Recently the grey wolf’s return to the Endangered Species List has been the buzz of enviro bloggers everywhere. Several non-profits, including EarthJustice, Defenders of Wildlife, The Sierra Club and the Humane Society, sued the U.S. government over the Administration’s sudden removal, which had apparently been urged by several Wyoming hunters and ranchers.
This victory clearly demonstrates the power of non-profits against the Bush Administration’s industry-bent decisions.
While huge for the non-profits involved, the situation also demonstrates several things: namely, the close ties of industry to these issues; and a species’ vulnerability to it.
The environmental front learned this the hard way with the government’s failure to place polar bears on the Endangered Species List (due, naturally, to oil industry pressure), as such a placement would require protections from habitat damage (read: No ANWR drilling). As an amendment, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allowed what it defined as ‘nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take’ of walruses and polar bears. ‘Take’ in their eyes means to succeed or attempt to ‘harass, hunt, capture, or kill’ either of these animals.
Mother Jones’ Blue Marble hit the nail on the head: ‘Fish and Wildlife has just authorized oil companies to accidentally harass, hunt, and capture polar bears.’
That’s right, accidentally. While the wolf case was a 100% victory, the polar bear one still remains to be corrected. Therefore this species is still extremely vulnerable.
What’s left to muse on is this: If species protection can be taken away by the whinings of a few dissenters, we need to keep our ears and eyes open, and hope that whatever action needs to be taken, it turns out as effective as it proved to be for the wolf campaign.
Disappearing Act: Don't Let Our Endangered Species Slip Away. 