Play it safe with Alaska wildlife on JBER

by Mary M. Rall
U.S. Army Alaska Public Affairs Office

4/11/2013 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Being stationed in Alaska is a unique opportunity for many families, and a lot of the spectacular aspects of being stationed at JBER are literally located right in service members' own backyards.

It's not uncommon to come across a moose peeling birch bark off a tree at a residence or to discover a bear dumpster diving in a unit parking lot.

Some become so accustomed to sharing space with wildlife on base that it's easy to forget the danger undomesticated animals may pose.

The uniqueness of being stationed in Alaska is an experience no one should take for granted, but it's equally important to keep safety in mind when wildlife encounters become up close and personal.

Regrettably, base residents sometimes throw caution to the wind and interact with wildlife by feeding untamed animals, which may be perceived as being harmless.
However, it's not a victimless crime, according to Jim Wendland, a conservation law enforcement supervisor with the 673d Civil Engineer Squadron.

"It puts you, your neighbors - basically the whole installation population - at risk," Wendland said, noting that attracting animals to an area with food, deliberately or unintentionally, is not only dangerous, it's against the law.

According to the Government Registry Online Records Retrieval website, the negligent feeding of wildlife by displaying known moose attractants like hay in an accessible location in a yard or leaving unsecured dog food or birdseed out for bears to get into is punishable by a $300 fine.

Intentionally baiting animals into an area with such items is a Class-A misdemeanor that could result in jail time and a fine of as much as $2,000.

It's important to remember that being located on a military installation doesn't make wildlife any less "wild," and creating an unnatural familiarity between humans and animals is a dangerous thing to do.

Despite the fact that an Anchorage Daily News article entitled "85-year-old woman wields shovel to stop moose stomping" detailed how a "tiny but tough" senior citizen prevented a moose stomping her husband to death with the business end of a snow shovel, base residents should always remain cautious when they have any contact with wildlife.
Even a routine act of walking a dog can turn grave if a moose decides attacking a human is in its best interest, as the Jan. 22 article describes.

"Moose pose a real threat at the end of the winter season, because their bodies are stressed due to a lack of food," Wendland said, noting that a moose is more apt to fight than a bear is if its fight-or-flight instinct kicks in - especially if there is a calf with it.
As animals feed in residential areas, they get used to the presence of humans and are more likely to search those familiar areas for food.

After all, it's easier to walk down a plowed street to snack on a tasty wreath on someone's front door than it is to trudge through yards and yards-deep snow to get to a patch of trees.

Too often, base residents make it easy for wildlife to search residential areas for food simply because they don't make an effort to properly secure their trash.
Bears find this particularly attractive.

Bears don't like to work for their food and when a service member leaves trash cans outside, fails to secure dumpsters, or stores garbage in a truck bed, the bears will come.
Just as you might know which aisles in the supermarket carry your favorite cereals or potato chips, a bear can quickly identify the hot spots for scoring an easy meal.

Making a residential area a reliable food source for bears virtually guarantees they will frequent a neighborhood, putting the community and the animal at risk.

According to Wendland, nuisance bears aren't typically relocated, because they almost always return to a dependable food source.

As such, a service member's laziness when it comes to securing trash could result in a bear being destroyed if the animal's frequent foraging in a residential area poses a threat to base residents.

Bear season is also just around the corner, Wendland said.

Bear sightings were confirmed during the last week in April for the last three years - and as early as January in 2009.

"Contrary to what most people believe, bears don't hibernate during a specific time," Wendland said.

The latest spell of unseasonably warm weather in Anchorage could cause bears to start poking their heads out of their dens any day now.

Although bears have a tendency to initially stick close to their lairs following hibernation, he noted, it's only a matter of time until the need for sustenance will cause them to move progressively farther away from the comforts of home in search of food.

With that in mind, the time for service members to put measures in place to discourage bears from browsing what goodies might be hidden in a family's trash is now, rather than after a bear has turned a backyard into an animal's equivalent of a sample session at a local big box store.

No matter how cautious base residents are, though, there are times when Alaska's animals become all but unavoidable, whether they're quenching their thirst with a
residential sprinkler, or taking a break from the rigors of their daily routine in a neighborhood playground.

It's those kind of moments that can be some of the most memorable for families stationed in Alaska, and the temptation to share those experiences with others may cause people to put themselves unnecessarily at risk.

