Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council Help Extend Lead-Ammunition Ban to Protect Iconic Birds

LOS ANGELES — A settlement announced today between environmentalists and the State of California will strengthen protections for California condors by placing limits on the use of ammunition containing lead throughout the species’ range.

Lead ammunition is a significant threat to the big birds because they are likely to scavenge prey that has been shot with the heavy metal. Studies show that the cumulative effect of ingesting lead, a process called bioaccumulation, causes reproductive problems and ultimately death for this majestic and endangered bird of prey. Recent reports show a similar problem for grizzly bears in the northern Rockies.

Why get the lead out?
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/get_the_lead_out/index.html

After the Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council, and other groups filed suit, the state Legislature responded by providing substantial protections for the bird through the Ridley-Tree Condor Conservation Act, which limits the use of lead ammunition throughout much of the condors’ range.

Today’s settlement with the California Department of Fish and Game and the California Fish and Game Commission extends these protections by eliminating lead ammunition for depredation hunting. The Commission has also agreed to consider prescribing a similar ban on lead ammunition for the hunting of small mammals that are part of the condors’ diet, such as jackrabbits and opossums. The settlement still requires court approval.

“We’re happy that the State of California is taking this positive step to further protect this iconic species,” said Adam Keats, senior counsel with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Unfortunately, many other species, as well as people, are harmed by lead ammunition every day. So we look forward to working with the state to further these protections and get the lead out of all ammunition.”

“We are all aware of the danger lead poses to humans,” said Damon Nagami, staff attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “We’ve taken the lead out of paint. We’ve taken it out of gas. The science confirms the same threat to condors, so it was time to offer the same kinds of protection for one of this state’s best conservation stories, the endangered California condor.”

CALIFORNIA CONDORS
North America’s largest species of land birds nearly went extinct in the 1980s and ’90s. Thanks to reintroduction, small populations can now be found near the Grand Canyon; in northern Baja California, Mexico; and in western California.

More information is available at:
http://www.savethecondors.org
http://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/habitat/esa/california03.asp

Go Condors! /Gary

Dr. Barry Kipperman, DVM, DACVIM, from VetCare Emergency & Specialist Care Center, Dublin, Calif., sent me some important information about your pets.

Dear Gary:
This is a wonderful time of year during which we give thanks for our blessings and spend time with our friends and family. This usually means travel, and that means your pets are either traveling with you or are being cared for by a neighbor, friend, or family member.

I see the following situation commonly at this time of year.

A caretaker brings in a sick pet that has been ill all night. The animal is collapsed and needs to be hospitalized, but the caretaker is unable or unwilling to authorize responsibility, and the guardians cannot be reached (out of country or on a cruise). The veterinarian cannot legally proceed with any medical intervention without written authorization.

These situations are frustrating for all parties and in the end, it is the animal that suffers.

Please take the following precautions:

** 1. If you travel with your pet, bring all medications he/she may need, and bring some documentation of any health conditions your dog or cat may have, as regular vets often close before, during and after holidays. The more you or your caretaker can inform an out-of-town vet about the health of your loved one, the better his/her medical care will be.

** 2. Ensure that anyone you leave your pet with is prepared/willing to take financial responsibility for any medical care that may be required while you are gone. Another alternative is for you to leave a credit card or credit card # and expiration date behind.

** 3. Ensure your pet caretaker has the ability to contact you: cell phone # and e-mail addresses are a must. Many caretakers with animal emergencies are reluctant to call the guardians when out of the country, out of concern for waking them up. Please be tech-savvy enough to check your e-mail and/or text messages frequently.

The days after Thanksgiving or Christmas, my lobby will be filled with vomiting dogs whose guardians will (reluctantly) confess to having fed their dogs turkey, skin, turkey bones, and other assorted holiday leftovers. Pancreatitis is a serious illness with a high incidence around the holidays. There are safer ways to give thanks that your pet loves you unconditionally — a new chew toy (Nylabone for small dogs, no Greenies, rawhides, or pigs ears!), dog bed, or extra trip to the dog park perhaps.

Chocolate exposure to dogs is very high in the next month. Take care not to leave any chocolate within reach of your dog (or cat!) … not even for a second!

