Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Tuesday 8 augusT 2017

Court keeps Great Lakes wolves on endangered species list

By JOHN FLESHER struck down the plan three “There’s no question the
AP Environmental Writer years later. wolf packs have recov-
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) In a 3-0 ruling Tuesday, a ered,” said Zippy Duvall,
— A federal appeals court panel of the U.S. Court of president of the American
Tuesday retained federal Appeals for the District of Farm Bureau Federation.
protection for gray wolves Columbia Circuit said the “We only wish we could
in the western Great Lakes service had not sufficiently say the same of farms and
region, ruling that the gov- considered important fac- ranches within their reach.”
ernment made crucial er- tors. They included how loss Some members of Con-
rors when it dropped them of historical territory would gress have tried repeat-
from the endangered spe- affect the predator’s re- edly to attach provisions
cies list five years ago. covery and how removing to various bills that would
The court upheld a dis- the Great Lakes popula- “delist” wolves, return
trict judge who overruled tion segment from the en- management responsibili-
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife dangered list would affect ties to the states and bar
Service, which had de- wolves in other parts of the further court challenges.
termined that wolves in nation. The efforts succeeded with
Michigan, Minnesota and As long as wolves are on Northern Rockies wolves
Wisconsin had recovered the protected list, they can- in 2011. But the latest at-
after being shot, trapped not be killed unless human tempt to do likewise with
and poisoned nearly out life is at risk. That means the In this July 16, 2004, file photo, a gray wolf is seen at the Wildlife Great Lakes wolves fizzled
of existence in the previous three states cannot resume Science Center in Forest Lake, Minn. in May when congressional
century. They’ve bounced the hunting and trapping negotiators dropped such
back and now total about seasons they had when a proposal from a spend-
3,800. wolves were under their recent decades. range in the lower 48 states, ing measure.
Even so, courts have sided control. “The second highest court and both the Endangered Rep. Sean Duffy, a Wiscon-
with environmental groups A spokeswoman for the Fish in the nation reaffirmed that Species Act and common sin Republican, urged the
led by the Humane Society and Wildlife Service had no we must do much more to sense tell us we can’t ig- Trump administration to
of the United States, which immediate comment. recover gray wolves be- nore that loss.” appeal the court ruling.
have sued to block the ser- The same court took wolves fore declaring the mission Organizations representing “Our farmers deserve to
vice’s repeated efforts to in Wyoming off the endan- accomplished,” said Noah farmers and ranchers, who be able to protect their
strip wolves in the region gered list in May. Greenwald, endangered want authority to shoot livestock, and they should
of their protected status Environmental advocates species program director wolves preying on live- not suffer because of the
and put states in charge cheered the ruling on at the Center for Biologi- stock, have long pushed to decisions made by an
of them. The service made Great Lakes wolves, say- cal Diversity. “Wolves are drop them from the federal overreaching federal gov-
its latest attempt in 2011. ing they remain vulnerable still missing from more than list, which hunting groups ernment a thousand miles
U.S. Judge Beryl A. Howell despite their comeback in 90 percent of their historic also favor. away,” Duffy said.q

Big, toothy fish found in Nevada chomped prey like sharks

ELKO, Nev. (AP) — A fossil found served vertebrate remains from light on how quickly large, pred- today’s bony fish can no longer
in northeastern Nevada shows a this time-period ever discovered ator species evolved following develop normally” at such a high
newly discovered fish species that in the United States,” said Carlo the Earth’s third mass extinction temperature, researcher said.
scientists believe looked, and ate, Romano of the University of Zurich, that preceded the Triassic period Researchers learned of the fossil
like a shark. lead author of a Journal of Pale- about 250 million years ago. about five years ago after fossil
The fossil is what remains of a ontology article about the find. The evidence shows the fish was collector Jim Jenks of West Jor-
bony, sharp-toothed fish that The fish, which researchers called alive and well about 1 million dan, Utah, stumbled upon it near
would have been about six-feet- Birgeria americana, predates years after mass extinction 66 Winecup Ranch north of Wells.
long (1.83 meters) with long jaws Nevada’s most famous fossil, the million years ago wiped out an “It was just a very lucky find,” said
and layers of sharp teeth. Ichthyosaur, by more than 30 mil- estimated 90 percent of marine Jenks, who was credited among
The type of jaw and teeth on lion years. The Ichthyosaur was a species. It also shows a large fish the paper’s authors. “I happen to
the fish suggest it would have 55-foot-long (16.76 meters) reptile. was surviving in water previously notice the teeth glinting in the sun.
chomped down on its prey be- One of the largest concentrations thought to be too warm to sup- That is what caught my attention.”
fore swallowing it whole, like a of Ichthyosaur fossils was found port such life. At the time, water Jenks turned the fish over to the
shark, the Reno Gazette-Journal near Berlin, Nevada. The find led near the equator, which is where New Mexico Museum of Natu-
reported. to the Ichthyosaur becoming Ne- land that became Nevada was ral History and Science, which
“The surprising find from Elko vada’s state fossil. positioned about 250 million years has a large collection of fossils
County in northeastern Nevada is The Birgeria americana fossil find- ago, could have been warmer and connections with leading
one of the most completely pre- ing is important because it sheds than 96 degrees. “The eggs of researchers.q