U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Winter 2021
s p o t l i g h t Office of Law Enforcement / 10 Back on Native Soil / 12 Turtles’ Best Friend / 16 what’s inside
SPOTLIGHT: Office of features Law Enforcement / 10 Back on Native Soil / 12 10 Splash-backed poison frogs are anything but ‘blue’ as they fly home to Brazil.
By BRYAN LANDRY, ALBERTO J. GONZALEZ and AMY JONACH
Turtles’ Best Friends / 16 Wildlife Inspection Canines save U.S. native turtles and uncover an international smuggling operation.
By AMANDA DICKSON
The Sound of Silence / 18 A scheme to smuggle monitor lizards from the Philippines shows the importance of collaboration to stop wildlife trafficking.
By BRIDGET MACDONALD
Truth in Advertising / 22 16 Wildlife special agents protect Native American culture. By AL BARRUS and AMY JONACH 18 On the cover: Entrance road to Bowdoin MORE FEATURES National Wildlife Refuge in Montana. Showcase / 26 TODD BOONSTRA/USFWS Collaborative conservation shines in CCAST library.
By BEN IKENSON
News / 1 Field Journal / 29 departments Curator’s Corner / 28 Our People / 31
22 26 news
Hunting During the Pandemic: Respite for Families is Boon for Conservation
hile the toll on countless Wfamilies has been catastrophic during the pandemic, the people of this nation are doing their part to slow the spread by social distancing. It’s been a time of adjustment, to say the least, as many typical family activities are under restric- tions in the interest of minimizing the spread.
More and more families are enjoying traditional outdoor activ- ities that come with built-in social distancing measures. Nationwide COURTESY OF JOHN HENDRIX spikes in hunting and fishing and its top priority has been, and of the hunting opportunities (Left) Easton Hendrix with a turkey he license sales for 2020 are unprec- continues to be, the safety of staff during this unprecedented age harvested from Deep Fork National edented, and those sales benefit and visitors. This has meant that of lockdowns. Easton Hendrix, Wildlife Refuge. (Above) Mackenzie statewide conservation. The refuge visitor centers were or 12, was one of 10 youth selected Hendrix, 16, with a flathead catfish she Oklahoma Department of Wildlife are closed to the public. However, to participate in the Deep Fork caught while camping with family. Conservation reports an increase many refuge lands have remained Refuge spring turkey hunt. of around 50 percent in resident open for responsible recreation fishing license purchases. The throughout the pandemic. “The best part of hunting for us is The Hendrix family has middle- use of parks has more than getting the family away from the school- and high-school-age doubled in many cities, driving An important part of the Service’s routine and electronic devices children who are both active in urban residents to seek out less National Wildlife Refuge System’s that take up so much of our competitive athletics. But even crowded places to recreate, and mission is attracting visitors to time. We enjoy the camping and sports with traditionally less this means a win for wildland refuges. When visitors enjoy preparing meals outside,” says contact, such as cross-country conservation. wild spaces like national wildlife Easton’s father, John Hendrix. runs, have been scaled back or refuges, they tend to want to “We see a lot of wildlife every canceled. So for the Hendrixes, “We’re seeing more people keep that place around for future year and we don’t necessarily activities that are intrinsically coming from the Tulsa area. recreation and the enjoyment of have to harvest anything to feel social distanced (hiking, camping, People are going outside the future generations. This also goes like it’s an enjoyable time. When hunting, fishing) have surged in city to recreate and reduce their for refuges that allow hunting we are able to harvest something, popularity recently. Luckily, the risk of catching COVID-19,” says and fishing opportunities. And that’s an added bonus: a source Hendrixes have a family history Supervisory Refuge Specialist in a state such as Oklahoma of pride and potentially some of outdoor recreation. Catherine Bell of the Service, where there are a lot of potential meat for those family meals.” who works at Deep Fork National hunters and anglers with few “My wife and I were married Wildlife Refuge, 50 miles south public lands available, national John Hendrix is a supervisory for 11 years before we had kids, of Tulsa. wildlife refuges are often an oasis wildlife biologist for the Service’s and we spent a lot of that time for outdoorsmen and -women Tulsa Ecological Services Office. hunting,” says John. He says that The Service closely follows amid private ranches and farms. Easton entered the refuge draw his values as a wildlife biologist Center for Disease Control and hunt and was randomly selected go hand-in-hand with his values Prevention, state and local The Hendrix family of Bartlesville, by an Oklahoma Department of as a sportsman. ›› health department guidelines, Oklahoma, benefited from one Wildlife Conservation.
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 1 news
“I have wonderful memories of Brazoria National now Public Waterfowl Hunting Area, hunting and fishing as a boy, and which is a first come, first served I decided from a young age that I Wildlife Refuge hunting area open from 4 a.m. to wanted to work outdoors. When Opens Waterfowl everyone has noon Saturdays, Sundays and I started deer hunting here in the opportunity to experience Wednesdays during the regular Oklahoma in the 1970s, we had Blind for Hunters with waterfowl hunting on the Texas waterfowl season. The site very few deer, and it took me Disabilities coast regardless of their physical features a parking pad with a several years to harvest a buck,” abilities or limitations. We paved walkway, ADA-compliant says Hendrix. “Thanks to habitat he Service and Ducks are proud to work with Ducks wheelchair access and a hunting improvements, Oklahoma is now TUnlimited have announced the Unlimited to offer this opportunity blind large enough to accom- known for its deer. I’m fortunate opening of the first Americans to Texas hunters and look forward modate up to four hunters. to be working in a field where I with Disabilities Act (ADA) to expanding the project to other can help to improve these very compliant waterfowl hunting blind coastal refuges in the future.” “Building an accessible habitats to recover threatened on Texas public coastal lands at waterfowl hunting blind is and endangered species.” Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge. Established in 1966 to provide something we’ve been wanting Completed in September, the new wintering habitat for migratory to do since the Alligator Marsh The national wildlife refuge blind aims to expand opportu- waterfowl and other bird species, Public Waterfowl Hunting Area side of the Service has made nities for hunters with a variety Brazoria Refuge is a popular first opened in 2016,” says Cody extensive expansions to hunting of disabilities. hunting area that offers several Dingee, refuge manager at and fishing opportunities in great opportunities throughout Brazoria Refuge. “The area has recent years. “Our public lands belong to the waterfowl hunting season. gotten pretty popular over the last everyone, but hunters with From the early teal season few years, and every year we’ve “Families like mine appreciate disabilities face a variety of and throughout the rest of the seen an increase in visitation the refuge system opening up challenges accessing and waterfowl season, 15,000 to and heard from hunters that and providing more hunting and navigating these outdoor 20,000 ducks and 10,000 to 15,000 it’s been pretty productive. The fishing opportunities on those spaces,” says Scott Williams, snow geese can be found on the hunting is going to continually get lands that have sustainable project manager for the Service’s refuge. better where the blind is located wildlife populations,” says Coastal Program. “With the because at that specific spot Hendrix. “I think it’s vitally completion of the new ADA The ADA-certified accessible we’re able to go in and manip- important because it keeps compliant hunting blind at waterfowl hunting blind is ulate water levels and do field youth interested in this field, it Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, located on the Alligator Marsh work to improve it.” keeps them interested in outdoor activities as family traditions, and keeping conservation efforts going.” n The hunting blind can accommodate up to AL BARRUS, External Affairs, four hunters. Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas Gulf and Lower Colorado Basin Regions USFWS
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Texas has the second largest “As lifelong Texans, Debbie and number of individuals with I are committed to improving the disabilities in the United States, quality of life for all citizens,” with 11.7 percent of the general says Matt Doyle. “Opening up population and 23 percent of the areas and making them acces- veteran population reporting sible to all hunters is an important a disability. Ducks Unlimited part of that commitment.” Regional Biologist Kevin Hartke says due to limited accessible The team also contracted the facilities, Texans with disabilities construction of the blind through face even more challenges than a disabled veteran business
the general public in accessing owner, Christopher “Tipper” COURTESY OF CDFW public hunting lands in the state. Esponge. ‘Harvest Huddle Brian Young, CDFW’s Fishing in the “There are not a whole lot of “Having a place to hunt that is City program, shares tips and tricks for public lands out there available easily accessible is important to Hours’ Aim to Inspire a beginner anglers. for hunting, and when you think people of all abilities,” Esponge New Flock of Hunters, about people with disabilities, the says. “As a fellow hunter, it was Anglers actual availability of public lands important to me that others would Benedet says that one of the where those folks can enjoy be able to enjoy the sport I love most challenging barriers to outdoor activities and hunting is so much.” ovice hunters, anglers increasing participation is a lack very small,” Hartke says. “This Nand even foragers—yes, of programming for beginner is something the refuges really No fees are charged and no foragers—have a new venue to adults that is also socially and need to make hunting more special use permits are required learn the basics of these outdoor generationally relevant, not available to a larger group of for hunting waterfowl in the recreation experiences without gender-specific, and available to folks, including those who have designated areas on Brazoria the intimidation factor that can a wide geographic and socioeco- disabilities. It’s a perfect fit for Refuge, but all migratory be associated with picking up an nomic audience. [Ducks Unlimited]…a lot of our game bird hunters must have outdoor sport such as hunting or constituents are waterfowl a valid Texas hunting license fishing. In August, the California “The Harvest Huddle Hours are hunters and we support trying to and migratory game bird Department of Fish and Wildlife virtual, open to everyone, and the provide as much public access as endorsement. All waterfowl (CDFW) began offering free content focuses on beginning possible to everybody.” hunters 16 years of age and older virtual “Harvest Huddle Hours” adult participants who do not must also have a valid Federal as a pilot program to help those come from hunting and fishing The Service’s Coastal Program Migratory Bird Hunting and interested in pursuing hunting, families,” Benedet says. “The and Ducks Unlimited teamed Conservation Stamp and Harvest fishing or foraging, but don’t know virtual platform allows anyone up to help fund the project, but Information (HIP) Certification. n where to begin. with access to an Internet building a hunting blind that connection to show up, learn and meets Americans with Disabilities AUBRY BUZEK, External Affairs, The Harvest Huddle Hours are ask questions without the intimi- Act design standards is much Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas Gulf and one small part of CDFW’s answer dation factor of feeling out of more expensive than building an Lower Colorado Basin Regions to the nationwide recruit, retain, place or worrying about fitting in. everyday hunting blind. To secure reactivate, or R3, effort to reverse It really is just about connecting additional funding for the project, the decline in hunting, fishing people and humanizing the Ducks Unlimited reached out to and shooting sports. The Service obstacles of starting something private donors Matt and Debbie has participated in the devel- new, of learning a new skill set.” Doyle, who Hartke says, “were opment and now implementation integral in getting this project off of CDFW’s R3 effort through both Those lucky enough to get a the ground.” Wildlife Restoration and Sport spot at the popular events have Fish Restoration grants. learned how to get started fishing in California; basic hunting and “CDFW’s R3 effort is about fishing terminology and laws; and turning barriers to participating the basics of foraging for wild in hunting, fishing and shooting food in California. ›› sports activities into oppor- tunities,” says Jen Benedet, CDFW’s R3 coordinator.
