Help for hatchlings on the beach

By Airman 1st Class Alex Echols, 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published August 29, 2013

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- Confused, disoriented and covered with sand, a sand-dollar sized sea turtle searches for the sea. Going the wrong way, a giant hand helps it find the hard, damp sand recently wet by waves. It tumbles many times as the tide comes in to greet it, but each time it finds it feet and charges forward determined to reach open water.

The 325th Civil Engineer Squadron Natural Resources specialists monitor and protect the sea turtles who come to Tyndall AFB's beaches to nest. They also compile data for Florida's monitoring system on these nests including where the nests are located, what species of turtles laid the nest and how many successfully hatched out of the nest.

"The overall goal is to recover these species to the point that they are no longer on the endangered species list," said Wendy Jones, awildlife biologist with the 325th CES.

Every spring, there are four species of adult sea turtles that can be seen in the local waters: the loggerhead, which is the most common; the Kemp's ridley; the leatherback; and the green sea turtle. From May to August they lay their nests on Florida beaches.

The female turtles come onto the shore at night to scout a good location for their nest. When she finds her ideal spot, she digs with her back flippers a hole at least two foot deep with the top of the egg clutch roughly 10 inches down from the surface of the sand. After filling the hole with eggs, she camouflages the nest by fluffing the sand above and around it to protect it from predators.

Each turtle lays multiple nests during a season, which hold from 50 to 130 eggs depending on the species and age of the turtle.

"For a turtle to be successful, it really only needs one turtle to grow up and replace it," Jones said.

Depending on the weather, the eggs take an average of 60 days to incubate. A hotter, drier summer hatches the eggs much quicker than a rainier, cooler one.

From incubation to hatching to the crawl to the water, the baby turtles face many threats on their journey to the ocean. Factors such as storms and flooding can wash out the nests and once hatched, lighting attracts the turtles to populated areas like roads. These are big problems for the hatchlings, but their most prevalent threat is predation from birds, ghost crabs, coyotes, sharks and other animals that view baby turtles as food.

To deter beach predators, Natural Resources technicians place a wire screen over the nest with holes that are wide enough for the baby turtles to climb out but narrow enough to prevent the predators from digging the nest up.

Then, they cordon off the nest area to prevent people from disturbing it and to make the nests easier to find for monitoring purposes. At the height of the nesting season, the biologists and their volunteers survey the beach five days a week.

So far this season, they have located 59 nests, which must be checked during each survey. The survey begins at day break and could last several hours depending on what they find.

"Every day is different when you're out there," said Shannon Secco, the lead biological aide with the 325th CES. "You never know what to expect, but you know that when you're out there you try to do your best to help them, and that is a good feeling."

The surveyors comb the beach in search of new nests, identified by the crawl marks the mother leaves in the sand. They also check each identified nest for any sign of predation or if the eggs have hatched.

"When we see the signs the nest has hatched, we wait three days and then we dig it up," Jones said. "The three days allows the turtles a chance to hatch naturally and come out on their own."

Delicacy is the key to the excavation of a nest because there could still be eggs inside that have yet to hatch or turtles who have not yet made it to the surface, said John Jennings, the 325th CES Natural Resources wildlife technician.

"The main thing to keep in mind when digging up a nest is to make sure not to dig into the turtle," Jennings said. "You want to dig out the sand out from around him and then get underneath him and pull him up. You have to try to get underneath him so you're not hurting a little turtle."

Once the surveyors have counted the egg shells, unhatched eggs and baby turtles, they collect the turtles. Finally, they bring the baby turtles to the edge of the shore line and release them one at a time. The turtles may struggle to get their sea legs, but once they navigate their first wave, they disappear into the Gulf. After that, it is up to them to make it to adulthood.

"It really feels like you're helping the little turtles out," Jennings said. "That's what we're out here doing this for, to help the turtle population make a comeback."

Antiques Dealer Pleads Guilty in New York City Federal Court to Wildlife Smuggling Conspiracy

Qiang Wang, a/k/a Jeffrey Wang, a New York antiques dealer, pleaded guilty today in federal court in New York City to conspiracy to smuggle Asian artifacts made from rhinoceros horns and ivory and violate wildlife trafficking laws, announced Robert G. Dreher, the Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice, Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Dan Ashe, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
 
Wang was arrested in February 2013 as part of “Operation Crash,” a nation-wide crackdown in the illegal trafficking in rhinoceros horns, for his role in smuggling libation cups carved from rhinoceros horns from New York to Hong Kong and China.  He pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest of the Southern District of New York.