As enticing as it may be to approach wildlife in hopes of populating a social networking site with photos others won't be able to resist checking out, no number of "likes" is worth you and your family's safety.

"It's almost like they look at it like it's the neighborhood dog," Wendland said of bears base residents often seek out to photograph.

He described one instance when several base residents put themselves at risk
by taking pictures less than 30 feet from a brown bear which had killed a young bull moose along a stretch of Ship Creek.

"They got irritated when we asked them to leave for their own safety," Wendland recalled.
Social networking is a wonderful way to remain connected with friends and family members, but it would be a shame if the next status update someone makes is from the emergency room, because he got too close to wildlife for the sake of a picture.

Many animals have become accustomed to the humans dwelling where their den used to be, hiking through the forests where they hunt, or driving cars along the route to their favorite stream, but it's dangerous to mistake their tolerance of humanity for a willingness to participate in a photo shoot.

The safest wild animal is one that can be appreciated from a distance.

A close-up of the eagle hanging out in the trees outside a residence isn't as valuable as a person's safety, so no one should use a wild animal's proximity to justify putting himself at risk.

Instead, residents should get educated on how to safely record their wildlife sightings, a good resource for which is the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website at www.adfg.alaska.gov.

The comprehensive site offers a wealth of information on how to safely observe and photograph wildlife under its "viewing" link, which includes information on observation ethics, how to obtain permits, where and when animals are most apt to be spotted, and detailed safety tips, guides and checklists.

Among the site's recommendations for safely viewing wildlife are giving animals plenty of space, learning how to recognize signs of alarm, how to be respectful of den areas, the importance of leaving orphaned or sick animals alone, why pets should be restrained and how to respectfully share a wildlife viewing opportunity with others who may be outdoors in hopes of having the same experience.

Ensuring the safety of the installation's residents when it comes to wildlife encounters is one everyone on base shares.

The inevitability of those opportunities to experience the state's wildlife make it essential for JBER's residents to be the brightest of the beasts by doing all they can to ensure the safety of the installation's human and animal communities alike.

Sikes Act Anchors DOD’s Conservation Program, Official Says

By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2013 – Military lands serve a critical role in protecting the nation and the nation’s natural resources, the acting deputy undersecretary of defense for environment and installations said here today.

At a hearing before the House Natural Resources Committee’s subcommittee on fisheries, wildlife, oceans and insular affairs to discuss proposed bills to reauthorize and amend the Sikes Act, John Conger said the act serves as the cornerstone of the Defense Department’s Natural Resources Conservation Program.

Because public access to military lands often is restricted, they contain some of the nation’s most significant remaining large tracts of undisturbed natural habitats, he said.

More than 520 species at risk live on the 28 million acres covered by the act, Conger said. “A surprising number of these species are … found nowhere else in the world,” he noted.

First enacted in 1960, the act ensures that sensitive ecosystems on military installations are protected while still allowing the services to use military lands according to their operational needs. “This is an invaluable tool for us,” Conger said. “It has protected our mission in a myriad of different ways.”

The proposed bills would extend the act through fiscal year 2019 and amend it to expand the cases in which federal and state matching funds could be used for conservation efforts. The amendment would give the department more flexibility and foster additional interdepartmental cooperation, Conger said.

The act is a conservation success story, Stephen D. Guertin, deputy director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said in his testimony. Under the act, joint DOD, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state conservation efforts have restored habitats and reduced threats to animal and plant life on military bases, he said.

A 1997 amendment required DOD to complete integrated natural resources management plans, to be reviewed annually, at about 380 military installations in the United States. The plans are prepared in cooperation with the federal and state fish and wildlife agencies, and reviewed by the Fish and Wildlife Service and state agencies every five years. The arrangement allows DOD to capitalize on the expertise of its statutory partners, Guertin said.

“The evolving benefit of the bill is clear,” Conger said. “One of the key successes of the Sikes Act is that it supports and strengthens our partnerships.”

Vandenberg beaches to close for snowy plover nesting season

by 30th Space Wing Public Affairs
30th Space Wing Public Affairs

2/28/2013 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.  -- Vandenberg leadership is scheduled to temporarily close sections of Surf, Wall and Minuteman beaches here Friday.