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 3 news
The Huddles are done for 2020, Service Launches Electronic Permitting System but you can watch them at
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Cyber Cows: Are minutes, they seemed to not notice the collars. Virtual Fences the Future for Livestock There are two zones that help keep the cows in range, and Operations? ranchers can set the width of COURTESY OF LEO BARTHELMESS each. The first zone is auditory ave you ever been walking How can we address both of Collared cow on a spring pasture. stimulation (the cows hear a Halong, and a fence stops these issues? Virtual Fences. tone). If they continue through the you in your tracks? That’s a real Livestock collars that use cellular first zone into the second zone, problem for big game species networks and satellite positioning Vence (the virtual fence company, the cows receive a mild shock. such as pronghorn, mule deer technology can create a virtual get it?) first had to set up base The cows learn quickly to avoid and elk as they migrate across fence, which contains livestock stations, which are designed to the shock, and more than 95 the West’s sagebrush country without the need for a physical give continuous cell coverage percent responded to audio only and grasslands. Livestock fences barrier. across the property for communi- within a day or two. can be particularly disruptive of cation with the collars. daily movement patterns, long- With funding from the Secretary Virtual fencing at Barthelmess distance migration and landscape of the Interior’s Order for Big Then, volunteers assembled Ranch has allowed the cattle to connectivity for these big game Game Migration and Winter collars for each of the 400 cattle run together as one large herd species. These animals can also Range, the Service worked with and fitted them on the cattle to increase stock density, reduce become entangled and sustain a ranch in Montana to test out using a hydraulic livestock chute. grazing periods (creating more injuries while trying to cross the virtual fencing for its herd of 400 The chute allowed for safe, quick rest periods for the pasture) fences. cattle. handling that is comfortable and strategically target invasive and minimally stressful for vegetation across the entire But we need fences. Fences Barthelmess Ranch, a cattle and the animals. Each cow spent ranch. allow ranchers to rotate their sheep operation in Montana that between one and five minutes in livestock, which can improve soil spans 25,000 acres, was planning the chute for its “fitting.” Collars Wildlife habitat should be health and pasture productivity. to add a significant amount were sized to minimize any significantly improved with better Without fences, rangelands can of fencing to improve grazing discomfort to the animals and and more forage, increased soil deteriorate, leading to reduced intensity and shorten the amount keep the collars from slipping off. health, a reduction of weeds habitat quality for grassland of time their cattle spent in any and non-native plant species, wildlife as well as livestock. given place. When they heard Once the cattle were fitted with increased availability of water, about the virtual fence project, their collars, the herd went back reduced impacts on areas they were excited to give it a try. out to the pasture. After a few near rivers and streams, and a reduction of physical barriers to migratory species.
In partnership with the Ranchers Welcome Martha Williams Stewardship Alliance, this project will be showcased extensively Martha Williams has been named Principal Deputy Director of and openly within the community the Service. Growing up on a farm, Martha gained an appreciation and to the public as an example for place and all that comprises it. This passion led her to the of innovative grazing system wild places of the West where she focused on public lands and design. n
wildlife — first as attorney for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, then as Deputy Solicitor Parks and Wildlife BRYNN GARNER, External Affairs, and at the Department of the Interior, as a professor at the Blewett MARISA SATHER, Partners for Fish School of Law at the University of Montana, and most recently and Wildlife Program, Missouri Basin again at the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks as and Upper Colorado Basin Regions its Director.
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 5 news
Service’s Rebecca To have you hold me in such esteem is just such an honor. Chuck Named an Thank you. … What an honor.” Honorary U.S. Marine “Semper Fidelis, young lady. for Commitment Welcome aboard, Marine,” Sgt. to Veterans Fox added, his voice cracking with emotion. ebecca Chuck had an Rextremely important mission “Always faithful is the Marine in June 2019. Corps motto and that is descriptive of Rebecca in her She was the Honor Flight attention to her job, the U.S. Fish guardian for retired Marine and Wildlife Service’s mission, Sgt. First Class Edgar Fox during to her community and her family, the 77th anniversary of Battle and in her remarkable connection of Midway Commemoration on with Sgt. Fox,” said Robyn June 4, 2019, at the Midway Thorson, Regional Director for Atoll National Wildlife Refuge the Service’s Columbia Pacific and Battle of Midway National FOX COURTESY OF SGT. Northwest and Pacific Islands Memorial. Regions. “Sgt. Fox, it is an honor and where so many of his friends Sgt. Edgar Fox was so impressed by the to be in your presence and we As the Service representative, and comrades died protecting work and professionalism of Rebecca struggle to find sufficient words Chuck accompanied Sgt. Fox freedom. Chuck was there with Chuck during two trips to Battle of for our profound thanks for your and his daughter from Hawaii for him on both visits, and they Midway commemorations that he made service. You have bestowed on a return to Midway Atoll, some forged a lasting friendship. it his mission to get a special award Rebecca a recognition befitting 1,300 miles west of Honolulu in for her. her excellence and reflecting the Pacific Ocean. He was the only Marine survivor yours. Thank you, Sgt. Fox, and able to attend the 77th commem- congratulations, Rebecca.” Sgt. Fox’s first trip to Midway oration in person. was in 1941. During the Battle On that day, Chuck, the deputy Sgt. Fox also served with the 5th of Midway on June 4-6, 1942, “I don’t know how to express how project leader at Oregon Coast Marine Division on Iwo Jima in he found himself in a pillbox on I felt as Mrs. Chuck stepped up National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 1945 and retired from the military the south shore of Midway Atoll, to the podium and read a poem was named an Honorary Marine. in 1966, The Honorary Marine desperately fighting to prevent for the commemoration,” Sgt. Fox The title of “Honorary Marine” is presentation was the culmi- the Japanese from occupying or said. “At each pause, Mrs. Chuck one of the highest compliments nation of Sgt. Fox’s mission to destroying its naval and air force glanced in my direction. When the U.S. Marine Corps can give acknowledge Chuck. base. Sgt. Fox and other brave she finished and walked from to a civilian, and it has been Sailors, Airmen and Marines laid the podium, she approached me bestowed on fewer than 100 “This is a rare award for someone their lives on the line against and asked if she could give me a people since its inception in 2003. whom this Marine Corps veteran repeated attacks. In the end, the hug. I am unable to express the has the greatest respect,” he U.S. forces triumphed against respect Mrs. Chuck offered to me “Oh my goodness,” said a said. n seemingly impossible odds, and it that moment.” surprised Chuck, choking back was a turning point of World War tears during the award ceremony. BRENT LAWRENCE, External Affairs, II in the Pacific. Once he was back home in “It has been my honor ever since Columbia Pacific Northwest Region Springfield, Missouri, Sgt. Fox I was chosen to escort you on the Going to Midway for the 75th had a new mission: find a way 75th. It has been my privilege to anniversary in 2017 and again for to honor Chuck. The sergeant get to know you, and get to know the 77th anniversary in 2019 were attacked his mission with the about your whole life and service. exceptionally meaningful to Sgt. bulldog-like tenacity of a Marine To adopt you into my family, not Fox, as he was able to visit the before it all came to fruition on just the U.S. Fish and Wildlife exact locations where he fought Nov. 10, 2020, the 245th birthday Service family, but my family. of the U.S. Marine Corps.
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Federal Wildlife Canine Team Locates Key Evidence in Whooping Crane Case
The knife found by Cajun, which federal magistrate sentencing was used to cut through the bird’s the defendant said that prison leg to remove the bands and confinement was appropriate, transmitters, matched a knife set but it was withheld due to the in the suspect’s house. pandemic.
