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For Immediate Release
Federal District Court Blocks Snowmachine Grooming in Woodland Caribou Habitat
Statement of Plaintiffs on Preliminary Injunction
SPOKANE, Wash. -- The federal District Court in Spokane, Washington, issued an injunction late yesterday against the grooming of snowmobile trails in the Recovery Area for the woodland caribou in far northern Idaho, as discussed in the attached Backgrounder.
"The woodland caribou is as endangered as any mammal has ever been in the United States, with one isolated herd of only about 35 animals moving between the US and Canada" stated Mike Leahy, Staff Attorney with Defenders of Wildlife. "This is precisely the type of situation the Endangered Species Act was designed to address. The Forest Service should have addressed the impacts of snowmobiles on caribou a long time ago. Since they did not, emergency protective measures are necessary until a long term solution can be found."
"The woodland caribou is a magnificent indicator of the health of the northern Rockies environment. Their precipitous decline says a lot about how we have abused the northern Rockies over the years," said Mark Sprengel with the Selkirk Conservation Alliance. "Sometimes we as a people need to restrain ourselves in certain ways for the benefit of other species. This is clearly one of those times."
"These animals and their Inland Rainforest home are globally unique, and as such they are invaluable international treasures," stated Joe Scott with Conservation Northwest. "They are a heritage we should be proud to protect for future generations and it’s the least we can do to give them a little space."
The conservation groups are represented by Advocates for the West, located in Boise, Idaho. The suit, Defenders of Wildlife v. Martin, et. al., is filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, in Spokane.
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Defenders of Wildlife is a leading nonprofit conservation organization recognized as one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. With more than 490,000 members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is an effective leader on endangered species issues.