Cats seem to love playing with the ribbon and strings you throw on the floor when you unwrap your presents. Mischievous cats often eat these things and require surgery to remove them when they get stuck in kitty’s intestines. Please be aware of this and discard string and ribbon with care.

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season for you and your pets.
Barry Kipperman, DVM, DACVIM, VetCare Emergency & Specialist Care Center, Dublin, Calif.

Dear Barry & readers:
And a very merry and happy holiday season for you and especially your pets! /Gary

Dear Gary:
About a week ago I was standing in my bedroom when I heard a thump on the window. The shade was partially down so I didn’t see what caused the noise. When I looked out I saw a bird lying on the sidewalk below.

I ran out to see if it was still alive but, unfortunately, it was not. It was an adult mourning dove.

A few days later I pulled the shade up and was shocked and saddened at what I saw. What would cause a bird to fly straight into a window like that?
Ronnie, Walnut Creek

Mourning dove into window by Tony Martarella, Walnut Creek, Calif.

Dear Ronnie:
This is, unfortunately, quite common. I had a dove hit my back window and leave a similar mark on the glass last year.

Something (a hawk?) may have frightened your dove, causing it to swerve into the window. At certain hours of the day when the sun is at just the right angle, some windows are like a mirror, reflecting open sky, trees, etc., and looking like a safe place to fly (until they hit it).

A one-time accident can happen like this on anyone’s window. If it happens again and again on the same window, you may need to modify the reflection by hanging a potted plant in the middle of everything.

If that doesn’t work, try stretching a large piece of that black nylon bird netting in front of the problem window. It’s hard for us humans to see so it doesn’t look bad and the birds will bounce harmlessly off the netting without hitting the window. The bird netting is available at most garden supply stores.

Sorry about the loss of the mourning dove. /Gary

They either can’t read, or don’t care. Knowing magpies, it’s probably the latter.

It’s good to be back. Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! I sure did. /Gary

** I’m taking my annual Thanksgiving Week vacation from Nov. 24-28 and I hope this hilarious video will help keep you amused until I return on Monday, Dec. 1. You have a Happy Thanksgiving yourself! /Gary

As Mike Shatto said, enjoy!

Mike Markarian’s blog — Animals & Politics — on Tuesday (Nov. 18) was about the vet services tax that’s being proposed by Gov. Schwarzenegger. Yes, I didn’t know about this, either.

Markarian is the president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, a non-profit that lobbies for animal welfare legislation and works to elect humane-minded candidates to public office.

If you’re like me and VERY concerned about this, please read on and find out all you can about the “Pet Tax” that Arnold is proposing so you can see what you can do about it. Do you want your vet bill to be considered as “nonessential or luxury services” and be taxed accordingly every time you have to take your pet to the hospital? I hope not.

What follows is an excerpt from Michael Markarian’s blog of Nov. 18. A link follows that so you can click on it and read the rest of his enlightening (and concerned) comments.

Markarian’s blog entry on “Taxing Prognosis for California’s Pets”:
“The current economic crisis has impacted many aspects of our lives, and pets are no exception. Pet food and regular veterinary care are necessities, not luxuries, for the companion animals in our lives, and we can’t skimp on these costs without jeopardizing the health and safety of our pets. Animal shelters are filling up with dogs and cats who were abandoned or relinquished when their families lost their homes due to foreclosures.

“Rather than find solutions to help pet owners during this money crunch, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has found a way to make matters worse. He announced plans to add a sales tax on veterinary services … “

Read the rest here: http://hslf.typepad.com/political_animal/

My biggest concern about this is that a lot of cash-strapped people may decide to stop taking their pets to see their veterinarians to avoid paying the tax. That would NOT be a good thing for the health of their pets. /Gary

Emeryville, CA — Experts with Audubon California today expressed surprise and disappointment that two homeowners associations in Rossmoor have obtained permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to kill up to 50 acorn woodpeckers that are drilling holes in homes to store food.

“Shooting the birds is a drastic and unfortunate step to take,” said Graham Chisholm, director of conservation for Audubon California. “By building homes in oak woodlands, we are put homes squarely in the woodpecker’s habitat, forcing them to find ways to get along. I know these residents feel they have tried everything to persuade the birds to not use residents’ homes, but there are better options.”