“Wang and others conspired in an illegal trade that is threatening the future of these species,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Dreher. “This prosecution and continuing investigation should send a clear message to buyers and sellers that we will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who are involved in this devastating trade.” 

“Today’s guilty plea ensures that Qiang Wang, who flouted domestic and international regulations by smuggling artifacts made from an endangered species out of the United States, will be held to account for his crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Bharara.  “This Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to hold to account anyone engaged in this illegal trade.”

“Poaching and profiteering are undermining decades of work by conservationists to stabilize and rebuild rhino and elephant populations,” said Fish and Wildlife Service Director Ashe.  “As this latest guilty plea demonstrates, we continue working with our partners in the United States and overseas to stop the slaughter and crack down on the illegal trafficking that fuels it.”   

According to the information, plea agreement, and statements made during court proceedings:

In China, there is a tradition dating back centuries of intricately carving rhinoceros horn cups.  Drinking from such a cup was believed by some to bring good health, and antique carvings are highly prized by collectors.  Libation cups and other ornamental carvings are particularly sought after in China and in other Asian countries, as well as in the United States.  The escalating value of such items has resulted in an increased demand for rhinoceros horn that has helped fuel a thriving black market, including fake antiques made from recently hunted rhinoceros.   

Between approximately January 2011 and February 2013, Wang conspired with at least two others to smuggle objects containing rhinoceros horn and elephant ivory out of the United States knowing that it was illegal to export such items without required permits.  Due to their dwindling populations, all rhinoceros and elephant species are protected under international trade agreements.  Wang made and used false U.S. Customs Declarations for the packages containing rhinoceros horn and ivory objects in order to conceal the true contents of the packages, and did not declare them to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or U.S. Customs and Border Protection as required under U.S. law and international trade agreements.

Wang, 34, of Flushing, N.Y., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.  Under the terms of the plea agreement, items recovered from Wang’s apartment, including an ivory statute found hidden behind his bed, will be forfeited.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Forrest on Oct. 25, 2013. 

Rhinoceros are an herbivore species of prehistoric origin and one of the largest remaining mega-fauna on earth. They have no known predators other than humans. All species of rhinoceros are protected under United States and international law.  Since 1976, trade in rhinoceros horn has been regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a treaty signed by over 170 countries around the world to protect fish, wildlife, and plants that are or may become imperiled due to the demands of international markets. 

Operation Crash is a continuing investigation being conducted by the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), in coordination with other federal and local law enforcement agencies including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.  A “crash” is the term for a herd of rhinoceros.  Operation Crash is an ongoing effort to detect, deter and prosecute those engaged in the illegal killing of rhinoceros and the unlawful trafficking of rhinoceros horns.

Mr. Bharara and Mr. Dreher commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its outstanding work in this investigation.  They also thanked the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Law Enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance. 

The case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Complex Frauds Unit and the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.  Assistant United States Attorney Janis M. Echenberg and Senior Trial Attorney Richard A. Udell of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section are in charge of the prosecution.

Fly fishing highlights summer for Schriever's single Airmen

by Scott Prater
Schriever Sentinel

7/17/2013 - SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- As 1st Lt. Daniel Arey waded into the South Platte River near Grant, Colo., July 5, he could hardly believe his luck. The veteran fisherman had grown up on the lakes and rivers of southern Maine, but fishing in the Rocky Mountains brought a whole new experience.

As a mid-day sun glimmered off the river's surface he swung his line to and fro like an experienced artist, landing his fly with perfect accuracy. Seconds later, a rainbow trout snatched his bait and the fight was on. The trout began by darting across the river then caught a strong current and raced for his life. Arey pulled and reeled as fast as he could. Stumbling over rocks and plants, he battled for what seemed like hours, but his fight ended in relief only minutes later as he held the magnificent 18-inch long fish in hands.

Seconds later, he dunked the trout back into the rushing river, allowing it to fill its gills. Then he let go and watched it swim away to fight another day.

"We catch and release; that's the rule up here," Arey said. "Besides, the most fun part of fly fishing is actually catching them. And, I don't like the taste of trout."

Schriever Sports and Fitness Manager Seth Cannello was standing nearby and congratulated Arey on his catch, but only for a few seconds. As soon as he turned back toward the river his line stretched taut. And, another fight began.

