It’s time to speak up for Florida's largest
wildlife - black bears and panthers!
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission needs to hear from you loudly at its next meeting in
Sarasota.
This two-day FWC meeting in Sarasota starts with a discussion of delisting the panther from the endangered species list and adoption of a plan to allow Florida black bear hunting.June 24.
Come to the FWC Meeting and speak up for wildlife by opposing these drastic and unnecessary actions (Agenda Here).
When: Day
1: Tuesday, June 23 - Panther Agenda
1:30pm
1:30pm
Day 2: Wednesday,
June 24 - Bear Agenda
8:30 a.m
Where: Hyatt
Regency Sarasota
1000 Boulevard of
the Arts
Sarasota, Florida
34236
To RSVP, contact Alexis
Horn at: Alexis.Horn@sierraclub.org and write "I'll be there" in the subject line and include your contact information.
Background:
Panthers
The
FWC wants to relax the delisting criteria for Florida panthers put forward by
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They claim panthers have exceeded their
carrying capacity in their only breeding habitat, and that the criteria of
three populations of 240 individuals is unrealistic. They have also stated that
they will do nothing to move panthers north of the Caloosahatchee River (the
northern most border for the breeding population), until all depredation and
human-panther conflicts are solved.
Sierra
Club Florida believes this is an incredibly short-sighted agenda, given that
panthers are considered a critically endangered species, protected under the
Endangered Species Act. With populations at 100-180 individuals, panthers are
nowhere near flourishing, and with increased threats of vehicle collisions
(13 of 18 deaths for 2015), and now shootings (2 in the last year and a half),
panthers are still under threat. While the population has increased from 20-30
individuals in the 1990's, they are nowhere near a healthy, stable population. Increased
human-panther interactions are mainly due to loss of habitat. With the majority
of their primary habitat under threat of development, panthers are forced into
areas with new homes and an increased human population. Protecting habitat and
learning to live with panthers is of the utmost importance, and where FWC
should be focusing their efforts - not on an agenda that will lead to the
panthers demise. We have worked so hard to bring this species back from the
brink of extinction, and now FWC wants to prevent any further success in saving
an endangered species.
Bears
The
FWC's stance against black bears is an egregious response to human-bear
conflicts. Due to increased interactions with black bears, FWC has proposed to
open hunting on a species that was protected as a threatened species just two
years ago. Without the complete population study for bears that would be
released in fall 2016, this justification is a hasty response to managing the
population. Numerous studies have shown that human-bear interactions will not
be quelled by opening hunting. Hunting will target bears in rural areas, and
have no impact in suburban and urban areas where these conflicts exist.
We
need as many people as can come to attend this two-day hearing! We need Florida
activists and wildlife lovers to have their voices heard! The agency in charge
of protecting the state's wildlife is not upholding their appointed positions,
and instead catering to a few who want these species open for trophy
hunting.
