Calls to end Culls

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere, Environmental, What's killing beavers now? February 13, 2016

The battle to grant protection to the beavers in Scotland just got big supply of ammunition. It comes in the form of a dramatic letter on their behalf from the Royal Zoological Society and the National Trust for Scotland and is rightly showcased by the BBC.

‘Urgent’ call for Scots beavers to be recognised as native species

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust “strongly advocate” recognising the animals as natural residents.

The groups voiced fears about ongoing culling of wild beavers in Tayside. The Scottish government has said it will “take time to consider the issue carefully” before making a decision.

The RZSS and Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) have joined the National Trust for Scotland in calling for the mammals to be legitimised as a resident, native species of Scotland.

A joint statement from chief executives Chris West and Jonny Hughes said there was “particular urgency” with beavers on Tayside being culled and the need to introduce more of the animals in Knapdale to ensure long-term viability of the population.

They said: “The decision has now become urgent as animals are being indiscriminately culled on Tayside.

“The indiscriminate nature of this culling has led to well-publicised animal welfare concerns, and in the medium term, could threaten the existence of local populations.

“Scientific evidence shows that the return of the beaver will help to restore our depleted wetland ecosystems and bring a range of other social, economic and environmental benefits.

Whoo hooo! Well done RZSS and SWT! And well done trigger-happy farmers who are forcing this issue into such a painful public spotlight that the beavers are going to be safer than they would have been if you had just kept your mouths (and guns) shut. I’m imagining that what the Scottish farmers need is an old burly farmer who slaps one upside the head and cries “IDIOT! Now everyone is going to be talking about what we have a right to do on our own land!” And he’d be right. I hope this pushes the protection issue before the election. You can’t just not do your job because you’re waiting for it to be someone else’s job

Lots of excitement on our own “Culling Agency” front, with a scathing 7 page article in Harpers about the USDA and a review of it in National Georgraphic!!! If the irresponsible wildlife management reported by our friend Thomas Knudson way back in the day doesn’t get some traction NOW I would be very surprised. I didn’t actually read anything newly uncovered, becauseKnudson did such a thorough award-winning job already. There were parts, though, that the paper didn’t print but were available as supportive materials – and reading it again by new eyes is going to matter.

I hope.

The Rogue Agency

Peter DeFazio, a Democratic congressman from Oregon, has repeatedly called for a congressional investigation of Wildlife Services, describing it as a “rogue agency” that is “secretive” and “unaccountable.” He said that he considers the lethal control program a “wasteful subsidy” and has called the agency’s practices “cruel and inhumane.” DeFazio has proposed legislation to reduce government funding for lethal control, but Congress, under pressure from the livestock industry, rejected these attempts at reform.

“We have seen a host of credible leaked information from credible former employees about the inhumane practices,” DeFazio told me recently. He said he has asked Wildlife Services for “detailed numbers about finances and operations, and they won’t give us this information. I’ve served on the Homeland Security Committee, and Wildlife Services is more difficult to get information from than our intelligence agencies.”

This Government Agency’s Job Is to Kill Wildlife

Wildlife Services is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and it specializes in killing wild animals that threaten livestock—especially predators such as coyotes, wolves, and cougars. Outside the ranching community, few have heard of Wildlife Services.

Since 2000, the agency has killed at least two million mammals and 15 million birds. Although it’s main focus is predator control in the West, Wildlife Services also does things like bird control nationwide at airports to prevent crashes and feral pig control in the South.

Reporter Christopher Ketcham’s investigation, out this month in Harper’s Magazine, doesn’t mince words. The article is called “The Rogue Agency: A USDA program that tortures dogs and kills endangered species.” Ketcham exposes Wildlife Service’s use of poisoned bait, neck snares, leghold traps (which are banned in 80 countries), aerial gunning, and cyanide traps to go after animals that have attacked, or allegedly attacked, livestock grazing on public lands. Ketcham’s sources—former Wildlife Services trappers—told him they’ve witnessed or participated in these practices themselves and that they go on to this day.

One final morsel of delight was sent to me yesterday without explanation by USFS Kent Woodruff. Check this out and think about how very smart we used to be.

Muskrat love?

heidi08 Beaver Behavior, Beavers elsewhere, Environmental, New Species July 8, 2014

Mary Sonis: Muskrat love: An expose

The muskrat is a prolific water rodent that can be found in most slow creeks and ponds throughout North America. Romance in early spring is not characterized by candlelight and dancing (and yes, those are actual lyrics) but by the bloodbath that occurs between males fighting for territory and breeding rights.

Muskrats are feisty, and will often fight to the death before breeding begins. Generally, the females are not involved in this fray, but they do wander the pond in breeding season, emitting small squeaks that advertise their availability. Once the female has found a mate, it is a fairly monogamous relationship, and she will often produce as many as three litters in a season. A typical litter will average six kits, primarily cared for by their mother. She raises them in a den that is a loosely built mound of grasses set high to avoid spring floods.

This is a cute article about an oft-overlooked species, but I’m not sure about the word bloodbath? We haven’t seen tons of suffering males in our creek? I remember one muskrat years ago that looked like it had a bight taken out of its side, but the teeth marks were way bigger than a muskrat. More like dog.

Blood bath?

The coolest footage I ever saw of a muskrat was on Moses’ camera. A mated pair worked together to chase a hungry mink away from their nest. Muskrats at war, popping up out of the water all over squeaking furiously until that mink threw in the towel and swam away! It was so brave!

Of course in 8 years of observation I’ve admittedly never seen this….

It is a disaster for any photographer when a muskrat appears on the scene. Ever alert, the muskrat will thwack its tail on the water, darting in circles of alarm, causing all nearby wildlife to flee.

What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just enjoy a nice cheerful muskrat article without thinking the author is insane? Or mixing up species? Of course I went looking for more references to muskrats sounding the alarm by smacking their tails. Maybe they’re just lazy in Martinez? What do I know? You can guess how many other references I found to these muskrat security services. It’s a round number.

Well, I did find this one from Harper’s magazine in 1919 by Walter Pritchard Eaton called “Little folks who gnaw”. Which is also a cute article. And similarly colorful.

And there you have it. This clearly happened once upon a time 100 years ago, maybe her bloodthirsty muskrats are just behind the times? Rip Van Muskrat?

Or maybe I’m just wrong and missing something. It happens. Write me your own sightings of muskrat tail-thumping and set me straight? Footage would be awesome. I know beaver and muskrats learn a lot from each other.

One last complaint: who in their right mind would name this adorable baby “pickles”?

**Pickles** the beaver is one of many wildlife orphans who has been helped by Critter Care wildlife rehabilitation centre in South Langley. The organization holds its annual open house on Saturday and Sunday.
— image credit: Contributed photo

NYPL

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere July 22, 2009

Beaver friend LK sends this link to the historic images at the New York Public Library. Search the keyword “beavers” for some lovely graphics from books, magazines and catalogs. This particularly breathtaking illustration is by AB Frost who joined the golden age of illustraters at Harper’s Magazine in the late 1800’s. He is from the rare school of art where they actually looked at what they were representing and tried to capture what they saw. This means you see a picture of actual beavers, not a picture of what people expect beavers to look like.