"I must have got 30 hits on my line throughout the day," Arey said. "I think I caught nine or 10, mostly in the afternoon."

Arey said the trip was the most fun he had fishing since he was kid, something he didn't expect when he signed up for the guided fly-fishing trip a month earlier.

Cannello organized the excursion as part of phase three of Schriever's Single Airman Initiative, an Air Force-wide campaign developed to provide outdoors activities for single and unaccompanied Airmen on base.

"I'm really glad I signed up," Arey said. "You can't beat that high-mountain river fishing. The setting was unbelievable and we were catching world-class fish. A few tourists even took pictures of us."

Cannello joined Arey and three other single Airmen on the guided fishing trip and said the fishing guides were invaluable to the experience.

"We were all experienced fishermen, but the guides knew where the fish were and they knew what they liked to eat," he said. "They also gave us tips on casting and what to do once we got a bite. The river was moving fast so they instructed us to use heavy weights and lines. My line was so heavy it felt like I was slinging rope, but thanks to their direction I was able to cast better later in the day."

The guides also helped fishermen avoid pitfalls, like their fellow fisherman's lines and giant rocks in the river. Arey said his guide rigged a new rod for him in the afternoon.

"I told him I was used to a different type of rod from my days back in Maine, so he pulled something out that I was more familiar with," Arey said. "In the morning I was losing a lot of fish because my hook wasn't setting, but I had a lot more success with the different rod."

The group fished for more than eight hours and all said they couldn't wait to do it again. Arey is planning another trip when family members visit later this summer and said he would use the guide service again.

"This is what the Single Airman Initiative is all about, getting people outdoors and doing activities they wouldn't do or couldn't afford to do on their own," he said. "We've done so many different activities this summer and it would be a shame if Airmen on base don't get to do at least one."

As part of the program, single Airmen have skydived, taken balloon rides, played paintball and hunted turkeys already this summer.

Cannello indicated there are four Single Airman Initiative events left this summer, including whitewater rafting July 26, ATV riding Aug. 9, mountain hiking Sept. 6 and pheasant hunting Sept. 27.

As of now, all events are full, but Cannello said he has been developing waiting lists and that people often drop out. Call 567-6658 to sign up for the wait list on remaining events.

Lost ducks create a quandary

by Scott Prater
Schriever Sentinel

6/13/2013 - SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.  -- When Andy Jensen first heard the news that ducks had been spotted at Schriever, he thought someone must be mistaken.

"We don't have so much as a small pond on base right now, so it was hard to believe we would see any kind of waterfowl here," he said.

A short walk to the west side of the base June 5 revealed the facts, however. When Jensen, 50th Civil Engineer Squadron environmental flight chief, and several other members of the environmental flight arrived at one of the many fences that surround

Schriever, they found an adult mallard and six ducklings roaming around aimlessly.
Jensen estimated the ducklings had hatched only a day earlier. Since they obviously couldn't fly, their mother was attempting to lead them to a water source the only way she knew how, by walking.

"Trapped behind a fence and miles from a water source, the ducklings had little chance of surviving," Jensen said. "The mother must have arrived on base during early May when we still had water in the drainage ditch near the base's west side. She must have built her nest, laid her eggs and waited for them to hatch. By the time they did, the water had dried up."

Kim Young, a Missile Defense Agency employee, spotted the scene first. She arrived at work early in the morning and was heartbroken by what she witnessed. She called Margie Hobson, MDA environmental management representative, who then contacted the 50 CES environmental flight for help.

"Hearing that 90-degree heat was on the horizon and knowing we have many predators on base, the ducks' future seemed grim," Hobson said. "My first hope was that we would be able to round up the mother and her hatchlings and transfer them to a nearby body of water, like Prospect Lake, where other ducks and geese make their home."

Once he surveyed the situation, Jensen contacted the Ellicott Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to get more information on the birds.

The scenario, presented an interesting decision for the environmental flight crew: choose not to interfere and allow nature to take its course or save the birds and risk disrupting a balanced ecosystem.

"I wrestled with the decision in part because we caught some grief for rescuing an owl that fell out of a nest on base a few weeks ago," Jensen said. "The owl had a broken leg, so we know we did the right thing in that situation. As for the ducks, Donna Ralph, owner at EWRC, told me the ducklings most likely wouldn't survive in these conditions, so we knew we had to act quickly if we were going to save them."

