Conservation News ~ December 9 2017

• CDB launches lawsuits against U.S. Federal Government attack on Endangered Species: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2017/species-status-assessment-teams-NOI-12-07-2017.php
• Papua New Guinea gets its largest-ever conservation area: https://news.mongabay.com/2017/12/papua-new-guinea-gets-its-largest-ever-conservation-area/
• India unveils new Wildlife Action Plan: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/india-unveils-third-national-wildlife-action-plan-for-2017-2031/articleshow/60913019.cms
• As S. Carolina bear numbers rise, road encounters increase: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-carolina/articles/2017-12-06/as-s-carolina-bear-numbers-rise-road-encounters-increase
• IUCN adds new species to Red List of Threatened Species: http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/latest-iucn-red-list-of-threatened-species-includes-asian-dolphin-and-finless-porpoise/
• Orangutans have been found to self-medicate: http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/for-the-first-time-ever-orangutans-have-been-proven-to-selfmedicate/
• Narwhals don’t handle stress well: http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/narwhals-dont-handle-stress-well/
• Central Africa’s Lord’s Resistance is decimating iconic species: http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/konys-lords-resistance-army-is-decimating-africas-iconic-species/
• Boston city council approves plastic bag ban: http://www.wcvb.com/article/boston-city-council-approves-plastic-bag-ban/13977895
• Land conflicts increase in Brazil, centered on Rondonia: https://news.mongabay.com/2017/12/they-want-to-occupy-and-take-our-land-land-conflicts-increase-in-brazil/
• Massive Great Lakes Pipeline threatens drinking water of 40 million people: https://projects.jsonline.com/news/2017/11/9/opening-a-wisconsin-spigot.html
• 4 men charged with illegal hunting of mountain lions: http://www.krtv.com/story/36973447/4-men-charged-with-illegal-hunting-of-mountain-lions
• Climate activists delay US gas pipeline approvals: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pipeline-natgas/climate-activists-delay-u-s-gas-pipeline-approvals-regulator-idUSKBN1DU35J
• Drilling in Arctic approved: https://www.ecowatch.com/arctic-oil-anwr-drilling-2513482646.html
• Japan whaling draws fire for possible violation of Intl treaty: CITES: https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan's-whaling-draws-fire-for-possible-violation-of-int'l-treaty
• Top U.S. firms including Walmart and Ford to ignore Feds on climate change: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/dec/01/trump-climate-change-paris-withdrawal-ford-walmart
• Electric cars already cheaper to own and run than petrol or diesel: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/dec/01/electric-cars-already-cheaper-to-own-and-run-than-petrol-or-diesel-study
• The Peel Watershed, heart of the Yukon Territory, is saved: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/12/peel-watershed-yukon-protected-canada-supreme-court-decision-spd/
• Fashion creates more greenhouse pollution than airline industry: https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/wjzeaz/fashion-creates-more-greenhouse-pollution-than-the-airline-industry
• CBD file lawsuit against FEDs for gutting Grand Staircase-Escalante: http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/04/politics/monument-trump-utah-shrink-conservation-tribes-sue/index.html
• US President to gut Bears Ears by 85%, Grand Staircase-Escalante by 50%: https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-utah-national-monuments-2514084239.html
• Hunter dies in Germany after wild boar he was trying to shoot attacked him: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/04/hunter-dies-in-germany-after-wild-boar-he-was-trying-to-shoot-attacked-him
• US Officials drop mining cleanup rule after industry objects: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/us-officials-drop-mining-cleanup-rule-industry-objects-51524226
• Patagonia, REI, and other outdoor retailers protest US decision to shrink Utah monuments: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/business/patagonia-trump-utah.html
• Nations agree to ban fishing in Arctic Ocean for 16 years: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/12/nations-agree-ban-fishing-arctic-ocean-least-16-years
• Ongoing labor abuse found in Pepsi’s Indonesian palm oil plantations: https://www.voanews.com/a/labor-abuse-at-palm-oil-plantations/4148103.html
• Asian dolphins a step closer to extinction: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-wildlife-endangered-list/asian-dolphins-a-step-closer-to-extinction-group-idUSKBN1DZ1G3
• With new peace, Columbia finds hope for saving its wild lands: http://e360.yale.edu/features/with-new-peace-colombia-finds-hope-for-saving-its-wild-lands
• Navajo Nation is suing US Feds for stealing its land: http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/04/politics/monument-trump-utah-shrink-conservation-tribes-sue/index.html
• China has launched world’s first Electric zero-emissions cargo ship: https://sciencealert.com/world-first-completely-electric-cargo-ship-china
• Khmer Police seize nearly one tonne of ivory: http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5094165/police-seize-nearly-one-tonne-ivory/
• Iceland’s new PM is 41-year-old anti-war feminist and environmentalist: http://metro.co.uk/2017/12/02/icelands-new-pm-is-a-41-year-old-anti-war-feminist-and-environmentalist-7126584/
• Peregrine falcon no longer a threatened species in Canada after four decades: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/peregrine-falcon-threatened-species-1.4433052
• Researchers cast doubt on whether killing wolves works: https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local_news/researchers-cast-doubt-on-whether-killing-wolves-works/article_f8746271-9fa1-53d2-9398-50cd7a044272.html
• Canada protected a record stretch of ocean, largest marine reserve: https://www.earthtouchnews.com/conservation/conservation/canada-has-protected-a-record-stretch-of-ocean-these-800-beluga-whales-approve/
• 4 elk illegally shot and killed on private property: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/4-elk-illegally-shot-and-killed-on-private-property-without-permission-1.4432517
• Oliver Schmidt jailed for seven years for Volkswagen emissions scam: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/dec/06/oliver-schmidt-jailed-volkswagen-emissions-scam-seven-years
• Wind energy set to blow past coal in Texas: http://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Wind-power-blows-past-coat-in-Texas-12386751.php
• Northern Brown Kiwi populations are estimated to be growing by over 2% per year: http://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/news/stars-red-list-two-kiwi-species-are-no-longer-endangered
• Senate bill would kick Great Lakes wolves off endangered species list: http://www.care2.com/news/member/100041282/4078992
• UN asserts that we have entered a “planetary crisis” of plastic pollution: https://futurism.com/u-n-asserts-entered-planetary-crisis/
• Zinke recommends two more US national monuments shrunk: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/dec/05/ryan-zinke-national-monuments-cascade-siskiyou-gold-butte
• Indigenous climate action rejects $150,000 award from Aviva Canada due to moral conflict: https://www.indigenousclimateaction.com/single-post/2017/12/06/Indigenous-Climate-Action-rejects-150000-award-from-Aviva-Canada-due-to-moral-conflict-with-Aviva-investments
• Kinder Morgan cleared to start work on Trans Mountain pipeline expansion: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/kinder-morgan-neb-trans-mountain-decision-1.4438461
• Survey of American electorate reveals overwhelming opposition to trophy hunting: https://blog.humanesociety.org/wayne/2017/12/survey-american-electorate-reveals-overwhelming-opposition-trophy-hunting.html
• EPA scuttles rule on mining cleanup funding: http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/362876-epa-scuttles-rule-on-mining-cleanup-funding
• NOAA declares humans are main cause of climate change: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/11/29/barry-myers-trumps-pick-to-run-noaa-declares-humans-are-main-cause-of-climate-change/
• 14 states sue to allege US failed to enforce smog rules: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/14-states-sue-allege-us-failure-enforce-smog-51652671
• Abalone diving prohibited next year to protect population on the brink of collapse: https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/Abalone-diving-prohibited-next-year-to-protect-12413652.php​​