The defendant initially pleaded Federal Wildlife Canine Teams not guilty during his arraignment spend countless hours training in in federal court for violating the skill of locating evidence from the Lacey Act. In light of the wildlife crime. These skills are evidence, he later entered into unique and highly sought after a plea agreement with the U.S. in wildlife crime investigations. Attorney’s Office. The defendant Federal Wildlife Canines and the was sentenced on July 30, 2020, Service National Canine Unit for violating the Endangered are among only a very elite few Species and Lacey acts. He was that involve this much time and
USFWS ordered to pay a $10,000 fine dedication to finding evidence plus $25,000 in restitution and from wildlife crimes. Without the ederal Wildlife Canine Officer Federal Wildlife Canine Cajun after a serve 360 hours of community efforts of Hoag and Cajun, key FChris Hoag and Federal successful search. service. He was also banned from evidence may never have been Wildlife Canine Cajun assisted hunting for up to five years. The located in this case. n with an investigation of two poached endangered whooping cranes that over the summer led The whooping crane is among Old Hand to the toughest sentence ever in the world’s rarest birds and the Louisiana for a crime involving largest crane in North America. one of these birds. There are only 850 or so alive today, and they are all descen- In May 2016, an alert was dants from an original 15 that received by Louisiana personnel lived in coastal Texas in the from a GPS transmitter that 1940s. The cranes are about 5 led them to a location where feet tall, white with black wingtips they found two killed whooping and have nearly featherless red cranes. One of the bird’s legs had caps. been cut off, and the bands and transmitters were missing. A Service special agent requested help from Hoag and Investigating the deaths were Cajun to find evidence. The the Service Office of Law canine team turned up a kitchen Enforcement and the Louisiana knife, a spent rifle casing and Department of Wildlife & a severed whooping crane Fisheries. foot. Agents found the missing transmitters. These key pieces of evidence were linked to a suspect. JON BRACK/FRIENDS OF MIDWAY ATOLL NWR ATOLL JON BRACK/FRIENDS OF MIDWAY Wisdom, a moli (Laysan albatross), returned to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial, and the world’s oldest known, banded wild bird is incubating her newest egg.
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 7 news
OFFICE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT The West Indian manatee is a large, aquatic mammal whose range runs from the south- Officers Rescue eastern United States through Couple from Sinking northeastern South America. The manatee is protected in Boat the United States under the Endangered Species Act as he Atlantic Intracoastal threatened and by the Marine TWaterway (ICW) wanders Mammal Protection Act. down Florida’s eastern coast and is a popular avenue for boats and The water in the area is usually a great place to see manatees, calm, but according to Lowe, the “belle” of the Florida marsh- the conditions on that day were lands. Tasked with protecting extremely rough and dangerous. the manatee in these waters “There were three-foot seas, and are Service Conservation Law the increased boat traffic made Enforcement Officers (CLEOs) it like a washing machine,” Lowe such as Jason Lowe. Lowe has says. been patrolling the ICW for more than five years, and this During the parade, Lowe spotted past June he found himself not a 17-foot bass boat stalled and rescuing a manatee but two not moving. Thinking this was people on a sinking boat. troubling, he pointed this out to Stelzer who replied, “Hey, we On June 20, an estimated 2,000 have to get over there. That boat boats were taking part in a boat is sinking.” parade on the ICW near Cocoa, Florida. Lowe and Florida Fish and Lowe and Stelzer immediately Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to the boat and (FWC) Officer Nick Stelzer were discovered a husband and wife watching the crowd from Lowe’s who needed help. When the patrol boat. officers arrived, another boat was trying to help, but the couple’s “Due to the volume of traffic, boat was sinking fast. The water government officials wanted was already up to the couple’s
JIM VALADE/USFWS lots of law enforcement in the thighs and rising quickly. “We area because it’s a Manatee pulled up and Officer Stelzer Slow speeds in a Manatee Protection Zone,” Lowe says. “We were just threw them a life ring,” Lowe Zone are meant to protect the manatees watching everyone making sure says. “The couple was panicking. from boat strikes. speed limits were observed.” Everything was happening so quickly, and they were not able to In a Manatee Protection Zone, grab the life ring. When we saw which are designated by the that one of them wasn’t wearing Service, FWC and others, strict a life vest, we knew we have to speed limits are enforced to act fast.” protect manatees from boat strikes and to keep distance between people and the animals. One of the biggest threats to manatees is watercraft collisions. ››
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The two officers maneuvered close enough to grab the man and get him onto the Service’s vessel. He immediately told the officers that his wife couldn’t swim. At this point, she was completely in the water, and her life jacket was not secured properly.
Lowe grabbed the woman by one hand, while Stelzer grabbed the other. Together, the two were able to pull her to the back of their vessel to a dive ladder that is used to get in and out of the water. The waves and stress of the situation made it difficult for the woman to get into the boat.
“She was having trouble getting her feet onto the ladder,” Lowe says. “A big wave hit her from behind and she was lifted up. We were finally able to pull her into the back of the boat. In spite of the rough water, we held her tightly and were not going to let her go. She needed our help, USFWS and we were determined to save her life.” MacGyver Would Be Proud Using paperclips, epoxy and zip-ties, the Service, U.S. Marine Corps and Turtle Island teamed up Overall, the entire rescue only to treat a desert tortoise with a cracked shell that was hit by a vehicle. She was also pregnant and laid took a few minutes, but as soon five eggs. The hatchlings will be re-introduced to the wild once they are large enough. Mother “Zip- as the couple was safely on tie” will be rehabbed until she is healed and healthy enough to be released back to the wild. board the Service vessel, they Then she’ll be released in the vicinity of where she was found...but away from the road! watched their boat completely sink. The officers provided them with life jackets, ensured the jackets were properly fastened, growing up in Florida, the training Lowe says an important factor calmed the couple and then and experience really came in to the success of the rescue was called for medical support. “We handy.” that the woman was wearing a took them back to the closest life jacket. He recommends that dock and had EMS meet us at “This rescue is shared with any time you are on the water, there just to be safe,” Lowe says. Officer Stelzer.…Having our make sure everyone onboard interagency partners is vital,” is wearing life vests properly. n The couple had a few minor Lowe says. “I couldn’t have done cuts and bruises, but thankfully the rescue without him, and I JEREMIAH MCDANIEL, Office of both made it out of the situation couldn’t have gotten her on board Law Enforcement, California-Great relatively unscathed. “You have without his help.” Basin Region to act quickly because lives are at stake,” Lowe says. “I have thousands of hours on the water. Being in the Coast Guard and
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 9 spotlight: office of law enforcement
Operation Hidden Mitten resulted in more than 14,000 live mitten crabs seized from 137 illegal shipments. Some of the seized crabs are seen here. (Below) Heads of seized big cats sit on shelves at the National Wildlife Property Repository. RYAN MOEHRING/USFWS RYAN
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Officers contribute OFFICE OF LAW to virtually every aspect of wildlife ENFORCEMENT conservation. Many federal laws, such as the Endangered Species Act and the Lacey Act, protect wildlife. The role of the Service’s Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) is to provide effective enforcement of those laws. (Another branch of the Service, which Fish & Wildlife News will tackle in a future issue, centers on protecting wildlife and habitat on national wildlife refuges and making refuges safe places for staff and visitors.)
You will find OLE staff throughout the country, Expected, right? That’s what law enforcement and the world, contributing to virtually every aspect does. But they’re also: of wildlife conservation. Some of their key work includes: n Using cutting-edge science to analyze evidence and solve wildlife crimes at the only full-service lab n Breaking up international and domestic smuggling in the world dedicated to crimes against wildlife, rings that target imperiled animals, n Training other federal, state, tribal and foreign n Preventing the unlawful commercial exploitation law enforcement officers of protected U.S. species, n Helping Americans understand and obey wildlife n Inspecting wildlife shipments to ensure compliance protections laws, in part by maintaining the National with laws and treaties and detect illegal trade, Wildlife Property Repository, which supplies abandoned and forfeited wildlife items to schools, n Working with international counterparts to combat universities, museums, and non-government illegal trafficking in protected species, organizations for public education, and n Protecting wildlife from environmental hazards n Operating the National Eagle Repository, which and safeguarding critical habitat for endangered meets the needs of Native Americans for eagles and species, and eagle feathers for religious use. n Working with states to protect game species Like the Service itself, to accomplish all that, from illegal take and preserve legitimate hunting OLE relies on partnerships with federal, state, opportunities. tribal and foreign enforcement agencies and other conservation groups.
The following stories offer just a glimpse at a few of their major cases. ››
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 11 spotlight: office of law enforcement
BACK ON NATIVE SOIL
Splash-backed poison frogs are anything but ‘blue’ as they fly home to Brazil.
By BRYAN LANDRY, ALBERTO J. GONZALEZ and AMY JONACH
ALBERTO J. GONZALEZ/USFWS
(Above) Scientists discovered the rare blue morph coloration of splash-backed poison frogs in 2012. (Right) Disney provided expert care of the seized frogs for almost three years in a private quarantine room.
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In September, Service wildlife inspectors carefully placed a container as “blue galacts.” In fact, within only of splash-backed poison frogs on a plane to their native country, a few months after the publication of the scientific paper announcing their Brazil, a very happy ending to their amazing journey around the world, discovery, numerous individual blue frogs were available for sale in many European complete with a stay at Disney World. countries.
