WildEarth Guardians

Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Presidential Pardon Requested for Endangered Western Grouse Species

The request comes on the cusp of the traditional pardon of a Thanksgiving turkey by the President
Contact: WildEarth Guardians

Santa Fe, NM - Nov 22. WildEarth Guardians and nine other conservation and animal protection groupstoday requested that President Bush “pardon” endangered grouse in western North America bygranting them protection under the Endangered Species Act. The request comes on the cusp ofthe traditional pardon of a Thanksgiving turkey by the President. Grouse are related to turkeys,as they are both gallinaceous birds, heavy-bodied, largely ground-feeding species of the orderGalliformes. A video news release on the organizations' request for a pardon of western grouse, "Talkin' Turkey," has been posted on the WildEarth Guardians web site.

“The compassion which marks the Presidential Pardon of the Thanksgiving turkey should beextended to the beautiful and graceful wild grouse of western North America, several of whichare suffering greatly under President Bush’s uncompassionate assault against wildlife and publiclands in the U.S.,” stated Dr. Nicole Rosmarino, Conservation Director for WildEarth Guardians.“We believe there is a moral imperative to protect the diversity of life and to show gratitude forthe wildlife and wildness that enriches our lives,” added Rosmarino.

The request also comes on the heels of yesterday’s decision by the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService to deny federal protection to the Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse. In addition, last week,San Miguel County (CO) and a coalition of conservation groups sued the Service over its denialof protection to the Gunnison Sage-Grouse after unearthing documents which revealed illegalpolitical interference in the Service’s decision.

The organizations urged Bush to marry the 59-year tradition of Presidential Pardons forThanksgiving turkeys with the 33-year tradition, under the Endangered Species Act, of providinga vital safety net for wildlife on the brink of extinction. They warned that federal protectionshould be expedited for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken, Gunnison Sage-Grouse, Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse, Greater Sage-Grouse, and Mono Basin Sage-Grouse in order to avoid the dismalfates of the Heath Hen, a grouse which went extinct in 1932 due to belated protection, and theAttwater’s Prairie-Chicken, which presently numbers less than 100 birds.

The Bush administration has a track record of forestalling listing of imperiled species under theEndangered Species Act. While President Clinton listed 65 species a year during hisadministration, and President George H.W. Bush listed 59 species per year, the George W. Bushadministration has listed only 8-9 species per year, and all of these were compelled by the courts.For species on the brink of extinction, protection delays lead to species declines. According to a2005 report from the Center for Biological Diversity (based on Service data), between 1974-2004, 42 species for which federal protection was long delayed went extinct.

The letter to Bush contended that just as the pardoned turkey will be allowed to live out its life,imperiled western grouse should be allowed to live out their lives, free from threats such ashabitat destruction on public lands from livestock grazing and escalating oil and gasdevelopment.

The groups noted many reasons to protect imperiled grouse species, including:

The spirit of compassion, which marks the Presidential Pardon of the Thanksgivingturkey.

The support of the vast majority of Americans - 86 percent - for a strong EndangeredSpecies Act and their recognition that it provides a vital safety net for the nation’swildlife and plants.

Smart resource planning goes hand in hand with endangered species protection. Intactlands for imperiled grouse will preserve natural ecosystem services, which benefit humancommunities, such as clean water and air.

The moral responsibility to safeguard grouse out of reverence for creation. A plurality offaiths and spiritual foundations underscore the need to preserve life on earth. The moralunderpinnings for this course range from the inherent value of grouse as beings whosemust not be allowed to go extinct to our obligation to future generations of humans toleave a rich natural legacy, rather than squander it for the short-term profit of a few.

WildEarth Guardians was joined in its request for a Presidential Pardon for imperiled grouse speciesby nine organizations throughout the western U.S. including Animal Protection of New Mexico,Animal Protection Institute, Center for Native Ecosystems, Chihuahuan Desert ConservationAlliance, Oregon Natural Desert Association, Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club, SagebrushSea Campaign, Southern Plains Land Trust, and Western Watersheds Project.

The letter is one component of WildEarth Guardians’ “Western Grouse Project” which seeks torestore western grouse species via federal Endangered Species Act listing, designation of Bureauof Land Management administered public lands as “Areas of Critical Environmental Concern,”challenging oil and gas operations in grouse habitat, and other habitat protection and restorationactivities.

Contact Dr. Nicole Rosmarino at 505-699-7404 for further information.