The Wildlife Society Blog

Florida’s Everglades Ecosystem has been making headlines lately with a one of a kind new wildlife refuge, a landmark rule against snake importation and trade, and sobering research recently published that shows just how devastating large constrictor snakes have been to native mammals in Everglades National Park. In the midst of all of this is a trio of wildlife advocates trekking from the Florida Bay, located on the south side of the Everglades, all the way to Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southern Georgia, on what is being called the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition (FWCE).

The trailblazing group consists of bear biologist Joe Guthrie, conservationist Mallory Lykes Dimmitt, and photojournalist Carlton Ward Jr. Their journey, which began on January 17, 2012, will take them 1,000 miles in 100 days with the hope of garnering public support and awareness for their cause. They will hike, kayak, and bike across the state while documenting the sights and meeting with Floridians along the way. The group wishes to trace a natural, un-fragmented route from the Everglades to Georgia by piecing together a puzzle like path, called the Florida Wildlife Corridor (FWC), across central Florida.

A fully realized FWC would protect critical habitat and provide necessary migration routes for Florida’s diverse wildlife.  The corridor would also help return the hydrological cycle to its natural form by enhancing water security and quality with the return of water to the Everglades. Another goal of the FWC is to provide ranchers and farmers with a sustained cultural legacy while also maintaining the allure of the state’s eco-tourism and sportsman industries.

The FWCE itself, which will end on April 28th, is a tribute to David Maehr and Mason Smoak, whose plane crashed while attempting to locate a missing bear in Florida. The FWC is also building upon a legacy of scientific work from other entities such as educational institutions, conservation organizations, federal and state agencies, and private citizens.

Connect with the expedition team during the trek on its social media pages:

• Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/FloridaWildlifeCorridor
• Twitter – https://twitter.com/FL_WildCorridor
• YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/FLWildlifeCorridor
• Google+ – http://bit.ly/FWCExpeditionGooglePlus

John F Kennedy once said that ‘learning and leadership are indispensible to each other,’ and we here at TWS couldn’t agree more, which is why we hope all of our members will take part in The Wildlife Society Mentoring Program. Wildlife professionals are encouraged to sign up as Mentors and offer their support and guidance to the next generation of Wildlifers. Mentees can be either students or early career professionals who are looking to cultivate a beneficial working relationship with an established member of the wildlife conservation field. Don’t know how to be a mentor (or mentee)? No problem. TWS provides training after you’ve logged in.

So get with the program! Start by signing in using your TWS membership center login and creating a profile! If you’d like to participate in the Mentoring Program but aren’t a TWS member yet, click here to join (and here to see all the additional benefits of your new TWS membership). Thank you for investing in the future of wildlife conservation.

The Wild Felid Research and Management Association would like to remind graduate students who are involved in wild felid research that it is once again offering two Wild Felid Legacy Scholarships. Recipients are awarded $1,000 and will be recognized in the WFA’s newsletter, the Wild Felid Monitor.

Applications are due by March 30, 2012 and recipients will be notified by July 1, 2012. Please remember that you must be a student member of WFA to qualify for this scholarship. Further application requirements and details are available here. Please send any questions to WFA.

The New Jersey chapter of The Wildlife Society is happy to announce the Russell A. Cookingham Scholarship which is available to students who have completed at least one half of the degree requirements for Wildlife/Fisheries majors or Conservation Education/Communications majors (Conservation Education/Communication majors must have at least 15 credits in the biological sciences to be eligible). This $1000 scholarship is limited to students who reside permanently in New Jersey. New Jersey residents attending school out-of-state are eligible.

The deadline for the application is May 15, 2012 so get started by clicking here to download your application. For more details please visit the website or contact Mim Dunne with questions.

Best of luck, Garden State Scholars!

It has been nearly a year since the Wildlife Society Bulletin (WSB) has been back in circulation after a 5-year hiatus. This peer-reviewed, scientific publication provides information to wildlife professionals that is directly applicable to the management and conservation of wildlife and other natural resources in North America and worldwide. As an online-only publication, you can subscribe for the incredibly reasonable price of just $35/year.