Offer of help to Rossmoor:
Chisholm offered Audubon California’s assistance in case the homeowners’ are willing to consider another option. “Acorn woodpeckers will return in months or years, even after Rossmoor kills 50 birds,” he said. “You can’t just kill every acorn woodpecker in the East Bay.”

Acorn woodpeckers are a fairly common and beloved bird in California, and are not on any list of threatened or endangered species. It is a highly social bird that is known to store food in large communal granaries drilled in oaks or other woodland trees. As housing developments have encroached into these woodlands, the creative birds have been known to drill their holes in buildings or other structures.

“It’s no accident that acorn woodpeckers are so popular among California nature enthusiasts,” added Chisholm. “It’s a beautiful, social bird that fills a unique role in the state’s ecology. Nobody wants to see them killed for just doing what they do.”

About Audubon California:
Audubon California is building a better future for California by bringing people together to appreciate, enjoy and protect our spectacular outdoor treasures. With more than 50,000 members in California and an affiliated 49 local Audubon chapters, Audubon California is a field program of the National Audubon Society.

See http://www.ca.audubon.org

Dear Gary:
I love your column and hope you are still coming to Rossmoor on Wednesday.

Unfortunately, your column and the paper in general has touted “Rossmoor” as the evil hunters of the Woodpeckers. Let me explain that the community of Rossmoor is made up of different areas that have control over the actions in their “Mutual.”

The issue of removing the Woodpeckers is the result of that Mutual of 235 homes making that decision, as they have the right to do. Meanwhile the other 6,142 residences in Rossmoor have nothing to do with that decision, nor any control over it.

It’s unfair that the whole community of Rossmoor be made to look foolish and uncaring by the action of a small group of residents. Hopefully the suggestions in your column for getting the woodpeckers to move from the houses will be tried and work.
Nancy Turnier, Resident of First Walnut Creek Mutual, Rossmoor

Nancy:
Sorry about that. I hope people who read this are now aware of the real situation.

Thanks for letting us know. I also hope those Mutuals that want to kill the acorn woodpeckers will get in touch with Brian Murphy of Walnut Creek (925-937-8835) and take Brian up on the FREE offer to put together some acorn woodpecker granaries near the problem Mutuals in an attempt to attract the woodpecker away so they won’t end up being shot.

They should at least give Brian and his great ideas a chance.

Yes, I’m still speaking to the Rossmoor Nature Association on Wednesday afternoon. I’ve had it scheduled for months.

I’ll be talking about common myths associated with urban wildlife. A VERY fascinating subject. /Gary

If you haven’t been following my daily columns about Walnut Creek’s Rossmoor Retirement Community vs. the acorn woodpeckers, you can catch yourself up here on my Friday (Nov. 14) and Sunday (Nov. 16) columns: http://www.contracostatimes.com/garybogue

Basically, a family of acorn woodpeckers have been pecking holes in the upper reaches of a couple of the retirement community’s resident buildings. Rossmoor has obtained a depredation permit from the feds which allows them to shoot 50 acorn woodpeckers.

This, of course, may resolve the problem in the short-term, but long-term, it will start all over again next spring when a new family of woodpeckers moves in.

The end result will be who-knows-how-many acorn woodpeckers get killed over the next who-knows-how-many years? Also, what is the impact to the local ecosystem when you wipe out 50 acorn woodpeckers, a cornerstone species? (Cornerstone species means the holes it drills in trees provide housing, habitat  and food for a large number of species of wildlife in the oak woodland areas around Mount Diablo and beyond.)

As you can see from my columns, I  have suggested a number of what I consider to be better solutions that don’t need the woodpeckers to be killed. My many readers have also responded with some excellent solutions.

Do you have any suggestions? You can add them under comments below. There’s got to be a better way! Let’s have a round of applause for Kat Mulkey of Lafayette, Calif., who e-mailed me the beautiful piece of art above of an “Acorn Woodpecker S.O.S.” Thanks Kat! /Gary

Dear Gary:
OK, we’re not going to take a chess-playing cat lying down. Here’s our dog, Duffy, playing Scrabble with our son Craig and myself back in 1974. He didn’t win too often because his vocabulary was somewhat limited (ride, walk, out, etc.). He did know the word “squirrel” but he couldn’t spell it.
Bob Carlton, Walnut Creek

Dear Bob:
Tell Duffy “it” is spelled I … T. /Gary