Stress From Human Activity Causes Birds to Abandon Nests

by Robert Johns, Cross Posted from American Bird Conservancy

Washington, D.C. – A new study from scientists at Boise State University shows that even bird species considered “tolerant” of human activity, such as American Kestrels, may be adversely impacted by human disturbance to a far greater degree than many had believed.

The study, authored by Erin H. Strasser and Julie A. Heath of Boise State University, was just published in the British Ecological Society’s Journal of Applied Ecology.

A key finding of the study was that American Kestrels nesting in close proximity to roads and developed areas had elevated stress hormones and high rates of nest abandonment – about ten times higher than kestrels in less-developed areas. American Kestrels are small, colorful falcons often seen perched along roadways and are abundant in urban and agricultural areas.

“In the case of the kestrel, the bird is possibly drawn into the urban environment by the abundant nesting and perching opportunities that environment provides and by the improved prey visibility provided by shorter grass. Unfortunately, this dynamic creates an ecological trap as ultimately the stresses caused by human activity lead the bird to abandon nests far more frequently,” said Heath.

Stop Yellowstone’s Plans to Slaughter Wild Buffalo in 2013!

Young buffalo bed down on a frosty winter’s day.

State, federal, and tribal governments — including Yellowstone National Park –are aiming to kill hundreds of wild buffalo this winter through hunting, slaughter, or both. The agencies state that they want to “even the sex ratio” and have placed a heavy target on female buffalo, wanting to kill at least 400 female buffalo.

Yellowstone National Park states that a “skewed sex ratio” has resulted from years of capture and slaughter operations, which have removed more bulls than cows from the population. In other words the government is saying they will slaughter more buffalo to mitigate the impact of slaughtering so many buffalo.

TAKE ACTION to stop Yellowstone’s plans to slaughter before it starts!

Click here to learn more about volunteering with Buffalo Field Campaign – join us on the front lines with the buffalo!

Wild is the Way ~ Roam Free!

Animal activists protest police shooting of bear in Clifton, North Jersey

BY HANNAN ADELY

Cross-posted from here

Animal activists are planning a protest Sunday to condemn the recent fatal shooting of a bear that was seen crossing back and forth on Route 46 in the city of Clifton in North Jersey. The protest will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at the intersection of Clifton and Van Houten avenues in Clifton. Animal activists said police should have used non-lethal methods to deal with the situation Wednesday, when the 79-pound male bear was spotted about 2:30 p.m. near Valley Road.

“We think this was complete overkill or overreaction,” said Elaine Dunn, a member of the Bear Education and Resource Group and a Bloomingdale resident. “This cub did not need to be shot.”

City police said the bear had not exhibited dangerous behavior, but was put down in a wooded area because it was creating a hazardous traffic condition by crossing back and forth on Route 46, near Route 3. Detective Sgt. Robert Bracken said the police’s stance has not changed since the day the bear was shot, when he said police did it because of the risk to the public. “At this time, we have no further comment,” Bracken said.

Activists said police should have waited for workers from the Division of Fish and Wildlife to arrive on the scene so they could tranquilize the bear and relocate it to a safer area. They said a deer or dog caught crossing the road would not have been shot with bullets.

One woman who saw the bear in a parking lot outside the office complex where she works in Little Falls said she was “extremely disappointed” with the police use of force. “This little bear cub was clearly lost and hungry, was crossing the road and not harming anyone,” said Jessica Ciccarelli.

But a spokesman from the state Department of Environmental Protection said Clifton Police followed proper procedures.

“It’s at their discretion,” said spokesman Larry Hajna. “Local law enforcement on the scene — they have to make decisions regarding public safety.”

Hajna said the yearling bear was the same one that was seen earlier in the week at locations in Fairfield, Cedar Grove and North Caldwell, where home video captured the bear taking a dip in a residential pool.

Clifton police said the bear sighting was highly unusual for the city of 82,000. The DEP has about a dozen sightings of bears in urban areas like Clifton each year, Hajna said.

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Photo credit: HBarrison