In late 2017, a commercial import of eturning wildlife to their country of captivity without express permissions live splash-backed poison frogs arrived Rorigin is uncommon because numerous from the Brazilian Institute of the from Europe at the Miami International factors must be met. For example, the Environment and Renewable Natural Airport. Service wildlife inspectors animals must be well-cared-for in the Resources (IBAMA), the environmental examined the frogs and the associated United States and disease-free. Most authority in Brazil and the counterpart documents, which included CITES importantly, the home country must be to the Service’s Division of Management permits from the European country of able to accept them back. It also involves Authority. export. In this specific shipment, 22 frogs much coordination and diplomacy between had the blue coloration—the others were countries and partners, not to mention “Brazil is one of the world’s five orange and red. international legalities. The frogs will live megadiverse countries. This type of at São Paulo Zoo. Animals recovered from initiative shows the importance of Wildlife inspectors are our nation’s poachers often aren’t returned to the wild adopting measures to protect animals front-line defense in the fight against because of concerns about what they were and of bilateral cooperation to carry wildlife trafficking. These highly trained exposed to in captivity. out operations such as this one,” says professionals facilitate the legal wildlife IBAMA’s President Eduardo Bim. “We trade, while keeping a vigilant eye out for The incredible story of this rare blue are committed to the relentless fight illegal wildlife being smuggled into and out morph coloration of splash-backed poison against international wildlife trafficking.” of the United States. They enforce U.S. frogs (Adelphobates galactonotus) of the federal laws that protect wildlife and family Dendrobatidae started back in Typically, IBAMA grants export plants and can identify wildlife species. 2012 when their population was discovered permission of this frog species only to by scientists in an isolated remote area of scientific institutions—even the scientific Knowing Brazil never allows export of Brazil. specimens exported were not live—and it the blue morphs, wildlife inspectors held has never allowed export of this rare blue the shipment and worked closely with Splash-backed poison frogs are important morph for any reason. Therefore, the IBAMA to determine the frogs’ legality. to the health of the Amazon rainforest, origin of any live Adelphobates species It was discovered that the frogs had been modern medicine and Brazil’s indigenous found outside of Brazil must be unlawful. illegally collected from the wild in Brazil, peoples. These frogs are bioindicators, They are also protected internationally trafficked to Europe, and then imported which means scientists use them to under the Convention on the International into the United States using false measure the health of the environment Trade in Endangered Species of Flora paperwork in an attempt to evade law both on land and in water. In support of and Fauna (CITES), an international enforcement. modern medicine, scientists have found treaty to prevent species from becoming more than 200 beneficial alkaloids in the endangered or extinct because of Ultimately, Miami wildlife inspectors skin of amphibians that may be used as a international trade. seized the frogs under CITES and the morphine replacement, antibiotics and as U.S. Lacey Act, a powerful law that among post-surgery healing treatments. These These colorful and unique frogs are highly other protections, prohibits the trafficking frogs can also excrete poisons in order to sought after in the pet trade and face of wildlife taken, possessed or transported protect themselves in the wild. Some of global pressure from wildlife traffickers in violation of tribal, state, federal and Brazil’s indigenous peoples use these who illegally obtain and trade them via international laws. Once the Service seizes toxins to coat their darts and arrowheads the web and social media. Until the live wildlife, it needs to find places to care, to support their subsistence hunting. discovery of the blue coloration, most of and often rehabilitate, the wildlife while the splash-backed poison frogs in the pet an investigation is conducted. Animals are To protect these rare frogs, Brazil made it trade had red, orange or yellow coloration. placed into temporary holding facilities illegal to remove the Adelphobates species News about the discovery of these rare either with the Service or one of our ›› from their native habitat, sell them blue morphs traveled quickly and they commercially or even possess them in became extremely sought after by collectors, who refer to these blue frogs
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 13 spotlight: office of law enforcement
partners such as a zoo, aquarium or a “I’m really glad this operation was nonprofit wildlife rescue center. Once the successful. Many people don’t know it, but investigation finishes, the Service works the wildlife trafficking market is huge. The to find permanent homes. U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil have been actively engaging on this issue,” Since splash-backed poison frogs can be says U.S. Consul-general in São Paulo, highly toxic, the Service needed to find a Adam Shub. specialized partner to care for them and Disney’s Animal Kingdom accepted this “I am very proud of the Service’s role challenge. in returning home these incredibly rare and protected blue morph species of the
“At Disney, we are committed to protecting JULIANA SIQUEIRA/DOS splash-backed poison frog,” says Edward wildlife around the world,” says Dr. Mark Grace, Assistant Director of the Service Penning, vice president of Animals, Office of Law Enforcement. “This Science and Environment for Walt Disney remarkable journey was due to the Parks and Resorts. “When the U.S. Fish diligence of our wildlife inspectors and our and Wildlife Service reached out to us, we Brazil attaché working closely with our were compelled to jump in and help since federal, international and private partners. we knew we could provide the best Thanks to their work, these frogs were possible care for these frogs until they rescued from the illegal pet trade, cared could eventually make their journey for by Disney and then returned home back home.” to Brazil where they belong.”
Who wouldn’t want an almost three-year In Brazil, 19 blue and two orange frogs vacation at Walt Disney World? The day will have a permanent home at the after the Service had seized the frogs, São Paulo Zoo, one of Brazil’s premier they had a new home at Disney’s Animal institutions. Zoo scientists are experts Kingdom. Disney professionals provided in the care of amphibians and the zoo veterinary care, specific lighting, proper is known as a pioneer in conservation humidity and a nutritious diet for almost ALBERTO J. GONZALEZ/USFWS programs for the public. These frogs are three years. A generous host, Disney (Top) An IBAMA official (left) and Service attaché an exciting addition to the zoo because ensured the frogs would thrive in captivity (middle) pass the frogs to a São Paulo Zoo most people are not able to see them in and provided a private quarantine room. representative. (Bottom) Thanks to the Service and the wild. After they clear a 60-day its partners, 19 blue and two orange frogs now have quarantine, the frogs will be transferred The Service has stationed senior special a permanent home at Brazil’s São Paulo Zoo. to an educational room named, “The Frog agent attachés throughout the world Leap.” The public will be able to view in geographic locations where wildlife them once the coronavirus pandemic trafficking is highly active. These attachés restrictions have been removed. have built trusted partnerships with The Service had considered it important counterparts in their host countries, to return these frogs to Brazil “In the last decade, the São Paulo Zoo facilitated complex international ever since they were seized in 2017. Park Foundation has been concentrating investigations, participated in training Working with officials from the Brazilian its efforts on the protection of amphibians. programs and supported Service government, IBAMA, São Paulo Zoo, In addition to environmental education special agents on U.S. wildlife crime Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the U.S. and scientific research, the institution investigations with international Department of State and the Service, develops conservation activities targeted connections. In addition, they work closely wildlife inspectors, and the attaché in at endangered species,” says São Paulo with U.S. embassy staff in support of Brasilia, made this return happen. Zoo Park Foundation CEO Paulo ›› each agency’s mission. The assignment for this case: to return rare and imperiled wildlife to its lawful country.
14 / Fish & Wildlife News Winter 2021 spotlight USFWS
Magalhaes. “We have expertise in working the countless offspring that could have Service wildlife with amphibians and when we received the been born if the adults had been left in inspectors and Disney offer to care for the 21 frogs, we accepted the wild. Animal Kingdom staff right away, participating since the carefully packed the frogs beginning, in the operation to return The frogs’ journey highlights the for their journey to Brazil. the frogs to their true home, Brazil.” importance of private-public partnerships and international collaboration to combat In the process of trafficking these animals global wildlife trafficking to protect and to fulfill demand in the illegal pet trade, conserve critically endangered species. n some died. Removing wildlife from its native habitat is dangerous to the animal BRYAN LANDRY, Senior Special Agent Attaché to or plant. It also not only affects the adult the U.S. Embassy in Brazil; ALBERTO J. GONZALEZ, count of the wild population but wipes out Supervisory Wildlife Inspector; and AMY JONACH, Writer-editor, Office of Law Enforcement
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 15 spotlight: office of law enforcement
TURTLES’ BEST FRIENDS
Wildlife Inspection Canines save U.S. native turtles and uncover an international smuggling operation.
By AMANDA DICKSON USFWS
(Above) Turtles can die in transit because of bad conditions. (Right) Lancer with three boxes he found containing turtles.
