Agency denies endangered species listing for spotted seals off Alaska

October 7th, 2009 Feds give sea otters habitat protection in AlaskaANCHORAGE, Alaska — Four years after being placed on the Endangered Species List, the dwindling sea otters of southwest Alaska on Wednesday were given an important recovery tool. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated nearly 5,900 square miles as critical habitat for sea otters in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea and Alaska Peninsula.

October 6th, 2009 Study: Endangered AK beluga whale group decliningANCHORAGE, Alaska — A government study found that a group of endangered beluga whales in Alaska is declining, raising concern that bolstered protection for the animals is not coming quickly enough. The downward trend comes after two years where numbers for the Cook Inlet belugas appeared to have stabilized.

September 30th, 2009 Feds to decide on listing ice seals as threatenedANCHORAGE, Alaska — A federal agency must decide within three weeks whether spotted seals, which depend on sea ice off Alaska's coast, should be listed as a threatened or endangered species. In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration agreed to decide by Nov.

September 8th, 2009 Federal agency advances walrus listing petitionANCHORAGE, Alaska — A second Arctic marine mammal moved closer to an Endangered Species listing due to global warming Tuesday with a petition to grant the Pacific walrus protection passing its first review. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that a petition presented by the Center for Biological Diversity provided substantial information that listing the walrus as threatened or endangered was warranted.

September 2nd, 2009 Federal agency won't list butterfly as endangeredALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The U.S.

August 25th, 2009 Stranded belugas in Alaska swim freeANCHORAGE, Alaska — About 20 beluga whales that became stranded in mud during a low tide over the weekend have apparently freed themselves, bringing relief to biologists who have been closely monitoring their plight. Two federal biologists flew over the area Monday and found no sign of stranded or dead whales, but quite a few of the whales swimming freely.

August 18th, 2009 Agency says 29 species may need federal protectionSALT LAKE CITY — Twenty-nine species in more than 20 states — from a rare beach-dwelling plant in Yellowstone National Park to a caddisfly in Nebraska — may need federal protections to avoid extinction, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

August 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Central Zoo Authority has initiated a coordinated conservation breeding programme for 70 critically endangered species in Indian zoos, an official statement Saturday said. "The Central Zoo Authority has initiated a planned coordinated conservation breeding programme for critically endangered species in Indian zoos.

August 6th, 2009 Man indicted in death of Hawaiian monk sealHONOLULU — A federal grand jury has indicted a 78-year-old Kauai man in the shooting death of an endangered Hawaiian monk seal in May. The indictment was returned Wednesday against Charles Vidinha, who is charged with violating the Endangered Species Act.

July 8th, 2009 Group will sue EPA over pesticides in polar bearsANCHORAGE, Alaska — An environmental group said Wednesday that it plans to sue the federal government to stop approving pesticides that end up in food eaten by polar bears. The Center for Biological Diversity gave 60-day notice it will sue the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to consider the effects of pesticides on polar bears, a threatened species, and their Arctic habitat.

June 15th, 2009 Groups: US moved too fast on gray wolf de-listingTRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Environmental groups are suing the federal government over its decision to remove gray wolves in the upper Great Lakes region from the endangered species list.

June 13th, 2009 Hawaiian Islands eyed for endangered seal habitatHONOLULU — The federal government said Friday it will revise the critical habitat for endangered Hawaiian monk seals for the first time in 21 years, which is likely to significantly expand the protection area to include beaches and waters of the main Hawaiian Islands. Environmentalists say the added habitat is needed to reverse the plight of the monk seals, which are among the most endangered marine mammals in the world, with fewer than 1,200 remaining.

June 12th, 2009 Hawaiian Islands named habitat for endangered sealHONOLULU — The federal government on Friday will significantly expand the critical habitat for endangered Hawaiian monk seals to include beaches and waters of the main Hawaiian Islands, officials said. Environmentalists say the added habitat is needed to reverse the plight of the monk seals, which are among the most endangered marine mammals in the world with fewer than 1,200 remaining.

June 4th, 2009 Environmentalists plan suit to protect ice sealsANCHORAGE, Alaska — An environmental group plans to sue the federal government to force a decision on additional protections for Arctic seals. The Center for Biological Diversity said in a notice of intent to sue sent this week to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that it missed a deadline required by law for an endangered species listing decision on ringed, bearded and spotted seals.

April 28th, 2009 Rule limiting species protections revokedWASHINGTON — The Obama administration will again require federal agencies to consult with the government's wildlife experts before taking any actions that could impact threatened or endangered species. The Interior and Commerce departments said Tuesday they have revoked a last-minute rule change by the Bush administration that ended the consultation requirement.