Wildlife

"A long-simmering debate in the American West over an imperiled ground-dwelling bird was headed for climax on Tuesday with the Obama administration expected to unveil a conservation plan lacking Endangered Species Act protections."

"The Navy agreed to limit its use of sonar and other training that inadvertently harms whales, dolphins and other marine mammals off Hawaii and California in a settlement with environmental groups approved Monday."

"A U.S. appeals court ruled on Thursday that federal regulators erred in allowing an insecticide developed by Dow AgroSciences onto the market, canceling its approval and giving environmentalists a major victory."

"OTTERY ST. MARY, England—When beavers surfaced in the River Otter, Mark Owen smelled a rat."

"India has taken one more step to save its three critically endangered vulture species from extinction. Last week the country finally banned large doses of diclofenac, a painkiller that is often given to cattle and buffalo but which kills any vultures that eat the carcasses of treated animals."

"Officials have unveiled plans for a grassy bridge over a Southern California highway that would provide a safe and natural passage for mountain lions and other animals migrating between wilderness areas."

"The federal wildlife service on Thursday stood by its decision to authorize recent killings of two highly endangered North Carolina red wolves on private property, despite plans by conservationists to sue."

"SACRAMENTO -- Hoping to discourage the alarming killing of African elephants, the state Senate on Wednesday voted to ban the sale of old elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn."

"A court has vacated federal protections for the lesser prairie chicken, a Great Plains bird that was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act last year."

"Florida would allow hunters to kill up to a total of 320 bears in October during the state’s first bear hunt season in 20 years, according to a recommendation from the state's wildlife agency presented at a public hearing on Wednesday."