Joining Jensen were Al Fernandez, Doug Chase, Pamela Rosinski, Diane Selleny and Capt. Rebecca Freeman. They each carried a net and approached the young duck family as a group.

"Our first tactic was to capture the mother, but as soon as we did that, the ducklings shot through the chain link to the other side," Jensen said. "Once we released her, she reunited the group, but that left us back where we started."

With the mother distressed and still trapped, Jensen and Chase decided to capture the ducklings. Unfortunately, they were unable to capture the mother a second time, thus leading to a bittersweet ending for the mallards.

"After we picked up the young birds, it was hard to watch as the mother flew back in and looked around for them," Jensen said.

Once at the EWRC, the hatchlings health improved dramatically. With fresh water and the caring of adult mallards at the center, Ralph estimates all six hatchlings will survive. She plans to release the birds near Fountain Creek once they're old enough to survive on their own, which should be sometime in September or October.

"Obviously we feel for the mother, but it's some consolation to think she's probably already flown to a water source," Jensen said. "And, she has actually has time to lay more eggs this season."

For more information on what to do when encountering distressed wildlife in the area, contact the 50 CES environmental flight at 567-3360.

African Trophy Hunter Indicted for Violating Endangered Species Act and Lacey Act

Charles Kokesh was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pensacola, Florida, for violating the Endangered Species Act and the Lacey Act by selling two African elephant tusks and for making false accounts of wildlife related to that sale, the Justice Department announced today.

  The three count indictment returned yesterday alleges that Kokesh legally imported a sport-hunted African elephant trophy mount from Namibia, but thereafter illegally sold the two tusks, from New Mexico to a buyer in Florida.  The sale price was approximately $8,100, to be paid in a combination of currency and guns.  After the sale, Kokesh allegedly falsely described that sale, in an email to personnel at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as a shipment to an appraiser in anticipation of a donation to a non-profit entity.  Kokesh similarly falsely accounted for the location and disposition of the tusks in subsequent
correspondence.  Each false account and record is charged under the Lacey Act.

 African elephants are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).  Both the United States and Namibia are signatories to CITES.  African elephant populations in Namibia are listed in Appendix II of CITES, which includes species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction now, but may become so unless trade in specimens of such species is strictly regulated.  Since 2000, the Namibian African elephant listing has specified that the species cannot be used for commercial purposes.

 The United States implements CITES through the Endangered Species Act and regulations issued thereunder.  To implement the CITES prohibition against commercial use of African elephant specimens, regulations issued under the Endangered Species Act proscribe the commercial use, including sale, of sport-hunted African elephant trophies, even if the trophies are legally hunted and imported.

 According to a recent report produced by CITES and partner organizations, entitled “Elephants in the Dust –The African Elephant Crisis,” populations of elephants in Africa are under severe threat as the illegal trade in ivory grows – with the number of elephants killed doubling and the  amount of ivory seized tripling over the last decade.  An estimated 17,000 elephants were illegally killed in 2011 to feed the illegal trade.  More information is available at www.cites.org/eng/news/pr/2013/20130306_ivory.php.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The maximum penalty for the charged violation of the Endangered Species Act is up to six months in prison and a $25,000 fine.  The maximum penalty for making a false statement is up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

 The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.

For more information about CITES visit www.CITES.org.

Wildlife Management at Scott AFB

5/17/2013 - Erica McDonald, U.S. Department of Agriculture wildlife biologist, holds onto a red tail hawk caught on Scott Air Force Base, May 1, 2013. Red tail hawks and other large birds pose a threat to aircraft landing and taking off. If the plane gets close enough and the bird gets hit, the impact can severely damage the engine and the plane will have to be grounded for repairs. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Tristin English)

Smuggling Ring Sentenced in Los Angeles for Criminal Trafficking of Endangered Rhinoceros Horn

Wildlife Agents Seize Hoard of Cash, Jewelry, Gold and Rhino Horn from Defendants

 

Vinh Chuong “Jimmy” Kha, 50, and Felix Kha 26, were sentenced today in federal district court in Los Angeles to serve 42 and 46 months, respectively, in prison for crimes related to illegal international trafficking of rhinoceros horn, announced Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice and André Birotte Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California.