USFWS
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I was inspecting boxes being exported from the International Mail Facility More than just hurting animals, people in Chicago, Illinois, with my partner, Wildlife Inspection Canine Lancer, who engage in wildlife crime are often involved in other criminal activity as well. a 6-year-old yellow Labrador retriever. We had done this search many times One Service special agent investigated a subject who was smuggling live turtles over the last few years, but this time was different. From the moment we from Kansas. The investigation revealed entered the inspection area, Lancer had his nose in the air sniffing intently. the subject illegally smuggled about $1.3 million worth of illegal wildlife. Upon I could tell Lancer was following a scent. executing a search warrant, special agents found child pornography on the subject’s e zig-zagged through the bins, and Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), cell phone. Ultimately, the subject was WLancer stopped and alerted to a at the Appendix II level, which means the convicted of felony conspiracy to violate box being shipped to Asia. Cautiously, I international trade is highly regulated and the Lacey Act and felony possession of opened the box and found 15 live turtles. permits are required for their legal export. child pornography. He was sentenced The animals were stuffed into socks and Due to their declining population numbers, to serve 60 months in prison and three tightly wrapped in tape so they couldn’t most states have completely outlawed years of supervised release to be served move. There was nothing on the outside their collection and sale. In addition, some immediately after his incarceration. of the box that would have tipped off a spotted turtles were found, which are also He was also required to pay $11,000 in wildlife inspector to its contents. It had protected by CITES at the Appendix II restitution, which was paid to the victims been falsely labeled to contain makeup level, and according to Indiana state law, of the child pornography. and cosmetics, but Canine Lancer they are listed as endangered. knew immediately that hidden wildlife When animals cannot be released back was inside. Turtles are slow to reach maturity and few into the wild, the Service places them of their offspring survive to reproduce, so at rehabilitation centers, educational Over the next six months, Lancer found when they are illegally taken from the facilities and zoos where they can help 23 boxes containing a total of 263 turtles wild, it can have devastating consequences to educate the public about protected being smuggled out of the United States. on the population for years to come. species and may become involved in Across the country, other Service wildlife species conservation programs. n canine inspection teams had also found During this case, the Service saved large quantities of turtles being smuggled. hundreds of animals from being smuggled AMANDA DICKSON, Wildlife Inspector Canine The boxes came from different U.S. to Asia. If they had not been intercepted, Handler, Office of Law Enforcement shippers and were always labeled to many of these animals would have died contain innocuous items like clothing or in transit. Smugglers stuffed up to three toys. Service special agents initiated turtles into a sock and tied it shut. These A box turtle showing signs of illness. investigations and discovered there were bundles were then piled into cardboard many co-conspirators. In this case, the boxes and shipped with regular mail. Mail co-conspirators were illegally taking handlers had no way of knowing there turtles from the wild in the United States, were live animals inside the boxes and trafficking them across state lines and would have had no reason to handle them smuggling them to Asia. with the extra care that live animals need. The animals would have been exposed to Usually when people think of wildlife temperature extremes and may not have trafficking, big charismatic species such received enough oxygen in a plane’s cargo as elephants and rhinos—animals from hold. Some of the turtles were already faraway countries—come to mind. You dead when the wildlife inspectors rescued may find it surprising that the smuggled them, and many had signs of illness. It was turtles our canines detected were species common to find turtles with their eyes native to North America. The shipments of swollen shut and puss coming out of their live turtles consisted mostly of several box eyes and nose. The Service worked with turtle species that are highly valued in the veterinarians and wildlife groups to get foreign pet trade. They are protected by the turtles the care they needed. an international treaty, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered USFWS
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 17 spotlight: office of law enforcement
THE SOUND OF SILENCE
A scheme to smuggle monitor lizards from the Philippines shows the importance of collaboration to stop wildlife.
By BRIDGET MACDONALD USFWS
(Above) Island coastlines in the central Philippines. Water monitor lizards play an important predatory role in their island ecosystems. (Right) A photo taken by a smuggler in the Philippines shows three water-monitor lizards with their limbs bound to their bodies with electrical tape. The smuggler used the Facebook messenger app to
circle in blue the lizard that was for sale. USFWS
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Birds calling, insects buzzing, water flowing, the dulcet patter of rain falling After the U.S. buyers picked out the lizard on dense vegetation…This is what home in the wild sounds like for the they wanted from the photographs, the smugglers would stuff the animal into a water monitor lizard, a large reptile native to low-elevation streams in the sock, tape the sock shut, and then conceal the lizard inside the audio equipment coastal rainforests of the Philippines. without food or water. It would take about four days for the package to travel from the Philippines to Massachusetts, where ver the course of multiple days in The investigation showed that between Semedo lived at the time. Otransit hidden inside speakers and January and December 2016, Akram and subwoofers—devices meant to enhance his business partner Derrick Semedo of Dowd says, “A lot of times, the lizards sound—dozens of juvenile water monitor Nashua, New Hampshire, knowingly would wind up sick, or dead.” lizards smuggled into the United States purchased 22 illegally collected juvenile in 2016 were surrounded by unfamiliar water monitor lizards from smugglers in Both from the lack of nourishment and noises: tense voices, doors opening and the Philippines and advertised them for from the cold. The average temperature in closing, engines running, the deafening sale in the United States. the coastal Philippines is about 76 degrees. roar of a jet during the 16-hour flight and The cargo hold on a commercial airplane at times perhaps, an unnatural silence. is about 45 degrees. In a Florida courthouse this past They knew these lizards Semedo, Akram and the others were September, a Florida man was sentenced charged with smuggling and wildlife to four years of probation, three months of were taken from the trafficking in violation of the Lacey Act, home detention, and 288 hours of which prohibits the import, export, sale, community service for his role in the wild and shipped to the purchase, or acquisition of wildlife that are transnational scheme, including reselling taken, possessed or transported contrary smuggled lizards for a profit to customers United States under inhumane to state, federal or international law. in Colorado, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. conditions.” All of the water-monitor species that were caught up in the scheme are protected by Akbar Akram was the sixth individual the Convention on International Trade in prosecuted as part of Operation Sound Endangered Species of Wild Flora and of Silence, an investigation conducted by Fauna (CITES), an international treaty the Service’s Office of Law Enforcement “This was not simply a matter of someone that controls trade in order to prevent (OLE) in collaboration with the National buying something from another country over-exploitation—a growing problem. Bureau of Investigations (NBI) in the because it was cheaper,” Service Special The Philippines has outlawed the Philippines into the players involved in Agent James Dowd says. “They knew collection and export of all of its native taking these lizards from their home. these lizards were taken from the wild water monitors in an effort to control a and shipped to the United States under black market that seeks these animals for The international coordination facilitated inhumane conditions.” their unique patterns, vibrant colors and by the Service’s attaché in Bangkok, high intelligence. Thailand, helped partners pinpoint three The evidence is captured in photographs Filipino suppliers, 10 customers and more shared between the smugglers and their The majority of the smuggled lizards than 30 shipments of lizards. U.S. buyers on Facebook Messenger. After were yellow-headed water monitors, the lizards were caught, the smugglers which Dowd says are sought after for The nearly 100 water monitor lizards would use electrical tape to bind the their distinct yellow-and-black patterned smuggled into the United States in these animals’ legs to their bodies and tape their bodies. “People think about them as shipments will never go back to the mouths shut. Others had ropes tied around having a combination of a pet and a rainforests of the Philippines. The their stomachs to prevent their escapes. painting,” he says. ›› confiscated animals will live out their lives These ropes would burn and tear at their in captivity in zoos and aquariums because skin as they struggled for freedom. of disease risks associated with returning them to the wild.
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 19 spotlight: office of law enforcement USFWS
Cameron Siler thinks about them as monitor could be on a similar trajectory. Yellow-headed water monitors are sought after something much more valuable. He has been traveling to the Philippines for their distinct yellow-and-black patterns. for research since 2004 and has noticed “Water monitors are among the top alarming changes in the species’ predators in their habitat,” says Siler, population in just those 15 years. “Each island represents a unique associate professor of biology at the biological system and contains pockets University of Oklahoma, and associate “We rarely see adults in the wild of unique genetic diversity we should curator of herpetology at the Sam Noble anymore,” he says. “Pressure from be trying to preserve,” Siler says. Museum. “They eat fish, birds, mammals, hunting and the pet trade is completely Not because they have a market value. other reptiles and even dead animals.” shifting the age structure of the Because they are irreplaceable. populations that remain.” He says the predator pressure provided But Siler says he thinks there is still time. by these reptiles is particularly important For species that mature slowly, that’s an “When we are out during surveys, we still for maintaining biodiversity in an island unsustainable shift. “Juveniles are barely see diversity clinging on.” environment. In such a small landscape, reaching reproductive age before they are removing predators can quickly short- taken,” Siler says. “They just can’t recover They still see water monitors in the wild, circuit a system because of the effect on from losses quickly.” seeming at ease in their place at the top other species. For example, without of the food chain. “We come across them predators, herbivores can go unchecked, The losses are permanent. Even animals running across the forest floor or asleep leading to vegetation loss, erosion and recovered from poachers are rarely in streams,” he says. sedimentation—a cascade of negative returned to the wild because of concerns impacts. about what they were exposed to in Unsuspecting of another kind of predator captivity—unnatural conditions and thousands of miles away that could The Philippine eagle once played a interaction with foreign species (including permanently remove them from home. n dominant predator role in the island humans) put animals at risk of contracting archipelago system. Now that species is diseases that could spread to others in BRIDGET MACDONALD, External Affairs, North critically endangered due to dramatic the wild. Atlantic-Appalachian Region deforestation of its habitat, and its top predator status is diminished. Siler, who Beyond their ecological role, these lizards studies the evolution of amphibians and have evolutionary significance. There are reptiles, fears the yellow-headed water just two species of yellow-headed water monitors in the world, and they are found only in the Philippines.
20 / Fish & Wildlife News Winter 2021 spotlight
A mountain stream in the forests of Aurora Province, northeastern Luzon Island, Philippines, where water-monitor lizards make their homes. COURTESY OF CAMERON SILER COURTESY OF CAMERON SILER (Left) The expedition team, which includes many local villagers, for Siler’s 2013 biodiversity surveys of Mount Huraw in northern Samar Island, in the eastern Philippines. Siler is pictured kneeling on the right. (Right) The tail of a monitor lizard sticking out of the red-and-white-striped sock, stuffed in a cavity in the back of a speaker. USFWS
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 21 spotlight: office of law enforcement
TRUTH IN ADVERTISING
Wildlife special agents protect Native American culture.
By AL BARRUS and AMY JONACH
Liz Wallace, a jeweler and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, COURTESY OF LIZ WALLACE cuts silver wire in the process of making a piece of jewelry.