Login to you member account and click the “Add Subscription” tab on the left menu to subscribe to WSB today!

On December 28, 2011, a single gray wolf (Canis lupus) crossed into California over the southern Oregon border. The wolf, designated as OR7, is a 2 ½ year old male that has traveled down from northeast Oregon. This dispersal behavior, wandering to define a home range and search for other wolves to establish a pack, is said to be common for wolves his age.

The presence of OR7 in California is a historic event, as he is the first wolf to occupy state lands in 87 years. Wolves were extirpated from the western US in the 1930s under the premise that they were a threat to livestock and competition for deer and elk hunters. In 1978, gray wolves were listed as endangered in all lower 48 states, with the exception of Minnesota. In the 1990s, 66 wolves were released into Yellowstone National Park as part of the first federal recovery efforts of this species. Today, approximately 1,651 wolves roam the greater western United States, with Oregon being home to 4 packs and a total of 24 wolves.

As the wolves continue to repopulate the area, state wildlife agency efforts are becoming increasingly more important. California is not actively reintroducing wolves into the area, but their presence is to be expected in the coming years as gray wolves successfully expand their range to include once populated areas like northern California. Gray wolves do not pose a significant threat to humans and it is important to note that any wolf that enters California is protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.

OR7’s movement can be tracked online at the California Department of Fish and Game website. Maps are periodically updated as more information becomes available. Biologists suspect if OR7 does not find a mate in the near future, he will either return to Oregon where the rest of his pack is living or travel east to Nevada.

Jan. 17, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized a rule banning the transport of 4 python species across state lines. The Burmese Python, Yellow Anaconda, Northern and Southern African Python have been deemed as injurious wildlife under the Lacey Act. This ruling is an attempt to restrict their spread in the wild. The Wildlife Society supports this ruling but suggests that an additional 5 species be added to this list (reticulated python, Beni or Bolivian python, green anaconda, DeSchauensee’s anaconda, and boa constrictor).

Recently, there have been several news articles regarding the impacts of the Burmese python in the Florida Everglades.  According to Michael Dorcas, a biologist from Davidson College in North Carolina, there has been a decrease in over %90 of mid-sized to large mammals in the Everglades since the 1990s.  This includes raccoons, opossums, white-tailed deer, and even bobcats.  Dorcas reports his findings to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

The Burmese python established itself in the Everglades after many pet owners could not care for the snakes and released them into the wild once the snakes got too large.  Florida’s tropical climate and abundance of wildlife is ideal for these snakes.  Like all invasive species, the lack population limiting factors, such as predators and suitable habitat, meant the python population could thrive.  The study done by Dorcas has suggested that these snakes are incredibly destructive to the native ecosystem.

This incident of a non-native predator wreaking havoc on the native animal populations is not uncommon.  Other examples include the northern snakehead fish and feral cats.  These animals are natural predators and when introduced to new ecosystems can easily prey upon many of the native wildlife that have not developed strategies to evade these predators.  The snakehead has been known to devastate native fish populations and several million birds are killed each year by feral cats.

Strong management plans are needed to stop the spread of these snakes.  However, there is opposition from the reptile trade community arguing that the new ruling will severely damage business.   Some speculate that the pythons are not entirely responsible for the decline in mammal populations and argue that disease and habitat loss are the main factors.  This disbelief is similar to feral cat advocates who argue that there are other factors resulting in the decline of bird populations.  More research and data will help determine the role each factor plays on declining populations.  However, management of invasive species should be a priority as they are clearly not suited for the ecosystem and will continue to take native wildlife.

The Fish and Wildlife Service press release on the ruling.

Here are some of the recent articles about the Burmese pythons:

“Pythons Blamed For Everglade’s Disappearing Animals” NPR

“In Florida Everglades, pythons and anacondas dominate food chain” Washington Post

“Pythons Eating Through Everglades Mammals at “Astonishing” Rate?” National Geographic

A 60 Minutes feature story on Sunday night looked at big game hunting ranges in Texas. Ranchers claim that high prices for a chance to hunt these exotic animals raise the money needed to maintain the herd. But animal rights activists want them to call it quits. Meanwhile, the same species in Africa are dwindling.

