Illegal turtle farm raid nets massive haul

Posted on August 23, 2018 by admin

By Ryan Gaydos | Fox News

Aug. 23, 2018

The operators of Europe’s largest illegal turtle farm were shell-shocked Thursday during a Spanish police raid that rescued more than 1,100 turtles — including endangered species selling for nearly $12,000 each, officials said.

Mallorca police also seized about 750 eggs, and will end up with many more than that: 200 female turtles were about to lay eggs. Specimens of 14 of the 50 most endangered species in the world were also discovered at the illicit pet farm, officials said.

Some of the most protected species came from the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Video of the turtles were posted on YouTube.

The operation was launched 18 months ago when a shipment of turtles was seized at Mallorca airport, Europol said in a news release. The discovery eventually led them to the farm.

A Barcelona pet shop specializing in exotic animals was allegedly used as a front to smuggle the exotic animals in and out of Spain, officials said.

Six people were arrested between Mallorca and Barcelona in connection with the smuggling, Europol announced.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

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State adopts CWD deer hunting rules

Posted on August 15, 2018 by admin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Times Herald Published 2:53 p.m. ET Aug. 10, 2018

 

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission has approved a set of regulations aimed at slowing the spread of chronic wasting disease, according to a news release from the state Department of Natural Resources.

“We hope that by setting these specific CWD regulations we can limit the movement of this disease in Michigan,” said Vicki Pontz, NRC chairperson. “We appreciate all the comments we have received from across the state. Michigan hunters are very passionate about deer and deer hunting, and I look forward to working with them as we continue to confront this threat to wildlife and our valued hunting tradition.” Continue reading →

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Carp Concerns: Standing Room Only At West Ky. Congressional Hearing

Posted on August 1, 2018 by admin

By Nicole Erwin • Jul 30, 2018

Standing room only at a Congressional hearing on Asian carp at the Lyon County Convention Center. Credit Nicole Erwin/WKMS

 

A congressional hearing on the growing problem of invasive Asian Carp in Kentucky and Tennessee waterways drew a crowd of more than 375 people at the Lyon County Convention Center Friday afternoon. As the event began, community participants continued to stagger into the hearing, lining the walls due to witness a panel provide testimony to Congressional First District Representative James Comer.

Asian carp “threaten direct havoc on our aquatic environments,” Comer said. He lifted a notebook that he said contained “hundreds” of letters from constituents that had written to his office about the pervasive fish. Comer said the letters indicated that not only do Asian carp threaten the economic prosperity that professional fishing tournaments bring to the region each year, but they pose a safety risk as well. Continue reading →

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Missouri Supreme Court shoots down captive deer hunting operations

Posted on July 18, 2018 by admin

 

 

A deer stops grazing to look over a visitor at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at sunrise on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. The animals are plentiful in the early morning hours, eating grass and flowers left behind at graves. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com

By Kurt Erickson St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Jul 3, 2018

JEFFERSON CITY • The state’s highest court bucked Missouri’s captive deer hunting industry Tuesday, saying the state government has a right to regulate the companies in order to control a deadly brain disease affecting the animals. The case involved the owners of hunting preserves who challenged regulations imposed by the Missouri Department of Conservation in 2014 that attempted to crack down on the spread of chronic wasting disease by limiting the importation of deer and elk into the state. Continue reading →

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West Nile virus monitoring in ruffed grouse

Posted on May 21, 2018 by admin

NEWS RELEASE Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

May 21, 2018

 MADISON – A region-wide effort to better understand West Nile virus in ruffed grouse is getting underway in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. “In the Great Lakes Region, West Nile virus has been found in a small number of grouse with no known population-level effects at this point,” said Charlotte Roy, grouse project leader with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “Still, we want to let hunters know we’re in the first steps of monitoring the virus, and we’re planning to do some limited testing of birds this fall.”In 2017, West Nile virus was identified in more ruffed grouse in the Great Lakes states than in the past. The virus has been present in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin for about 17 years. Continue reading →

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