Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents cited a Prairieville man and two juveniles for alleged deer hunting violations in East Feliciana Parish on June 29.
Agents cited Kenneth J. Blanchard Jr., 59, and two juveniles for taking deer during a closed season. Blanchard was also cited for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Agents received a public tip about people shooting deer at night outside of Slaughter. Agents conducted night surveillance on the area for about a week.
Around 11:15 p.m. June 29, agents observed Blanchard and the two juveniles hunting on an agriculture field off La. 42 near Slaughter, a news release said. Agents observed Blanchard and the two juveniles hunting from all-terrain vehicles with rifles shoot and kill a doe.
Agents responded to the scene immediately and made contact with…
Megan Mayhew, Digital Communications Manager Megan.mayhew@ks.gov
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to Explore Issues Surrounding Baiting Wildlife
On June 22, 2023, KDWP held apublic panel discussionon baiting wildlife with subject matter experts from Kansas, North Dakota, and Oklahoma
The Department defines baiting wildlife as “The act of intentionally placing food, or nutrient substances, to manipulate the behavior of wildlife species;” This is not to be confused with agricultural food plots or backyard birdfeeders.
KDWP will host several town hall-style public meetings in the coming months to solicit broader input on these complex issues
Though staff intend to make baiting wildlife a regular discussion item at future Commission meetings, no official regulation recommendations are planned.
In Kansas, it is illegal to bait wildlife on public lands, and lands enrolled in the Walk-in…
Livestock producers throughout the country, including those in Alabama, are encountering a problem that has begun to effect their businesses’ total income.
Black vultures have increasingly become predators of newly born calves throughout the state.
In order to address the issue, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has given a permit to the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries which will allow livestock producers in the Yellowhammer State to kill up to 500 of the birds this year.
Each producer can kill up to three and must use a shotgun.
“Black vultures have been giving cattlemen problems for quite some time, particularly in north Alabama,” Erin Beasley, executive vice president of the Alabama Cattleman’s Association, told AL.com. “However, they are migrating further south. There are a lot of them because they are protected under…
Alaska reached a new low with last month’s brown bear massacre at the Mulchatna caribou calving area. I’ve lived in Alaska for over 35 years and thought I’d seen it all when it came to the state’s war …..Thanks for being an ADN.com reader.
Did you know that the Earth actually has two north poles? That’s right: There’s the geographic one in northern Canada, but also a magnetic one. The geographic north pole never changes, the magnetic one, however, is always on the move – and right now we are racing towards a complete pole reversal. If the poles flip, it could be devastating to the human race and life as we know it to be. (1)
Will the North and South Poles Flip?
The magnetic poles have always been moving, this is nothing new. In fact, the poles have actually flipped before: Since the last extinction, they completely reversed roughly every 300,000 years. For some reason, however, another flip has not…
Neil D’Cruze, Global Head of Wildlife Research, World Animal Protection, and Visiting Researcher, Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), University of Oxford and Jennah Green, Wildlife Research Manager at World Animal Protection, and Visiting Research Fellow, Manchester Metropolitan UniversitySee more
Tue, July 4, 2023 at 7:20 AM PDT·4 min read
Lions at a commercial facility in South Africa. Courtesy Bloodlions
A manwas arrestedat the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 23 June 2023 with five lion carcasses in his luggage. He was about to board a flight to Vietnam, where theuse of lion bonesin traditional medicines is practised.
The seizure is commendable but highlights South Africa’s controversial legal industry of breeding lions in captivity. Wildlife researchers Neil D’Cruze and Jennah Green, whohave studiedlion farmingin South Africa, share their insights into the industry and explain why it should be shut…
A woolly mammoth recreated by the Royal Victoria Museum, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, in 2018. Scientists are now planning on bringing a woolly mammoth to life within the next decade. Credit:Thomas Quine–https://www.flickr.com/photos/quinet/44598416660/CC BY 2.0
Jurassic Park has nothing on three scientists who have decided to reassemble genes from woolly mammoths and resurrect them once again after having been extinct for more than ten thousand years.
What could go wrong, you may well ask, since the Jurassic Park thing turned out so well?
We may soon find out, as $15 million has already been pledged to the effort to bring this species back from extinction with the help of gene editing.