What’s your take? Watch the feature and come back to comment.

The Wildlife Society (TWS) is currently accepting applications for its Leadership Institute. The Institute’s goal is to facilitate development of new leaders within TWS and the wildlife profession. The Institute will recruit 10-15 promising early-career professionals for a series of intensive activities and mentoring relationships. The focus will be on exposing the participants to the inner workings of TWS and increasing the number of active leaders in TWS and the wildlife profession.

From May until October, participants will engage in a series of activities to develop and expand their leadership skills. Institute members will also attend the TWS Annual Conference in Portland (October 12-17, 2012) and participate in various activities, including mentoring and leadership workshop sessions. The Institute is free, and participants also receive free registration and a travel grant for the conference.

Participation in the Institute is geared toward early-career professionals, individuals 2 to 3 years out of school (either undergraduate or graduate school), currently working full-time in a wildlife professional position, and with demonstrated evidence of their leadership potential. A small number of slots may also be available for (1) more recent graduates who have shown strong evidence of their leadership potential or (2) those who are working while concurrently pursuing a graduate degree. All applicants must be members of TWS and a Chapter or Section of TWS. The selection committee will be seeking to create a diverse group, with participants of varying gender, ethnic, and regional diversity. Selection will be based upon:

• An excellent academic record
• Demonstrated leadership capability or potential
• Demonstrated level of excellence in current position
• Commitment to and involvement in TWS

Preference will be given to individuals who are certified as Associate Wildlife Biologists® or Certified Wildlife Biologists®, or who have submitted such an application to TWS.

Applicants must submit the following materials:

• Application form (available at http://joomla.wildlife.org/leadershipinstitute/)
• Cover letter with evidence of leadership capacity or potential, such as previous leadership positions held in TWS Chapters or Student Chapters or in other organizations
• Résumé including a list of publications, awards, etc.

• Academic transcript/s (scanned copy)
• 2 letters of recommendation from supervisors, academic advisors, professors, or others in leadership positions with whom you have worked and who are familiar with your leadership potential, commitment to TWS, and commitment to wildlife management and conservation
• Letters should be e-mailed directly to: Christine Carmichael (ccarmichael@wildlife.org), subject line “Leadership Institute Recommendation for [applicant last name]”
• An essay (1000 word limit), which succinctly summarizes (1) your concept of leadership, (2) your aspiration for your role within TWS in 5 to 10 years, and (3) why you are an ideal candidate for the Institute

Application deadline is March 16, 2012. E-mail all materials (except the application form, which is submitted online) to: Christine Carmichael (ccarmichael@wildlife.org). Visit www.wildlife.org for more information (click on ‘Leadership Institute’ on the left).

As of Wednesday, January 18, 2012, Florida is officially home to the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area. In accordance with President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar accepted 10-acres of land in south-central Florida from The Nature Conservancy to officially establish the refuge. The plan aims for a total refuge and conservation area of 150,000 acres.

This refuge and conservation area is the product of years of planning and sets a new standard for landscape level planning and on-the-ground collaboration. About two-thirds of the total land, or 100,000 acres, will be preserved through conservation easements purchased from private citizens in the target area. These easements allow the landowners to retain ownership of their land while also giving them the ability to maintain any farming or animal husbandry operations in practice. However, no commercial or residential development of the land is allowed.

Spanning four Florida counties, the refuge and conservation area will provide a sanctuary for wildlife and a portal for terrestrial and avian migrations from the Everglades to north of Lake Okeechobee. A few of the main beneficiaries of the refuge are bald eagles, swallow-tailed kites, and gopher tortoises. This area will also increase water quality and quantity for wildlife located in south Florida.

In October 2011, TWS accompanied other coalition members of the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE) on a tour of the proposed refuge and conservation area. Representatives from CARE had an opportunity to meet with landowners and other participating entities engaged in the development of the refuge and conservation area.

The Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area is the 556th unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The establishment of this refuge and conservation area lays the groundwork for incorporating private citizens, conservation organizations, state agencies, Native American tribes, and federal agencies to collaborate on and maximize any large-scale preservation plans.