Beach restrictions are enforced annually on all three beaches March 1 through Sept. 30 to protect the Western Snowy Plover, listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, and its nesting habitat.

"We protect the snowy plover by employing beach closures, predator management and habitat restoration to offset adverse effects of recreational beach use during the breeding season," said Samantha Kaisersatt, 30th Civil Engineer Squadron biological scientist. "Beach closures include a prohibition on dogs, horses and kites."

Seasonal beach violations are limited to 50 for Surf Beach, 10 for Wall Beach, and 10 for Minuteman Beach. Entry into any posted closed area counts as a violation. If the specified violation limit is reached at a particular beach, that entire beach will be closed for the remainder of the nesting season.

Violators of beach restrictions can be fined up to $5,000 in federal court. Violators of the Endangered Species Act (e.g. crushing eggs or chicks) can face fines up to $50,000 in federal court and imprisonment for up to one year.

During plover season, the general public can still find beach access available at a portion of Surf Beach at the end of Highway 246. Recreational beach access is also available at portions of Wall Beach off 35th Street and Minuteman Beach on north base for the Vandenberg community. To ensure continued access to theses beaches, observe and read the posted signage to avoid violations and beach closure.

Vandenberg Natural Resources Office seeks docents this plover season

by Staff Sgt. Erica Picariello
30th Space Wing Public Affairs

2/27/2013 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Vandenberg Natural Resources Office has strengthened their effort to protect a small threatened species' habitat by charging base personnel and local community members to act as docents beginning March 1.

Vandenberg restricts access to all three beaches on base property annually from March 1 through Sept. 30 during the Western Snowy Plover's nesting season, to protect its nests and young.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a docent is an educator, and the word comes from the Latin word, "Docere," meaning, "To teach."

These volunteer docents will do just that - educate beach goers about plover nesting areas and beach rules that change the plover's nesting season, according to the base biological scientist.

"The beach docents will be trained volunteers who maintain a level of expertise about the species and its habitat," said Samantha Kaisersatt, Vandenberg Biological Scientist. "Anybody, military or civilian, can volunteer to be a docent. They will be on the beach, offering information to visitors and letting them know what areas are restricted."

Each year, Vandenberg restricts access to certain sections of the beach where this threatened species likes to nest.

"The Pacific Coast population of the Western Snowy Plover breeds on coastal beaches from southern Washington to Southern Baja California, Mexico," Kaisersatt said. "Preferred breeding habitats include sand spits, dune-backed beaches, unvegetated beach strands, open areas around estuaries, and beaches at river mouths."

Vandenberg is allowed a specific number of violations, which includes entry into any posted closed area, before the beach is closed for the remainder of the season.

Last year, Surf Beach reached 50 violations, its maximum, by July 20. Wall beach was also on the brink of closing with nine out of the 10 allowed violations.

Kaisersatt believes the beach violations can be reduced with these docents patrolling the beaches, increasing awareness about beach rules during the nesting season.

"The volunteer docents will help protect the snowy plovers and increase public awareness," Kaisersatt said. "Docents play an important role in the survival and recovery of this species while helping to maintain recreational access."

Anyone wishing to become a Western Snowy Plover docent can call Samantha Kaisersatt at 805-605-0392.

Sonoran pronghorn continue to thrive

by Teresa Walker
56th Range Management Office

2/22/2013 - LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- An estimated 85 percent of the U.S. population of Sonoran pronghorn died during a severe drought in 2001 and 2002. They inhabit the Barry M. Goldwater Range, an active military range.

Drastic measures were taken to sustain the remaining 21 animals and recover the species. These measures included provision of emergency water sources, developing forage enhancement plots, and building two semicaptive breeding pens, one on the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge built in 2004, and another in King Valley, on the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, built in 2011.

The Sonoran pronghorn is federally listed as an endangered species in 1967, is the fastest land mammal in North America, clocking speeds up to 60 miles per hour. A desert sub-species of the antelope family, the Sonoran pronghorn is smaller and lighter in color than other pronghorn subspecies and is uniquely adapted for survival in harsh desert conditions.

The Sonoran pronghorn population is currently estimated at more than 150 animals, due to the specific actions of many state and federal agencies to bring the animal back from extinction.

Aaron Alvidrez, 56th Range Management Office wildlife biologist said it's been a long road to recovery but the results of all the labor are coming to fruition.