After the passage of ten millennia, scientists have created a start-up, dubbed named “Colossal,” which announced on Tuesday that funding has now been secured that…
Temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere might be high, but on July 6, our planet will be at its farthest point from the sun this year. It’s an annual occasion called aphelion, a term that comes from the Greek words “apo” (away) and “helios” (sun), according toAlmanac.
If it seems counterintuitive for our planet to be at its farthest from the sun while you endure the summer heat, consider how Earth orbits the sun and how our planet rotates.
HELENA – The estimated wolf population in Montana for 2022 was 1,087 wolves, according to Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.
Officials from Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks are proposing to reduce the hunting quota for wolves statewide from 450 to 289, according to the department and an interview with a spokesperson.
Fish, Wildlife, and Parks officials said the wolf population has dropped in the last two years, and it believes the new quota will keep wolves at a healthy and sustainable population per state law.
“State law, set by the 2021 Montana Legislature, requires Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to reduce wolf populations in Montana to a sustainable level,” said Greg Lemon, a Fish, Wildlife, and Parks public information officer. “We believe the quota of 289 wolves will meet that statutory requirement while ensuring a healthy wolf population in the state.”
This announcement comes a year after the wolf numbers fell in 2022, according to the 2022 Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Wolf Report.
Wolf hunting regulations in Montana are controversial. In 2022 in Region 3, which borders Yellowstone National Park, hunters killed 82 wolves, the threshold which caused Fish, Wildlife and Parks to direct wolf hunters and trappers in the region to remove their equipment immediately. The threshold represented a 39% decline.
The estimated wolf population for 2022 was 1,087 wolves, according to Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. This number is down 56 wolves from 1,143 in 2021. The number of wolf packs was 181, down 10 packs from 2021. Total wolf kills for the spring and fall of calendar year 2022 were 248.
The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks will decide the quota for the 2023-24 season at its Aug. 17 meeting. Fish, Wildlife, and Parks said the proposed quota of 289 wolves statewide reflects an average of the last five years’ statewide harvest. The allowable kills would be broken up by regions: Region 1 – 120 wolves; Region 2 – 91 wolves; Region 3 – 52 wolves; Region 4 – 15 wolves; and Regions 5, 6, and 7 – 5 wolves total.
Fish, Wildlife, and Parks is proposing wolf trapping season to start the first Monday after Thanksgiving, outside of the mapped grizzly bear-occupied range. Fish, Wildlife, and Parks is proposing a floating starting date for areas inside of the mapped grizzly bear range.
Lemon said Fish, Wildlife, and Parks is proposing to set dates like the agency did last year. Throughout December, he said the staff will assess whether grizzly bears are denned using collar information as well as reported sightings to make the determination.
“Once we feel grizzly bears are mostly denned, then we’ll open areas for wolf trapping,” said Lemon. “This assessment will be done on a weekly basis and all wolf trapping will be open on Dec. 31.”
The commission said at its August meeting that it will also amend and review a draft rule language for non-lethal and lethal control methods that are consistent with the Montana Grey Wolf Conservation and Management Plan.
Human ears are damaged at a mere 85 decibels. Yet we can hear to only about 20,000 hertz, while dogs can hear between 45,000 and 65,000 hertz. Just think of the physical and emotional damage that might occur to a dog left outside to face the noise.
Not to mention that when frightened, dogs bolt, and owners may lose their best friends in the night.
“Dogs have been known to dig under or jump over fences, break tethers or even shatter windows in response to their fireworks fears,” according to Best Friends Animal Society, one of the nation’s oldest no-kill agencies.
That leaves dogs running loose, possibly to be struck by cars, picked up by strangers, even turned into local animal shelters. Anxious pet owners may face barriers in identifying and rescuing their pet.
Danger to all types of pets
Statistics show at least 40% of dogs have noise phobias, which can include fear of thunderstorms, leaf blowers, power drills and even hair dryers. But those noises are relatively constant, experts say, while fireworks are frighteningly sporadic and therefore unexpected.
“Many animals associate loud noises with danger,” said Dr. Michelle Lugones, a veterinarian with Best Friends Animal Society. “From an evolutionary standpoint they are wired to avoid perceived threats, so it’s not surprising that fireworks are distressing to many animals.”
It’s not just dogs. Cats and many other domestic and wild animals have sensitive hearing, provided by nature to find and hunt prey.