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The Service’s Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) supports Native Americans and Alaska Natives in numerous ways, and an important one is enforcing federal laws that protect Native American culture such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Archeological Resources Protection Act and the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA).
he IACA is a truth-in-advertising law These multifaceted crimes Tthat prohibits misrepresentation in were not simple to marketing of American Indian or Alaska investigate because they Native art and craft products within the involved other serious United States. To enforce the IACA, the crimes such as identity OLE works closely with Department of theft, mail fraud, wire the Interior’s Indian Arts and Crafts fraud, smuggling, Board (IACB), led by Director Meridith conspiracy and money Stanton, an enrolled member of the laundering. Throughout Delaware Nation and a Choctaw Nation these investigations, OLE descendant. agents discovered that counterfeit Indian art “In the initial period following the criminal networks operated enactment of the IACA, the board worked a complex web of middlemen, with multiple law enforcement agencies across the nation, to distribute on stopping the sale of counterfeit and market fraudulent Indian Native American art and craftwork, with artwork. In addition, these mixed results,” Stanton says. So in 2012, defendants used their illegal sales to USFWS the Service and the IACB signed a undercut reputable competitors, often Memorandum of Agreement to conduct taking over their businesses. The IACA criminal investigations. millions of dollars generated by these counterfeit Indian art networks supported Since then, OLE agents have disrupted organized crime in the United States and and dismantled this criminal activity. were also funneled to overseas criminal A counterfeit ring has the Numerous defendants have been operations. fake initials of the artist investigated, indicted and sentenced and “sterling” stamped on for their crimes, and their actions were The marketing of fraudulent Indian arts the back. Since it does not documented in states such as Alabama, and crafts adversely affects Indian artists, display the country of origin, Alaska, Arizona, California, New Jersey, businesses, tribes and economies. Many it is implied the piece was New Mexico and Texas; and in countries Native Americans and Alaska Natives crafted in the United States. such as China, Indonesia, Mexico, depend on their artwork as their source Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand. of income. Without the oversight of the IACB and the OLE’s investigative efforts, Most of these defendants ran similar the marketplace would be flooded with multinational criminal schemes in the cheap counterfeit items and there would Southwest United States that involved be little or no market for Indians to fake Native American art mass-produced sell their authentic hand-made products. ›› in the Philippines. These fakes were then smuggled into the United States and sold as authentic Indian jewelry to unaware consumers at retailers throughout the United States.
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 23 spotlight: office of law enforcement
prison sentences will make a big difference.”
Phil Land, the Service’s special agent in charge stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and agent responsible for the OLE’s investigative work throughout most the Southwest United States, knows that the importance of authentic work spreads beyond the tribes. “New Mexico’s economy relies heavily on Native American art and culture,” he says. “The OLE is committed to investigating violations of the IACA to protect the Native American cultural heritage. If a person visiting New Mexico goes into a store to buy Native American made jewelry, they should have the confidence that they are getting authentic work and vendors who misrepresent Native American made jewelry will be held accountable.”
While investigating counterfeiters is an effective deterrent, the consumer should also take steps to ensure their purchase is legitimate by asking about the history and authenticity of the piece.
“The best thing for people to do is their homework and to think of that authentic Native American artwork as an
USFWS investment,” Wallace says. “Buy from a reputable vendor or, even better, directly Authentic Native American made canteen on the left compared to its counterfeit on the right. from the artists. Each piece has a history, it has traditions and heritage that go with it, and when you buy an authentic piece, you’re honoring that culture and Ultimately, this would contribute to a “Starting in the 1800s, jewelry making heritage.” n decline of Indian tradition, culture and became important economically for Navajo authentic art. men. Navajo weavings made by our AL BARRUS, External Affairs, Arkansas-Rio Grande- women were also coveted items early on Texas Gulf and Lower Colorado Basin Regions, Liz Wallace is a jeweler based in Santa Fe, in American history,” Wallace says. “Our and AMY JONACH, Office of Law Enforcement, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of jewelers created this heavy silver jewelry Headquarters the Navajo Nation. Her jewelry styles are style that makes the Navajo tradition classic Navajo and Art Nouveau. While the unique. It was very different from the ? MORE INFORMATION Navajo jewelry style is rooted in delicate Victorian jewelry that was millennia-old Athabascan traditions, the mainstream during that time period.” She Buying Native American artwork silver and turquoise associated with it continues, “Years ago I had been seeing IACB provides a Source Directory of today involves metallurgy techniques stores full of cheap knockoffs, and I saw federally recognized Indian artists and learned from Hispanic blacksmiths in the the IACA as ineffective, and symbolic at arts businesses. villages of northwestern New Mexico in best. But I’ve since changed my tune, the mid-19th century. especially after learning how hard Service
24 / Fish & Wildlife News Winter 2021 spotlight
A hawksbill sea turtle swimming underwater. CAROLINE S. ROGERS THROUGH NOAA
Service, Customs Seize Illegal Turtle Shells in Miami
Law enforcement officials with the Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted boxes and boxes of endangered sea turtle shells smuggled through the Miami International Airport.
“It took probably 100 sea turtles to be killed to make this illegal shipment happen and that’s a very rough estimate,” Service Director Aurelia Skipwith said at an August 13 news conference in Miami displaying the shell pieces. “Sea turtles are sometimes illegally killed for their shells, meat, eggs which have a commercial value on the black market.” Shark Fins seized in The shells were seized while in transit from the Caribbean to Asia. Honolulu, Hawaii. They were mislabeled as plastics and painted blue. Their value is USFWS unknown. Operation Apex Shuts Down Operation that Skipwith said 65 of the shells came from hawksbill turtles and Profited from Shark Finning, Much More 35 from green sea turtles. Both turtles are protected as federally endangered. In 2015, the Service began Operation Apex to investigate the trafficking of shark fins. It grew into a multi-agency law The investigation continues. n enforcement operation that in September apprehended 12 defendants and conducted 22 federal search warrants from coast to coast. DAN CHAPMAN, External Affairs, South Atlantic-Gulf and Mississippi Basin Regions Agents seized millions in gold, silver, jewels and cash as well as marijuana, firearms and totoaba fish bladders. They also documented the harvest of more than 6 tons of shark fins.
Shark fins are dried and then sold to make shark fin soup, and a single bowl may sell for $100. Shark fin soup is considered a delicacy and is mainly served at special events, and can be found in restaurants around the world. n
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 25 ShowcaseCollaborative conservation shines in CCAST library. | BY BEN IKENSON
The Collaborative Conservation and Adaption Strategy Toolbox (CCAST) features studies about Apache trout and bighorn sheep. Matt Grabau, a science coordinator with the Service, is one of the people behind CCAST.
26 / Fish & Wildlife News Winter 2021 The White Mountain Apache tribe began taking steps to protect the Apache removal is necessary,” according to the trout in the 1940s, including closing stream access to anglers in 1955. White study. “But mechanical removal using electrofishing techniques and then netting settlers who fished for the trout had decimated its population; streams were the fish out can take decades of effort and the overall effectiveness may be subsequently stocked with non-native trout, which further displaced the uncertain.” native fish. Logging, agriculture and mining also exacted a toll on the native The research repository now hosts more trout. By the late 1960s, its range had been reduced from some 600 miles of than 90 distinct case studies spanning a mountain streams in southeastern Arizona to less than 40. The Apache trout, wide range of territory. Some examples: among the first fish listed as endangered, received strong protections with Showcase n A pilot program developed to explore passage of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973. how certain design considerations for a solar energy facility in southwestern Nevada can mitigate impacts to the endangered desert tortoise and other he tribe’s early efforts, and its says Grabau. “But we are finding it endemic wildlife, Tsubsequent and continuous cooperative even more valuable as a resource to work with the federal government, helped promote landscape-scale conservation n A partnership between the Arizona reverse the decline of Apache trout, whose and science that supports responsible Game and Fish Department and the status was upgraded to “threatened” in decision-making.” state’s transportation department that 1975. Today, the prognosis is good, thanks oversaw the incorporation of strategic to the protections of the ESA and the Presented in a richly visual, interactive wildlife crossings into a major highway collaborative conservation work in place. format, with maps, graphics and video project for the benefit of desert bighorn documentation, the online library is a sheep, “The Apache trout is a great example of wealth of accessible, practical information how collaborative conservation can truly that describes the inner workings of a vast n A continuing study examining ways to be effective at, not only preventing range of important conservation efforts enhance community engagement with extinction, but promoting the recovery across the Southwest. the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, of a species,” says Matt Grabau, a science a 570-acre parcel of public land set aside coordinator with the Service. “And it’s an In addition to the diversity of research in 2012 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, example that deserves to be showcased.” generated by career professionals from in a heavily industrialized area where federal agencies, the library features environmental injustices have long Now, thanks to Grabau and his peers, the content produced by undergraduate and persisted. efforts on behalf of this fish—the on-the- graduate-level students from a number of ground recovery work made possible by universities. “Mentoring students getting Altogether, the library represents the partnerships—are, in fact, showcased in ready to enter the conservation workforce accrued—and accruing—wisdom of an online library of case studies created is a big priority for us,” says Grabau. wildlife biologists and resource managers to help foster and promote successful “CCAST allows them to significantly working in a variety of challenging examples of collaborative conservation. contribute to an increasingly important contexts. body of research.” Launched in 2018 as an online research “The essential hope of contributors, sharing platform for resource managers In the case study on Apache trout I believe, is that their work may be in the western United States, the recovery, Service biologist Zac Jackson instructive to others in the same field, Collaborative Conservation and Adaption worked with students from Northern and in this way, contribute to the broader, Strategy Toolbox (CCAST) was created by Arizona University to document the ever-growing and increasingly urgent scientists at the Service and the Bureau of effects of various conservation measures. realm of conservation science,” says Reclamation and includes expertise from These measures include the addition of Grabau. n state fish and wildlife agencies, NGOs, physical barriers to keep non-native trout conservation groups, and universities. species away from upstream Apache trout BEN IKENSON, Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas Gulf habitat and the systematic removal of and Lower Colorado Basin Regions “We developed CCAST as a way to non-native trout from streams. Chemical communicate work that the Service is treatment such as the piscicide Rotenone On the Web doing with partners and to provide a place can be used to kill non-native fish in CCAST