"A lot of hard work and teamwork is needed to implement pronghorn recovery actions," Alvidrez said. "Through teamwork and persistence, we are beginning to see our efforts pay off."

To minimize operational impacts and gain a better understanding of the animals, the 56th RMO goes to great lengths to ensure the safety of the animals.

Contracted biologists are used to survey and monitor for Sonoran pronghorn in known habitat areas prior to any missions taking place on the range. The pronghorn monitors establish the proximity of the animals to target arrays to ensure their safety.

When pronghorn are present, targets are closed based on their type and proximity to the animals; training and inert ordnance targets within 1 kilometer of sightings are closed for the day; and high explosive hills within 1.5 kilometers of sightings are closed for the day. Typically, scheduled missions are diverted to other targets if available, or canceled if no alternate targets are available.

The RMO employs a modified range maintenance schedule to further reduce potential effects on the Sonoran pronghorn during fawning season.

The annual Sonoran pronghorn capture and release operation in December 2012 was a success due to assistance from many agencies including Arizona Game and Fish, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Luke Air Force Base, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma; the Ajo, Yuma, and Wellton Border Patrol Sectors; Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and the Phoenix Zoo.

According to Alvidrez, the pronghorn capture and release process has evolved and the team continues to improve each year.

"For me, the captures are an exciting event with a lot of moving parts," he said. "The use of two helicopters and a large veterinary staff helped to transport multiple animals in a relatively short time. During the three-day event, we handled more than 60 animals and reached our goal of relocating 22 target animals."

The United States and Mexico are currently engaged in an international effort to capture and breed the Sonoran pronghorn for reintroduction into suitable habitats. Capture-breed-transplant actions are considered essential to the survival of the Sonoran pronghorn (commonly referred to as 'antelope') as they are one of the most endangered mammals in the world.

The BMGR is primarily used to train pilots but over the years has expanded its scope to allow some limited ground training. In land mass, the range encompasses more than 1.7 million acres, with the Air Force retaining land management responsibilities for more than a million acres on the eastern portion and the Marines approximately 700,000 acres on the western side. The range stretches from Yuma to beyond Gila Bend and from Interstate 8 south to the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge.

Portions of this article were contributed by Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Colorado Big Game Outfitter Sentenced to Prison for Six Lacey Act Felonies

Big game hunting outfitter Dennis Eugene Rodebaugh, 72, of Meeker, Colo., was sentenced in Denver today to 41 months in prison to be followed by three years supervised release for six felony counts of violating the Lacey Act, announced the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.  District Judge Christine M. Arguello also sentenced Rodebaugh, to pay a $7,500 fine to the Lacey Act reward fund and $37,390 in restitution to the state of Colorado for the value of illegally taken elk and deer.   

Rodebaugh was found guilty by a jury in September 2012 of aiding and abetting six violations of the Lacey Act by providing outfitting and guiding services from salt-baited tree-stands between 2005 and 2007.  Beginning in 1988, Mr. Rodebaugh began offering multi-day elk and deer hunts to out-of-state clients on the White River National Forest through his outfitting business, called “D&S Guide and Outfitter,” for between $1,200 and $1,600. 

Rodebaugh's assistant guide, Brian Kunz, was also sentenced today.  He previously pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of violating the Lacey Act while working for Rodebaugh.  Based on his acceptance of responsibility and the government’s motion for downward departure based on his cooperation, the court sentenced Mr. Kunz to time served (one day) and one year of probation plus a $2,000 fine
Each spring and summer, Mr. Rodebaugh placed hundreds of pounds of salt as bait near the tree-stands from which his clients would hunt deer and elk with archery equipment. The placement and use of salt to aid in the taking of big game is unlawful in Colorado.  The interstate sale of big game outfitting and guiding services for the unlawful taking of big game with the aid of bait constitutes a violation of the Lacey Act.

This case was investigated by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney J. Ronald Sutcliffe and Trial Attorney Mark Romley, of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division.

Members of Rhino Smuggling Ring Arrested and Charged

Chinese Business Executive Arrested After Allegedly Offering Bribe

 

Three people have been charged this week in Newark, Miami and New York City with wildlife smuggling and related charges for their alleged roles in an international rhino horn smuggling ring, the Justice Department announced today.  The arrests and charges are the result of “Operation Crash”, a nationwide effort led by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute those involved in the black market trade of endangered rhinoceros horns.

