority of Brits support banning the quote by all trade. 311 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 2: No bill is ever a done deal until it's signed 312 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 2: into law, but this one is looking like a shoewinm 313 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 2: As always, we'll keep you posted, but if you got 314 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 2: a dog in this fight, you better speak up. Moving 315 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 2: on to the crime desk, a Massachusetts man pled guilty 316 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 2: last week to hunting well in talks and illegally hunting 317 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 2: over bait. The Massachusetts Environmental Police were on a hot 318 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 2: tip that there was an illegal bait pile and a 319 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,400 Speaker 2: tree stand above it, and this is back in twenty 320 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:14,560 Speaker 2: twenty two, so they went to investigate. They found a 321 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 2: man hunting deer over a pile of corn, and it 322 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 2: didn't take long before they realized he'd also been knocking 323 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:22,640 Speaker 2: a few back while waiting for the deer to show up. 324 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 2: Actually I should say that he was waiting for another 325 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,239 Speaker 2: deer to show up. Further investigation revealed that he had 326 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 2: shot a dough on Christmas Eve of twenty twenty two, 327 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,119 Speaker 2: also over bait, but he said he couldn't find it. 328 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 2: Officers found the deer one hundred and fifty feet from 329 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 2: the tree stand, scavenged by coyotes. Along with hunting while 330 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 2: intoxicated and deer baiting, this lovely sounding gentleman was charged 331 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 2: with insufficient blaze orange, use of a permanent tree stand, 332 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 2: and wanton waste of a deer. He will have his 333 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 2: hunting license suspended for three years. In another poaching news, 334 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 2: someone poached a Rocky Mountain big horn ram in Oregon 335 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 2: last year, took the head and left the rest waist. Now, 336 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:03,639 Speaker 2: after a year of investigating has failed, bighorn sheep conservation 337 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 2: groups are increasing the reward to forty five hundred dollars. 338 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 2: The Oregon Wild Cheap Foundation announced earlier this month that 339 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 2: they would be adding two thousand dollars to the standard 340 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:15,959 Speaker 2: Oregon Hunter's Association reward of two thousand in the Oregon 341 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 2: Wildlife Coalition through in five hundred. The headless ram was 342 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 2: found in November of last year on BLM Land near 343 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 2: Hibbard Creek Road, which is within the Lookout Mountain Wildlife 344 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:29,239 Speaker 2: Management Unit. Anyone who submits information that leads to an 345 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:32,400 Speaker 2: arrest or citation will collect the reward and the tipster 346 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 2: will remain anonymous. If you know anything, shoot an email 347 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 2: to tip at osp dot orgon dot gov. It might 348 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 2: end up being the most lucrative email you ever sent. 349 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:47,359 Speaker 2: It's worth a shot. Moving north of the border into 350 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:50,439 Speaker 2: British Columbia, three poachers are facing twenty thousand dollars in 351 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 2: fines after they pled guilty to killing deer. Marmott and 352 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 2: Grause out a season. Big thanks to listener Chris Oakden 353 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:00,120 Speaker 2: for sending us this story. The trio traveled from Surrey 354 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 2: to the Little Fort area, arriving on Taya Lake. Thchu 355 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 2: ya feel free to write in let me know how 356 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 2: I'd properly pronounce that one. Anyway, I'm gonna go with 357 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 2: Taia Lake for a service road. In the early morning 358 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 2: hours of May nine, twenty twenty, they immediately began using 359 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 2: a spotlight to hunt deer, and they shot two of 360 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 2: them before the night was up. One of those deer 361 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 2: was a pregnant dough and they left the two fond 362 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 2: fetuses in the gut pile when they cleaned the deer 363 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 2: the next day. The men then shot several grouse and 364 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 2: two squirrels before encountering a marmot, which you'll be surprised 365 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 2: to hear they also shot. But that old mormot wasn't 366 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 2: about to get done like that without a fight. It 367 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 2: bit one of the poachers on the finger when he 368 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:41,879 Speaker 2: went to retrieve it, but its resistance effort was short lived. 369 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 2: The poacher clubbed it to death and threw it in 370 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 2: a bag with the rest of the animals. Fortunately it 371 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 2: didn't take long for BC conservation officers to catch up 372 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 2: with these guys. Larry mohen Curly will be forced to 373 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 2: pay thousands in fines, but one of them assured the 374 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 2: court he had quote learned a lesson in a very 375 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 2: hard way. I hope that's the case. Moving even further 376 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:05,919 Speaker 2: afield into the United Kingdom, where poachers dumped about fifty 377 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 2: dead hairs outside of a community shop in the village 378 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:12,920 Speaker 2: of Bruton in Lancashire. Locals also found a barn owl 379 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 2: and a kestrel impaled on the door handles. Residents say 380 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:19,199 Speaker 2: the crime was created by criminal gangs as a warning 381 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 2: to not interfere in their activities. Employees of the Bruton 382 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:25,280 Speaker 2: Community Shop found the animals when they arrived to open 383 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 2: up one morning earlier this month. The local gamekeeper told 384 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 2: Sky News that he believes the gangs have a competition 385 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 2: for who can kill the most animals in one night. 386 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 2: What's in it for them? 387 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 1: Money betting between groups. Let's basically go what it's about, 388 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,400 Speaker 1: betting on what? How many animals are going to kill 389 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 1: him one night? How big are animal? We've had instances 390 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 1: of the ear has been cut off to prooves, they've 391 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:51,639 Speaker 1: actually got them, taken them away. 392 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 2: The Countryside Alliance says that the rural communities around England 393 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 2: have had to deal with these kinds of issues for decades. 394 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 2: A spokesperson just grab these groups as the edge of 395 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 2: organized criminal gangs and says that they do this as 396 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 2: a leisure activity. Residents are calling on the police to 397 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 2: do more, but just like here in the US, law 398 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 2: enforcement officials are often more concerned about crimes involving people 399 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:17,199 Speaker 2: than crimes involving animals. If anyone over there in the 400 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 2: UK has experienced with this, we'd love to know more. 401 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:22,399 Speaker 2: Shoot me an email ask c a l at the 402 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 2: meateater dot com and let me know what's going on 403 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:26,679 Speaker 2: in your neck of the woods. You know we appreciate it. 404 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:29,359 Speaker 2: That's all I got for you this week. Thank you 405 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 2: so much for listening, and once again right in to 406 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 2: ask c Al that's an ascal at the meeteater dot com. 407 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,200 Speaker 2: Let me know what's going on in your neck of 408 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 2: the woods. Thanks, and I'll talk to you next week.