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 27 curator’s corner
How to Catch Lots of Ducks
In 1948, refuge manager Herb Dill and maintenance worker Howard Thornsberry invented the first cannon-projected net trap to catch numerous waterfowl for banding purposes on Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri. On their first attempt, they caught 20 geese with their cannon that cost less than $70 to build. They said that it took several experimental runs with doses of explosives of potassium chlorate and sugar to get the charge right. Initially they suffered lots of big explosions or fizzles! This innovative tool is still widely used today, and its invention is another example of clever field employees This is a series of inventing something others said could not be done. We have several old cannons and nets here in the curiosities of the museum. The nets come to us in a very dirty state, and it is always fun to watch the volunteers try to Service’s history from vacuum away the bird feathers and poop. (JEANNE M. HAROLD) both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Museum and Archives as well as the Service’s National Fish and What a ‘Darling’ Celebrity Aquatic Conservation Archives. As the first One day Jay N. “Ding” Darling had a visitor who and only curator of the museum, Jeanne M. desperately wanted to see a woodpecker on a Harold says the history bird-watching adventure. They didn’t see one. surrounding the archives However, in the next few days, Jay saw one on give them life. Jeanne his own nature walk. He immediately drew a retired in November but wonderful drawing with a woodpecker on it and provided articles to keep sent it to his friend. What a kind gesture. I was Curator’s Corner going. told by Jay’s grandson, Kip Koss, that Darling We are also featuring (as Kip referred to his grandfather) would be submissions from April confronted by fans of his editorial cartoons on Gregory, curator of the streets of Des Moines, Iowa. Darling would the National Fish and Aquatic Conservation take their names and send them the original of Archives. their favorite cartoon! (JEANNE M. HAROLD)
Lab Work The Way to Stock Fish
Hatcheries often have sets of preserved fish This photo is a for educational purposes. Once used in an personal favorite of exhibit display in the Hector von Bayer Museum mine—a 1964 photo of Fisheries History, the museum at D.C. Booth of stocking fish via Historic National Fish Hatchery, the jar calls to mind an El Camino. Those hatchery laboratories and research of a hundred fish were traveling years ago. Placed on exhibit in the museum in the in style! The photo 1980s, the jar was the museum object, with the fish was taken at the just window dressing. The exhibit was dismantled Senecaville National about 15 years ago, and the jar returned to storage Fish Hatchery in with concerns about visitor safety. It sits on an open Ohio (now a state shelf where it can easily be observed, with plenty of fish hatchery). ventilation. The preservative used is unknown, but (APRIL GREGORY) the seal is holding. Someday, with appropriate safety precautions, the jar will have to be emptied. A new storage location will be assigned, likely a closed cabinet, safer from breakage. Until then, it remains a favorite during archives tours. (APRIL GREGORY)
28 / Fish & Wildlife News Winter 2021 field journal
Searching for Wonder Among the Sparrows
By BRI BENVENUTI
Bri Benvenuti joined the staff at Rachel Carson National A saltmarsh sparrow chick Wildlife Refuge as a biological technician in 2016. emerging from its shell during the July nest check. All four eggs hatched, they are adapted to tidal flooding, they are and the chicks successful not adapted to high tides from rising seas fledged. and storms. As sea levels rise, their nests
BRI BENVENUTI/USFWS flood, and the species inches closer to extinction. ach stroke of the paddle makes a small Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge Eripple in the hues of blue reflecting off in Maine, I am privileged to have intimate I spend my summers walking through the the still water. I watch as my niece glides experiences with our natural world daily, tall grasses of the salt marsh, listening for slowly to a stop in her kayak. Looking and now this great blue heron seemed their whisper-like calls and watching for back, she mouths “a heron,” a smile a bit mundane. Had I lost my sense of the quick flight of a female as she scurries beaming across her face. A minute later wonder? from her hidden nest. By monitoring their the large bird takes flight, soaring over nesting, we are learning what makes a our heads. My neice lifts her head back At the refuge, my primary task is nest successful so we can guide our and watches in wonder as its impressive monitoring the saltmarsh sparrow— conservation and restoration efforts. wingspan lifts it higher into the sky. The a small, brown bird that is intricately tied silence is broken with excited chatter of to the narrow band of salt marsh along As scientists, we are taught to be “how cool,” and “how big it was.” the Atlantic coastline. It is estimated that objective. Keep emotions at bay and four out of every five saltmarsh sparrows look at the facts. But I know many of I smiled and nodded along. To be honest, may have already disappeared from the the saltmarsh sparrows that nest in the it was probably the 30th great blue heron landscape. They nest in the marsh grasses refuge’s marshes, I’ve been watching I had seen this week. As a biologist at mere inches off the ground, and although them for seven years. I know that ››
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 29 field journal
a rambunctious little pink chick emerged. I welcomed it to the world and quietly walked away. It was in this moment that my sense of wonder returned, and I pledged to keep hope alive in the marsh.
It is easy to be swept away in a sea of emotion. After all, a species can’t be saved by an individual. It takes strong partnerships, dedication and time for a conservation success story. To disconnect emotionally from this research may be necessary for the sake of science and mental health, but isn’t it emotion that drives our passion for conservation? There will always be a human dimension to wildlife conservation, and while I know majority of people will never see a saltmarsh sparrow, I hope they find BRI BENVENUTI/USFWS comfort in knowing they exist. Rachel Carson said it best, “What if I had never female #1601–69613 nests by a little pool, seen this before? What if I knew I would tucked into the Spartina grass, and has never see it again?” n done so for the past three years. I know that #2781-82355 and #2781-82354 are BRI BENVENUTI, National Wildlife Refuge System, sisters, born in August 2019, and nested North Atlantic-Appalachian Region just yards from one another in 2020. I’ve known many of these birds since they were eggs. I’ve watched as they hatched ? MORE INFORMATION and in just nine short days were strong enough to leave their nest. The Service and partners along the Atlantic Coast aim to turn the tide for But I’ve also borne witness to eggs washed saltmarsh sparrow. We are increasing out of nests, wet and cold. I’ve time and our efforts to protect and restore BRI BENVENUTI/USFWS time again checked nests that a few days marshes on our wildlife refuges, (Top) Alexa paddling down earlier had squeaking young chicks to find collaborate with researchers, and help the stream before seeing the them dead. Chicks that days earlier I had states and landowners conserve the great blue heron. (Bottom) held in my hands and banded had been saltmarsh sparrow. United, quick and Female saltmarsh sparrow drowned in the safety of their nest, water decisive action will give this bird a #1601-69613 annually nests too deep to escape by climbing on the tops chance. Learn more at
As I entered the marsh on a humid July morning, I noted that I was walking in water where it was usually dry. An overnight storm combined with high- spring tides didn’t bode well for the nests I was about the check. Bracing myself, I crouched down and saw that four eggs still remained in a slightly damp nest. They survived. Just then, an egg moved. Splitting the top and bottom of the shell,
30 / Fish & Wildlife News Winter 2021 our people
“I think it was probably at that launch a program recruiting Prioritizing People transitions moment that I decided I wanted commercial fishermen to help Spells is committed not only to to work in the aquatic ecology locate Atlantic sturgeon in fish but also to people. He helped arena,” says Spells, who retired the Chesapeake. Most people pioneer the Shad-in-Schools North Atlantic- at the end of September. thought they were gone entirely, Program, driving many thousands Appalachian Region but Spells never lost faith. He of juvenile American shad from Leading by Example believed they were still returning the Harrison Lake Hatchery to Albert Spells: Man of Faith, In his 40-plus years with the to the bay’s rivers and was deter- schools in the Washington, D.C., Champion of Fish Service, most recently as project mined to find them. area. Students raised the fish leader for the Virginia Fish and in their classrooms—in tanks Wildlife Conservation Office In less than a year, watermen designed by hatchery staff—and (FWCO) in Charles City, Virginia, found more than 300 sturgeon, released the fry into the Potomac Spells has distinguished himself including 2- to 3-year-olds, River. Programs from Maine to as a champion for migratory fish proving the fish were spawning North Carolina were modeled in Virginia and the Chesapeake in Virginia’s rivers. after his. Bay. He is a man of great character and faith, which serves “For the recovery of at least one In his personal life, Spells is him both personally and profes- species—Atlantic sturgeon— passionate about working within sionally. Albert was the lone advocate his church family to educate for over a decade, when on the word of God and help “Partners know Albert will everyone else had written off his community, both local and represent their interests with this species as extirpated,” says worldwide. He enjoys gardening, integrity and honesty,” says Dr. Greg Garman, director of the tending to a backyard pollinator Bill Archambault, manager of Rice Rivers Center at Virginia garden to connect with nature Albert Spells collects a fish with a net on the Lower Great Lakes Fish and Commonwealth University. “We during challenging times like Virginia’s Robinson River. Wildlife Complex. “Commercial were all wrong, and Albert was these. Sharing time with