Federal grand juries in Newark, N.J., and Miami have indicted Zhifei Li, in the international smuggling of rhinoceros horns.  Shusen Wei, a 44 year old Chinese business executive and an associate of Li, has also been charged with offering to bribe a federal agent in the Li case. Qing Wang was charged today in a related criminal complaint in federal court in the Southern District of New York for his role in smuggling libation cups carved from rhinoceros horns from New York to Li via Hong Kong.

According to the indictment filed in Newark on Feb. 11, 2013, Li, a 28 year-old Chinese national, conspired to smuggle more than 20 raw rhinoceros horns from the United States to Hong Kong in 2011 and 2012.  Li wired hundreds of thousands of dollars over at least a year to a co-conspirator in the United States to fund purchases of rhinoceros horns.  Li’s co-conspirator smuggled the rhino horns in porcelain vases and mailed them to Hong Kong and China to a person other than Li, in an effort to evade detection by U.S. officials.  Li and his co-conspirator bought many of the horns in New Jersey from other members of the conspiracy.  Li was arrested in January on charges previously filed in New Jersey.  
   
Li also was indicted on Feb. 12, 2013, in Miami on wildlife trafficking and smuggling charges.  According to court records and government statements made in court, shortly after arriving in Florida in January 2013 for the Original Miami Beach Antique Show, Li purchased two endangered black rhinoceros horns from an undercover U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service agent in a Miami Beach hotel room for $59,000.  Li asked if the undercover officer could procure additional rhinoceros horns and mail them to his company in Hong Kong.
 Also arrested on a related criminal complaint filed in Miami was Shusen Wei, a Chinese business executive, who also was attending the antique show and sharing a hotel room with Li.  According to documents filed in court in Miami, Wei was interviewed by agents after Li’s arrest and admitted to knowing about Li’s smuggling activities and to purchasing rhinoceros carvings from Li that apparently had been purchased in and smuggled from the United States.  After being served with a grand jury subpoena to appear in New Jersey, Wei left Miami for New York en route to China.  Prior to leaving Miami, Wei allegedly asked an undercover informant to invite a FWS special agent out to dinner in Miami and offer her money to assist Li.  After a series of recorded phone calls and text messages, Wei was arrested as he attempted to board a flight bound for China at JFK International Airport in New York on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2013, on charges of bribing a federal official.  According to documents filed in court, Wei proposed that the undercover informant offer the agent as much as $10,000.

Qing Wang is scheduled to appear in court today to face charges in a criminal complaint in the Southern District of New York for his role in smuggling libation cups carved from rhinoceros horns from New York to Li in Hong Kong.  According to documents unsealed today, Wang was one of several that purchased items in the United States for Li.  In China, there is a tradition dating back centuries of intricately carved rhinoceros horn cups .  Drinking from such a cup was believed to bring good health and such carvings are highly prized by collectors. Wang is alleged to have been smuggling rhinoceros horn cups as well as ivory carvings to Li in Hong Kong.    

An indictment or criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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, and all black rhinoceros species are endangered.  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 more than 175 countries around the world to protect fish, wildlife and plants that are or may become imperiled due to the demands of international markets.

Nevertheless, the demand for rhinoceros horn and black market prices have skyrocketed in recent years due to the value that some cultures have placed on ornamental carvings, good luck charms or alleged medicinal purposes, leading to a decimation of the global rhinoceros population.  As a result, rhino populations have declined by more than 90 percent since 1970.  South Africa, for example, has witnessed a rapid escalation in poaching of live animals, rising from 13 in 2007 to more than 618 in 2012.   

Operation Crash (named for the term used to describe a herd of rhinoceros) is an ongoing multi-agency effort to detect, deter and prosecute those engaged in the illegal killing of rhinoceros and the unlawful trafficking of rhinoceros horns.  The investigation resulting in the charges announced today has been conducted by the Special Investigations Unit of the FWS Office of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security.  The Li case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of New Jersey by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O’Leary.  The Wei case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Watts-FitzGerald in the Southern District of Florida. The Wang case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janis Echenberg in the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York.  Senior Trial Attorney Richard A. Udell of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice is assisting in and coordinating all of the prosecutions.  Additional support has been provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York.