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UCLA Wins Restraining Order Against Activists NATURE|Vol 451|28 February 2008 NEWS IN BRIEF UCLA wins restraining Grey wolf no longer in danger, says US government order against activists Calling its wolf programme a “remarkable conservation success story”, the US Fish and Wildlife The University of California, Los Angeles, Service last week announced plans to remove grey (UCLA) succeeded last week in getting a wolves (Canis lupus) in the northern Rocky Mountains temporary restraining order against five from the federal list of endangered species. vociferous animal-rights activists, as well as The decision comes 13 years after the first of 66 organizations such as the Animal Liberation Canadian wolves were released in Yellowstone Front, who have claimed responsibility for National Park and central Idaho. Some 1,500 various property crimes and threats against wolves, with at least 100 breeding pairs, now live researchers. in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The ruling stipulates that the activists These states will use hunting to manage the wolf must stay farther than 15 metres from population, which could set up a prolonged battle researchers and remove the scientists’ between the ranchers and hunters who support addresses from their websites. UCLA the plan, and environmentalists who fear spokesman Phil Hampton called the ruling that wolf hunts could once again reduce “a clear victory in the continuing process the population to perilous levels. of UCLA protecting its researchers”. The All three states have pledged to university will seek permanent restraining maintain at least 150 wolves orders in a hearing on 12 March. and 15 breeding pairs, although “They are trying to mix above-ground preliminary population targets are between 900 and 1,250 wolves, protestors that never do anything illegal according to the agency. Environmental in with the Animal Liberation Front and groups plan to challenge the decision in court. the underground organizations that have flooded homes and broken windows,” says Jerry Vlasak, press officer for the North by countries using its samples. It wants a contained 450 kilograms of toxic hydrazine American Animal Liberation Press Office. material transfer agreement to protect its propellant. “There was a reasonable chance “The two groups are completely separate; rights over the samples. that this hydrazine, if it fell in a populated they don’t know who each other are.” The latest samples were sent under a area, would affect people,” General MIKE LANE/FLPA draft agreement that allows the WHO James Cartwright, head of US Strategic to use them for research, but bans their Command, told reporters. Indonesia relents over commercial use without Indonesia’s consent, On 21 February, the USS Lake Erie fired bird-flu sample release says one source close to the negotiation. a modified Standard Missile 3 — normally used as part of the US missile-defence Indonesia has resumed sending samples system — to strike the satellite as it passed of the H5N1 bird-flu virus to the World Biosafety lapses cost 247 kilometres over the Pacific Ocean. Four Health Organization (WHO) after Texas A&M $1 million days later, Pentagon officials confirmed that refusing to share samples for more than a the missile had successfully destroyed the year (see Nature 450, 1137; 2007). The US Texas A&M University in College Station has fuel tank. Centers for Disease Control and agreed to pay a $1-million fine for lapses in Critics say that the shot was meant to Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, a WHO biosafety procedures. The failures resulted demonstrate US anti-satellite capabilities flu collaborating centre, has received in lab workers becoming exposed to several to China, which conducted its own test in a batch of samples from two patients deadly pathogens, including the organisms 2007. Cartwright denies that charge. — a woman who died earlier this month, that cause brucellosis and Q fever. and a girl hospitalized after her mother died The US Centers for Disease Control and of the disease. Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, shut Florida adopts teaching of The move is seen as an encouraging down all biodefence-related research at evolution in its schools step towards ending a dispute in which the university last June, after the violations Indonesia has argued that it is unfair that came to light. A&M officials say they have The state of Florida can now officially it should share samples without having since stepped up safety procedures and teach evolution in its schools, following a F. LISNAWATI/AP F. access to affordable vaccines developed training for lab workers. The university had 19 February vote. suggested it deserved a $10,000 fine. The state’s board of education voted CDC officials will visit the university in 4–3 to include “the scientific theory of March, and if the labs pass the inspection, evolution” in its teaching standards. biodefence research could resume shortly Evolution had not previously been afterwards. mentioned by name in the biology- curriculum standards. But the phrase “the scientific theory US missile destroys toxic of” was added at the last minute, in order tank on spy satellite to garner enough votes to pass. One board member had proposed adding an The United States has successfully destroyed amendment that would allow teachers to an errant spy satellite, the Pentagon says. opt for exploring criticisms of evolution, but The US National Reconnaissance Office the amendment failed to go anywhere. lost contact with the satellite shortly after Still, science-education experts praised the Health officials test birds at an Indonesian market. its launch in December 2006. The satellite standards change as a major step forward. 1041.
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