Vegan News 6.26.13

Growing bison herd thrives at Commerce City wildlife refuge. “A herd of bison continues to thrive at a wildlife refuge in Commerce City, more than six years after being introduced. Eight bison calves have been born this year at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The sprawling open-space area is home to nearly 80 bison, said Tom Ronning, wildlife refuge specialist for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, once a toxic-waste site left from a weapons factory, has become a popular draw for recreation. Recently, federal and state officials marked the end of all major environmental cleanup at the 15,000-acre wildlife refuge, now teeming with bison, prairie dogs, deer and burrowing owls.”

Leopard Killed in Indiana Leaves Wildlife Officials Stumped. “State wildlife officials continued to investigate how a leopard, which was shot last week by a resident in a rural area of southern Indiana, managed to be roaming around an area 20 miles north of Louisville in the first place. Donna Duke, of Charlestown, Ind., said the animal had attacked several cats and dogs in previous days and neighbors originally though the culprit may have been a bobcat, according to WDRB-TV.  Duke said one of her friends spotted a large animal in the shadows pacing near her residence either late June 20 or early June 21, and her friend’s boyfriend grabbed a gun and shot it, Duke told the TV station. After downing the animal and taking photos, they called the Department of Natural Resources, which took the animal to Indianapolis.”

Creating safe passage for wildlife. “Dale Becker can’t believe how many motorists miss seeing the wildlife overpass arcing over U.S. Highway 93 atop Evaro Hill. ‘Maybe we camouflaged it a little too well,’ the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ wildlife manager joked before an aerial survey of the project. And if people don’t notice the big grass-topped ‘Animal’s Bridge,’ they’re not likely to see another 40 underground animal crossings that riddle the roadway in Montana between Evaro and Polson. And they’re not seeing as many deer, bears, mountain lions or moose in their vehicle headlights. In 2011, game cameras documented 22,466 animals moving through the passages. That’s up from 12,022 critters in 2010. The tally included 25 species – grizzly bears, river otters, badgers, elk and bobcats among them.”

Wildlife officials to round up geese in Saltville. “Rounding up geese that can’t fly will hopefully be easier than herding cats as USDA Wildlife Services officials head to Saltville next week to perform this service for the town. Saltville Town Manager Mike Taylor said the approximately 400 Canada geese living in the well fields area outside town are doing tremendous damage to the Saltville Golf Course and causing other problems.’ They’re beautiful and pleasing to watch, but they can get annoying,’ Taylor said. ‘They visit the local farms and eat the corn and other things, and they always leave a little memento.’ Those little mementos of goose droppings can add up to quite a mess, he said.

Photo credit: tantrum_dan via Flickr