In addition to the prison sentences, the two defendants were ordered to pay a total of $20,000 in criminal fines and pay a $185,000 tax fraud penalty and assessment.  In addition, Jimmy Kha’s Win Lee Corporation was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.  Jimmy and Felix Kha, along with Win Lee Corporation, were also ordered to pay a total of $800,000 in restitution to the Multinational Species Conservation Fund, a statutorily created fund that is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to support international efforts to protect and conserve rhinos and other critically endangered species around the world.  The defendants previously abandoned their portion of interest in $2 million worth of rhino parts and vehicles seized in the investigation.

The Khas are among several individuals charged so far with federal crimes as a result of “Operation Crash,” an ongoing FWS-led investigation of the black market rhino horn trade named for the term used to describe a herd of rhinoceros.

 “The Khas engaged in egregious criminal conduct by taking the horns of a species on the brink of extinction and making millions of dollars in the illegal trade in rhino horns,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.  “The Khas sentence sends a strong message that those who violate the law by illegally trading in rhino horns will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

“The Khas’ smuggling operation fueled international demand and played a significant role in driving the price of rhino horn to nearly $25,000 per pound,” said U.S. Attorney Birotte. “It was that rising value of rhino horn that encouraged ruthless poachers to scour the South African wilderness in search of profits. The Khas played a role in pushing species like the African black rhino to the brink of extinction, which is why we aggressively prosecuted this case and sought lengthy prison terms.”
 
“On average, a rhino is slaughtered in Africa every 11 hours to feed the black market for their horns,” said FWS Director Dan Ashe.  “Criminals in this country who are cashing in on this illegal trade should know that the United States will hold them accountable for their crimes and do everything possible to protect wild populations of rhinos.”
   
On Sept. 14, 2012, the Khas pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, smuggling, wildlife trafficking in violation of the Lacey Act, money laundering and tax fraud, and Win Lee Corporation pleaded guilty to smuggling and wildlife trafficking in violation of the Lacey Act.  In February 2012, at the time of the arrest of Jimmy and Felix Kha, FWS agents seized rhinoceros mounts and horns, $1 million in cash, approximately $1 million in gold ingots, jewelry, watches and precious stones, a 2009 BMW 759 Li Sedan and a 2008 Toyota Forerunner from the defendants and their co-conspirators.  Under the plea agreement, the defendants agreed to the forfeiture of these items, which include nine rhino horns and six rhino feet.  Ultimately, prior to sentencing, the defendants formally abandoned all the wildlife and the instrumentalities of the crimes seized from them (such as the vehicles) to the United States.  The Khas’ portion of the seized cash and gold, proceeds of their illegal activities, will be used to pay the $800,000 in restitution ordered at sentencing.
 
Background on Rhinos
With no known predators other than humans, rhinoceros are a prehistoric species and one of the largest herbivores on earth.  All rhinoceros species are protected under U.S. and international law, and the black rhinoceros is listed as endangered.  Despite national and international protection efforts dating back to 1976, the demand for rhino horn and black market prices have skyrocketed in recent years due to the value that some cultures have placed on the horns for ornamental carvings, good luck charms or alleged medicinal purposes.  This has led to a decimation of the global rhinoceros population, which has declined by more than 90 percent since 1970.  By the peak of the Kha’s wildlife trafficking conspiracy in 2011, 448 wild rhinos had been slaughtered for their horns in South Africa alone.  Between 2007 and the end of 2011, the poaching of wild South African rhinos increased a tragic and astonishing 3,400 percent, rising from a low of 13 animals in 2007 to 448 animals in 2011.

The Criminal Conduct
Over the course of at least two years from January 2010, through February 2012, Jimmy and Felix Kha conspired with individuals throughout the United States to purchase white and black rhinoceros horn despite knowing that these animals were protected by federal law as endangered and threatened species.  Although Jimmy Kha paid, on average, between $5,000 to $7,000 per pound of rhinoceros horn, the horn acquired by the defendants had a fair market value of at least $1 million to $2.5 million.  Under the plea agreement, the defendants admitted that they purchased the horns in order to export them overseas to be sold and made into libation cups or used for traditional medicine; made illegal payments to Vietnamese customs officials to ensure clearance of horn shipments to that country; and knowingly evaded income taxes owed in 2009 and 2010. 

U.S. Attorney Birotte and Assistant Attorney General Moreno commended FWS and its partners for their outstanding work on this investigation.  Assisting agencies included the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph O. Johns and Dennis Mitchell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and Shennie Patel, a Trial Attorney with the Environmental Crimes Section of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.