his fishermen, tribal representa- right.” family, whether at home or tives and numerous NGOs have traveling, is a priority. And, of worked with him over the years Removing Barriers course, there’s always fishing. Albert Spells tells a story about and count on him as a friend As administrator of the National a small stream in Barnwell, and trusted federal partner who Fish Passage Program (NFPP) Taking the Long View South Carolina, that flows follows through and keeps his in Virginia for the last 16 years, While he inspires others, Spells through a culvert under Route word.” Spells has secured more than $1 finds strength and hope in the 278. His brother Carnell and million in grants and $2.6 million people he works with — both friend Thomas dubbed it the Restoring—and Revealing—Fish in matching funds to remove within the Service and in partner Little Stream. The Little Stream Early in his career, as manager barriers to fish migration. Through organizations. He admires their was their favorite fishing hole as of Harrison Lake National Fish strong partnerships, he has determination to “perpetrate a young teenagers. Hatchery in Virginia, Spells helped reconnect 1,750 stream conservation ethic to protect helped restore American shad to miles. Last year’s removal of and conserve our natural “It wasn’t much of a stream, but the Chesapeake Bay. Partnering Jordan’s Point Dam on the Maury environment, understanding it was ‘our stream,’” he said. “We with Virginia state agencies, River alone connected 1,140 miles that we will not win every battle could always catch fish at the hatchery staff released more than of fish habitat! before us but knowing, as Edward Little Stream, and we thoroughly 36 million shad larvae into the Abbey said, we will ‘outlive the enjoyed fishing there.” James River and other rivers of “His spirit and optimism are b------.’” historical importance under his infectious,” says Celia Vuocolo, During spring break of his direction. wildlife habitat and stewardship Spells has left a lasting legacy. freshman year at South Carolina specialist with Piedmont And if you’re wondering whatever State College, they went to fish at In 1997, he partnered with the Environmental Council. “He happened to the Little Stream, the Little Stream. They found the states of Delaware, Maryland has been an incredible ally, so is Spells. He hasn’t been back stream and its banks filled with and Virginia; the Chesapeake champion, partner, and all-around since college, but it’s on his trash. Bay Foundation; and the Virginia leader and doer without whom retirement to-do list. n Institute of Marine Science to our fish passage projects would not have happened.” LAURI MUNROE-HULTMAN, External Affairs, North Atlantic-Appalachian Region
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 31 our people
Headquarters “The award affirms our work and North Atlantic- honors the importance of the relation- Appalachian Region ships among the Service and the states in conservation,” Kelley Great Lakes Region says. “These are my former peers, as a former state director in Iowa, and my current peers, Kelley in this new relationship. I am Myers, proud that my work and my role senior is appreciated and valued,” she adviser for says. After 34 years of service, landscape Celecia Lee (seen with husband conser- During her impressive conser- Matthew Whitbeck, super- Brad), an administrative officer vation vation career, including as a visory wildlife biologist for the in the Ecological Services science, key player in the creation of the Chesapeake Marshlands National Program in Headquarters, is the Midwest Landscape Initiative, Wildlife Refuge Complex, retired this fall. 2020 recipient of the Midwest Kelley has served critical has received a 2020 Climate Association of Fish and Wildlife roles in nurturing essential Adaptation Leadership Award for “Celecia has unbelievable intel- Management Agencies’ conservation partnerships Natural Resources, given by the ligence, courage, connections,” (MAFWA) Midwest President’s for the Service. The Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife says the Service’s Kim Lambert. Award. Kelly Hepler, president Landscape Initiative is a Agencies. of MAFWA, nominated Kelley partnership among the Service Family has always been important for the honor and named her as and the states to identify shared As a Service employee, Matt in Celecia’s life, and it shows recipient.The award, typically conservation and management was nominated in the “federal with her niece. After the passing given to a non-governmental priorities to achieve healthy, government” category for of Celecia’s sister four years organization leader or political functioning ecosystems in the showing exemplary leadership ago, she and her family took in individual, reconizes outstanding Midwest. in both reducing threats to and her niece and are raising her. achievements for the associ- promoting adaptation of the Niece BreAnna has met with ation by an exceptional conser- “The atmosphere of nation’s natural resources to Service biologists during Take vation professional. Kelley is the Initiative offers the oppor- climate-related changes. Our Daughters and Sons to Work the first Service individual to tunity to build on success of Day events and wants to be a receive this honor. The Service’s strong relationships in the “Matt has been at the forefront zoologist when she grows up. entire Midwest Region received Midwest and explore what is of the Service’s efforts to develop the award in 2015. possible beyond this year or innovative measures to help Celecia, active in providing the next. It’s a safe place for wildlife and human communities resources that others need, “It was my honor to recently disagreement and conflict with adapt to sea-level rise and other such as leave donations and present the MAFWA President’s an overarching goal to work impacts of a changing climate,” food drives, will be missed. n Award to Kelley Myers. Kelley together for fish and wildlife says Wendi Weber, North is a driving intellectual force resources,” Kelley says. Atlantic-Appalachian Regional behind our Midwest Landscape Director for the Service. “He Initiative. She is an excellent With her natural energy and is an ambassador for creative communicator, has a gifted positive attitude, Kelley has conservation and science-based sense of strategic thinking and earned the respect of her fellow solutions for a changing world.” has amazing skills at building professionals, not only on a effective teams,” says Hepler, regional level, but more impor- Matt was recognized for his work also director of South Dakota tantly on a national level. n on Blackwater 2100, a compre- Game, Fish and Parks. hensive strategy to reduce marsh loss at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, Maryland. Along with staff from The Conservation Fund
32 / Fish & Wildlife News Winter 2021 our people
and Audubon Maryland-DC, he Matt enjoyed working with his Matt leaves a legacy at these developed a plan to help the in memoriam fellow employees, particularly refuges where he helped build marsh, which has lost more than when he was outside running numerous wetlands, restored 5,000 acres since the refuge’s heavy equipment, farming or rare prairie habitats, helped establishment in 1933, adapt to a Columbia Pacific interacting with the visiting recover threatened species and changing climate. Northwest Region public. With his local knowledge many other accomplishments. of farming techniques and years He was also well known around The strategy includes protecting of experience on the refuge, he the Columbia Pacific Northwest upland habitat to allow marsh to was invaluable to the refuge in Region as a heavy equipment move inland, converting upland management of more than 2,000 instructor and for his willingness into high-quality marsh, slowing acres of prairie, farm ground to help other refuges with the rate of marsh loss and making and wetland units to provide important projects. tidal marsh more resilient to wintering habitat and food for sea-level rise. Sea level within geese and a host of other native Most recently he helped create the Chesapeake Bay is predicted wildlife species. the Ankeny Hill Nature Center to increase about two-and-a-half campus, which will serve as an feet by 2050 and five-to-six feet He served as a member of the environmental education center by century’s end. regional wage grade committee, for generations to come— and he helped other refuges benefitting local youth for whom Matt led the centerpiece of in the region with equipment he had a keen soft spot. Many Blackwater 2100: the first-ever operation detail assignments people will remember Ankeny thin-layer marsh restoration in and through his role as an ATV Refuge by their experiences with the Chesapeake Bay watershed. instructor. No matter what he Matt for years to come. He oversaw implementation and Matt Withee, a refuge equipment was doing, Matt always did monitoring of the project and operator at Willamette Valley it with humor, dedication and In addition to his wife, Sara, leveraged more than $2 million in National Wildlife Refuge Complex, perseverance. Matt is survived by his two sons, federal Hurricane Sandy recovery died peacefully in his home on Trevor and Drew. n and resilience money to complete the refuge on Sept. 27. “I had the joy and privilege of the work. working with Matt for the last six Based out of Ankeny National years. We had a lot in common; He also guided Hurricane Sandy- Wildlife Refuge, Matt was well both being local Willamette funded efforts to build living known and beloved for his Valley guys who felt lucky to be shoreline structures at Eastern wonderful smile and cheerful doing what we loved in a place Neck and Martin national wildlife presence that affected all of we love and both being dads. refuges, protecting the coast those who had the privilege of Matt was passionate about his from destructive storms. working with him. Matt became conservation work, but it was part of the Service family in 2001 clear his greatest love was his A skilled communicator and as an equipment operator at family. What I appreciated most educator, he also has been William L. Finley National Wildlife about Matt was his genuine featured in films and media as an Refuge in Corvallis, Oregon, and personality—he was open, expert in climate adaptation. n he transferred to Ankeny Refuge always true to himself, incredibly near Jefferson, Oregon, where dependable, and could get along he was from, in 2007. with anyone,” says Graham Evans-Peters, refuge manager at Ankeny and Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuges, two of the three refuges in the Willamette Valley Complex. Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge is the third.
Winter 2021 Fish & Wildlife News / 33 STANDARD PRESORT Division of Marketing POSTAGE AND FEES Communications PAID U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service INTERIOR 5275 Leesburg Pike PERMIT G-77 Falls Church, VA 22041-3803
parting shot
Ready for Their Spotlight
Ralph Simmons, the assistant project leader at Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery in Oklahoma, sent in this photo of the early- morning sun shining a spotlight on the cattails surrounding the hatchery ponds. He says, “Although I see this every single day, on that particular day, it seemed like a moment to stop and enjoy nature’s beauty.”
Thanks for sharing, Ralph. Have an awesome photo? Send it to
RALPH SIMMONS/USFWS for possible inclusion in the News.
Fish & Wildlife News Submit articles and photographs to: Submission deadline: Editor: Matthew Trott U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Spring 2021: by February 24 Assistant Editor: Jennifer Deschanel EA-Division of Marketing Communications Art director: Jane Pellicciotto, Allegro Design MS: EA 5275 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 703/358-2512 Fax: 703/358 1930 E-mail: [email protected]