“It’s very likely that cats suffer just as much from fireworks phobia as dogs,” Lugones said. “But since cats tend to be more independent in the home and usually run and hide during fearful situations, their owners may just not realize that they are distressed from fireworks.”
Small pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs are prey species and so are easily stressed, Lugones continued, adding that “unfortunately, rabbits can even die from extreme fright especially if they have underlying illness. They may also injure themselves attempting to flee.”
Cows are social animals, Lugones said, so loud noises could spook an entire herd, while horses are also prey species that can easily become startled by fireworks.
“It may be less understood how reptiles and birds respond to fireworks, but they too have stress responses, so precautions should be taken for them,” she said.
Prepare your pet before dark
The key to helping your pet survive this frightening onslaught is being prepared, said Dr. Douglas Kratt, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Tags and microchips. Be sure your pet has a well-fitting collar with current identification tags, Kratt said. If your pet has a microchip, make sure your correct contact info is recorded with the vet clinic or shelter that implanted the chip.
That way, if your pet does escape into the night, you will be able to immediately call and alert the vet or shelter about their absence.
Exercise before dark. A tired dog is a calmer dog. A happy cat is a more relaxed cat, Kratt said. Fit in some extra playtime for your cats, and take dogs out for play and exercise well before dark. Such activities burn off extra energy, thus limiting anxiety later when it’s time to sleep.
Bring all pets indoors. Don’t leave your pet outside to suffer alone. Put a dog’s crate or bed in the quietest, most enclosed room possible, Kratt said.
“Keep windows and curtains closed to further muffle sounds, and take some time to see what works best for your dog, such as lowering the lights or covering the crate with a blanket,” he said.
Cats like to go high to feel secure, so give them a covered cozy cave that is elevated off the ground, like a hut on an indoor cat tree or in a closet.
Distract your pet. Provide lots of new toys and long-lasting chews and treats. Food puzzles may also keep them distracted from the unnerving noises.
Use calming aids. Many pets respond to “thunder” shirts or blankets that wrap them in a heavy, calming cocoon. Cats and dogs often enjoy smelling species-specific pheromones. Cats can wear collars with scents that mimic the pheromone mother cats produce to calm their kittens. Dogs respond to the scent of lactating female dogs, called appropriately “dog appeasing pheromone,” or DAP.
Use calming sounds. First, muffle sounds by closing curtains and doors near your pet. Calming music, or white noise like fans or television – but not too loud – can be used to provide comfortable, familiar sounds.
Humans must stay calm, too. If you aren’t fond of fireworks either, try to remain calm around your pet anyway, Kratt said. “Our pets may look to us to see how we are reacting and be influenced by our behavior,” he said. “Try not to react too strongly to fireworks or your pets’ distress.”
Use medication as a last resort. While there is nothing wrong with turning to your vet for calming medications, experts worry that pet owners might rely on that first, without doing the behavioral modification tips above. But if you have tried all these ideas and your furry friend is still in a panic, reach out to your vet for advice.
Keep animals away from your fireworks. If your pet isn’t bothered by the noise and you plan to set off your own fireworks, be sure to keep your pet inside and secured. Some dogs may “chase after the bright moving objects and are at risk to be burned or blinded in the process,” says Best Friends Animal Society.
In addition, many fireworks also contain “substances that are toxic if ingested,” so be sure to safely store your fireworks where a pet cannot find them.
When fireworks end
The dangers for pets extend past exploding fireworks, Kratt said.
“The Fourth has some other risks for our pets, such as an abundance of unhealthy and accessible foods at parties, dangerous summer heat, and dangerous debris on the ground following fireworks displays,” Kratt said.
Before you let your pet loose in the yard the next day, check it carefully for leftover pieces and parts from exploded fireworks.
“Even if you didn’t set off fireworks yourself, debris can make its way into your yard, where curious animals may pick it up to play with or eat,” Kratt said.
Used and unused fireworks are toxic to pets, Lugones said.
“Depending on the chemicals they contain, fireworks can cause severe gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting, bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and foreign body obstruction,” she said. “They can also cause acute kidney failure, difficulty breathing, and seizures. If there’s any concern your pet has ingested fireworks, contact a veterinarian immediately.”
Exposing the Big Game 