On August 5 Redwood Chapter Conservation Chair Diane Beck attended the meeting of the California Fish and Game Commission to urge that the Commission ban bobcat trapping in the state altogether, as was the original intent of the 2013 “Bobcat Protection Act.” As discussed in an Action Alert in the previous edition of the Redwood Needles, this action would fully implement the 2013 “Bobcat Protection Act” and was one of two options before the Commission, the other being to establish extensive bobcat closure areas near national parks, monuments and wildlife refuges.
Diane is delighted to report that after extended debate and in the presence of more than 100 members of the public the Commission did the right thing: commercial trapping of these iconic predators is now completely forbidden in California! Congratulations to the Commissioners, and thanks to everyone who wrote a letter, sent an email, made a phone call, and attended the meeting.
Then less than two weeks later we got some more exciting news: the first pack of wild wolves -- two adults and four cubs -- to be seen in California in nearly a century has settled in. The location given is a bit vague (for obvious protective reasons), but the location of the “Shasta Pack” seems to be somewhere in eastern Siskiyou county. That means they have set up housekeeping in Mother Lode Chapter instead of Redwood, but with an established pack in the Rogue National Forest just across the Oregon border our time is surely coming soon. For some great photos of these new residents, check out lostcoastoutpost.com.