$10,000 Reward Offered for Grizzly Bear Shootings in Northern Idaho
Investigation continues in shooting of grizzly and her nursing cub
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) law enforcement agents and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) are investigating the fatal shooting of a federally protected grizzly bear and her nursing cub in northern Idaho. A reward of $10,000 is being offered for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. The dead adult grizzly was discovered on the morning of May 18 by a hiker from Bonners Ferry, Idaho. It was discovered to be female that was lactating, an indication she was nursing a cub (or cubs) produced during her recent winter hibernation. A subsequent search of the surrounding area by an Idaho Fish and Game Biologist turned up a dead cub that had also been shot.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has identified competition from barred owls as one of two main threats to the northern spotted owl's continued survival (habitat loss is the other). Ray Bosch/USFWS
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Hosts Public Webinars on Proposed Experimental Removal of Barred Owls for the Conservation of the Northern Spotted Owl
During the month of May, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is hosting internet based public webinars on the proposed experimental removal of barred owls in select study areas within the range of the northern spotted owl. The purpose of the studies is to assess the potential negative effects of barred owls on the conservation and recovery of the threatened northern spotted owl, and evaluate the impacts, feasibility, and cost of doing such removal. The webinar includes a summary of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the alternatives being considered, the study areas proposed under each alternative, and the anticipated costs and environmental effects of each alternative. Following the presentation, participants will be provided an opportunity to ask questions and request clarification on the project or the analysis of effects, or any other aspect of the proposed action.
