1. Fish and Wildlife in America

2. Renewable resources usually taken for granted
we have developed an attitude that there will always be more
Animals fall into this category

3. Renewable resources ability to reproduce many species have died out
management of wildlife resources is important

4. Wildlife living things that are neither human or domesticated
especially birds, mammals, fishes
includes both plant and animal life

5. Wildlife we will concentrate on higher life forms vertebrates
lower forms of plant and animal life are also important in maintaining a balance

6. United States
estimated that the continental U.S. contains over 2,300 different vertebrate species.
Game animals make up only a small portion of this number

7. Early Pioneers depended on these birds, mammals and fish to survive
meat supplied food
skins used for shelter and clothing
oil kept firearms usable

8. Early Pioneers oil used to light cabins
with out wildlife resources the wilderness would have never been conquered.

9. World Fur Trade America was well established at the cost of wildlife
trappers took the animals faster than they could multiply
treated the resources as a crop

10. Wildlife killed many because they appeared hostile
bears, wildcats - danger to people
many species were killed because they threatened the safety of domestic animals

11. Wrongly accused hawks were thought to kill chickens
mass destruction of hawks took place

12. hawks stomach contents found to contain 40% insects, 30% frogs
23% rats and mice, 3.4% small birds
2% aquatic wildlife

13. stomach contents
.5% game birds
.5% rabbits

14. Red Tail hawks
poultry parts were discovered but those parts were only a small percentage of the diet
original premise was unfounded.

15. Rare or Endangered few in number
1966 Endangered Species Preservation Act
Endangered Species Conservation Act

16. Congressional Acts protect fish and wildlife on a worldwide basis
protection and conservation of species of native fish known to be threatened with extinction

17. 1969 amendment
dealt with importation of endangered species into the US from anywhere in the world
called for formation of an endangered species list

18. 1969 amendment list is updated every 5 years
1970 the list contained 133 species of mammals
124 birds, 24 reptiles
25 fish, 1 mollusk

19. Extinct species
no longer exist
outside of museums or photographs

20. Rare species one that is no longer common
in in danger of becoming extinct
zoos may hold the last examples of the species

21. Extinct Species Passenger Pigeon
at one time the population was thought to be in the billions
flew in enormous flocks
John Audubon estimated on flock he saw at over one billion

22. Passenger Pigeon large flocks would strip all the foliage
leaving the area bare
people declared war on the birds
killing all they could find

23. Passenger Pigeon
captured the young and killed them, shipped them to cities as food
flocks soon disappeared
NY, PA and MA passed laws to protect them

24. Passenger Pigeon laws were too late
birds held in captivity would not breed
last known passenger pigeon died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914

25. Passenger Pigeon
body of last passenger pigeon is on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC

26. Extinct Species
Carolina Parakeet
Heath Hen
Labrador Duck

27. Carolina Parakeet
sought for their colorful feathers which were used in women’s hats
final extinction came in 1914

28. Heath Hen relative of the prairie chicken
used for food by early settlers
bird sanctuary set up in the early 1900’s

29. Heath Hen Fire swept through the sanctuary a few males survived
last bird died in 1932

30. Labrador Duck became extinct before anyone realized it was gone
most birds were killed for their feathers which were used to stuff pillows

31. Endangered Mammals
133 on the endangered list distributed by the US Dept. of the Interior

32. Common endangered big horn sheep, polar bears, key deer, wolves
mountain lions
most hunted extensively without considering extinction

33. Big Horn Sheep threatened by extinction from two sides
humans and disease
large sheep, relatives of domestic sheep

34. Big Horn Sheep live high in the mountains above the tree line
6-7 feet in length
have long curved horns

35. Big Horn Sheep are hunted for trophies
many carcasses are found with head removed
very alert
are under protection of game laws
some are being kept in wildlife reserves

36. Polar Bears important source of food for Eskimos
fur is used for clothing
meat is used for food
airplane hunting is being used to kill vast amounts each year

37. Polar Bears Females produce only 2 young each year
stay with mother for 10 months
Canada and Soviet Union have laws to protect these animals

38. Key Deer smallest white tail deer killed for trophies
strict laws prohibiting hunting
population increased from 30 to 300 because of wildlife refuges

39. Wolves wolves resemble dogs hunt in packs at night
pack consists of young and old
female bears 5-14 pups in a den guarded by the male
male and female mate for life

40. Wolves feed on domestic livestock there have been bounties on wolves
now bounties can only exist if the population endanger the deer population

41. Mountain Lions has been eliminated in eastern US hunt at night
feed mainly on deer
humans hunt frequently
are hunted for skins and heads.
Hunting is not allowed in national parks, but are hunted in forest areas

42. Endangered Birds there are 124 birds on the endangered species list.
The most common are the whooping crane, bald eagle, ivory-billed woodpecker, and prairie chicken.

43. Whooping Crane migrate from Texas to Canada each year
many are hunted during migration
nest up to two young per year
the young fly south with adults

44. Whooping Crane
when birds return to Arkansas Wildlife Refuge each year they are counted.
The count has steadily increased
at the present time there are only 51 whooping cranes

45. Bald Eagles Has a white head and tail bald eagles feed on dead salmon
bounties have been places for their talons
are now protected by law

46. Bald Eagles $500 fine for tampering with an eagle or its nest
the number to bald eagles continues to drop
take young 4 years to mature
can live up to 100 years

47. Ivory-billed Woodpecker
largest woodpecker in North America
lives in southern states
nests in tops of old forests
eat insects and grubs found in old and dying trees

48. Ivory-billed Woodpecker
are being held in secret reserves and one day they will be reintroduced to the public

49. Prairie Chickens is a type of grouse
Indian dances imitated their mating dances
oil drilling and drought dwindled the population
in 1959 the Prairie Chicken Foundation was formed to protect them

50. Endangered Fish there are 25 fish on endangered species list
2 species are located in Mammoth Caves and Death Valley (pupfish and blind fish)