The Endangered Species Act protects 1,300 of America's most endangered plants and animals. Originally created in 1973, it has a saved over 99% of these species from extinction including the Black-footed ferret, Bald Eagle, Grizzly Bear, and Gray Wolf. It has also lived up to its mission to "protect the ecosystems upon which endangered species depend" by preserving over 200 million acres of essential wildlife habitat from Hawaii to Maine.

Cynically entitled the "Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005" by its author an longstanding opponent of the landmark conservation law, Richard Pombo (R-CA), the bill systematically removes every proven recovery tool from the Endangered Species Act. The bill now heads to the Senate. A detailed summary of the House bill to gut the Endangered Species Act can be found at http://www.nativeecosystems.org/esa/TESRA_factsheet.doc.

This is a serious threat to endangered species across the United States, but it isn't a done deal yet. The senate will move on this bill in 2006. Look for action alerts to find out what you can do to protect the ESA in coming months.

The boreal toad has experienced dramatic declines throughout the Southern Rocky Mountains for decades, and only one population in Chaffee County, Colorado, is still considered to be viable by the Service. The toad is virtually extinct in the Medicine Bow National Forest. Chytrid fungus, an introduced disease, has caused rapid population declines throughout the Rockies.

The Service claimed in a press release last week that the toads are not "significant" and therefore do not warrant protection, contrary to the Service’s own assessment from 2004. Anna Goebel, a professor at Florida Gulf Coast University who has conducted extensive studies on the genetics of the Rocky Mountains toads for the Fish and Wildlife Service, recently wrote a book chapter titled “Conservation Systematics, The Bufo boreas Species Group” (in press) which determines that the toads in the Southern Rocky Mountains comprise multiple unique species. Goebel concludes her paper, "Throughout the decade, and now, I feel sadness for lost lineages (B. boreas in Colorado may be lost in the next few years)” (p. 221).

The plan stems from claims that prairie dogs are destroying rangeland and inappropriately competing with cattle grazing in South Dakota. Although prairie dogs graze grass and till soils, they actually promote grass growth and help to keep soils healthy. And while prairie dogs have had to compete with domestic livestock for grass, several years of cattle overgrazing on the National Grasslands has led to severe grass shortages. Despite overgrazing, a handful of ranchers in South Dakota convinced the Forest Service to lift a ban on prairie dog poisoning.

Unfortunately, the poisoning threatens to undermine the recovery of the endangered Black-footed Ferret, which depends almost entirely on prairie dogs for food. The Buffalo Gap National Grassland in South Dakota supports the only self-sustaining population of Ferrets in the world. The poisoning will likely reduce Ferret populations on the Buffalo Gap, setting back decades-long recovery efforts. BCA will continue to fight prairie dog poisoning to save the Black-footed Ferret.

Thanks to the volunteers, without whom we literally could not have done it:
Alyson Gerkin, Amy Moon, Bob Strayer, Carl Hemphill, Carol Bilbrough, Drew Ethier, Eric Noomen, Jamie Egolf, Jeff Lockwood, Joe Barbuto, Jon Cabot, Justin, Lalayna & Angie Hubbard, Kate Olson, Laurie Milford, Lowell Hart, Marty Camino, Melanie Barto, Michele Barlow, Michele Visser, Mike Oxley, Perry Wechsler, Richelle Lucas, Ryan Woody and Susan Ibarra.

Thanks also to the individuals and businesses who made it possible by contributing items:
Adams and Adams Booksellers, Altitude Chophouse and Brewery, Anonymous, Aphrodite's Emporium, Atmosphere Mountainworks, Ben Meadows Company, Big Hoss Mountain Sports, Chickering Bookstore, Citrus Salon, Connor Flower Shop, Cross Country Connection, Don Noble, Earth Wind & Fire Gallery, Elk Mountain Herbs, Erik Molvar, Grand Avenue Pizza, Grand Bazaar, Grand Newsstand, Home Bakery, Jean's Closet, Jeff Lockwood, Jeffrey's Bistro, John Nutter & Suzanne Lewis, Josephine's, Larry Hazlett, Maggie Schafer, Mark Jenkins, Mountain Furniture, Mountain Hardware, Muddy Mountain Pottery, Natural Balance Healing Arts, New Belgium Brewing, Night Heron Books, Northridge Discount Liquors, Pedal House, Perry White, Peter Kater, Rainbow Photography, Scott Smith, Second Story Bookstore, Shannon Benson, Sean Hart, Snowy Range Lodge, Sweet Melissa's Vegetarian Cafe, Terrapin Station, The Bead Shop, The Jeweler, Thomas Mangelson, Trinity Coffeehouse, and the Whole Earth Grainery.