Wolves, Cormorants & Condors

It's not easy saving the earth and its inhabitants. What happens when cormorants, protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act eat salmon and steelhead protected by the Endangered Species Act? The Oregon Zoo breeds Condor chicks and sends them to California. "The effort to restore the species, nearly extinct in the 1980's has cost tens of millions of dollars." Somebody came up with the bright idea of a multibillion-dollar Southern California wind industry. Would you believe condors and wind turbines don't mix? Will wind farm owners be held criminally liable if a turbine's spinning blades kill a condor? Condors are a federally protected bird. "Will banks and other investors shy away from financing wind projects for fear that the unauthorized "incidental take" to use the legal language of the federal Endangered Species Act, of a cordor could prompt interruptions in the electricity production, or even lead to the shutdown of wind farms?"

Then there's the on going story of OR-7, who's earned international fame for his travels across Oregon, into California, and headed now to Nevada. In 1995 it was decided to reintroduce wolves into Yellowstone park but the wolves didn't understand the boundary system. They moved into Idaho and now into Oregon. This has caused a lot of anger and hard feelings among those who want to save every wolf and those who want to kill every wolf. OR-7 separated himself from his pack in Oregon and went looking for love in all the wrong places. His travels continue to be of interest to the public but California and Nevada have no interest in introducing wolves to their states. California hasn't had wolves in 90 years and Nevada has never had wolves. Oregon wasn't interested either but they are here now. Now what happens? It's all tied up in the courts where it will be argued for years to come. As I said earlier, it's not easy saving the earth and its inhabitants.

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