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Environmental coalition threatens lawsuit over black bear baiting in Idaho

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Environmental coalition threatens lawsuit over black bear baiting in Idaho


SPOKANE — A coalition of environmental groups has notified the state of Idaho that it plans to file a lawsuit over the use of bait for hunting black bears in habitat occupied by federally protected grizzly bears.

Western Watersheds Project, WildEarth Guardians, Wilderness Watch and Friends of the Clearwater sent Idaho Gov. Brad Little and other officials a 60-day notice of intent to sue over the practice, which they argue poses a threat to grizzlies and violates the Endangered Species Act.

It comes about a month after a hunter in Northern Idaho shot a grizzly over a bait site in the mountains along the St. Joe River after officials with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game misidentified it as a black bear.

Dana Johnson, policy director for Wilderness Watch, said in a news release that the June killing of the grizzly was “tragic and completely preventable.”

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“We’re submitting this notice of intent to sue to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Johnson said.

Grizzly bears in the Lower 48 states have been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since 1975. Biologists estimate there are roughly 2,000 now, with most of them in large populations in and around Glacier and Yellowstone national parks.

Idaho’s grizzlies are mostly found in the eastern part of the state near Yellowstone and in the Selkirk and Cabinet mountain ranges in Northern Idaho. The bears are known to wander long distances, however, and they’ve been showing up in unexpected places.

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The bear that was shot last month near St. Maries was well outside of areas with well-documented resident populations.

Idaho and Wyoming are the only states with known grizzly bear populations that allow black bear hunters to use bait.

The practice is outlawed in some Idaho hunting districts with high numbers of grizzlies. In others that may have grizzlies, the state warns hunters that they could encounter the threatened bears, and officials have worked to educate hunters on the differences between the two species.

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But the environmental groups argue that allowing bait at all presents problems for grizzlies beyond mistaken-identity kills. Bears that access bait sites can become conditioned to human foods, which can lead to bear-human conflicts that result in grizzlies being killed.

Three of the groups behind this week’s notice unsuccessfully sued to end black bear baiting in 2019. Johnson said the previous challenge focused on a section of the Endangered Species Act that deals with consultation requirements between federal agencies.





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Avista planned power outage rescheduled in Genesee

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Avista planned power outage rescheduled in Genesee


GENESSE – The Avista planned power outage for Friday, April 24 in Genesee has been cancelled and rescheduled due to weather. Approximately 337 Avista electric customers in Genesee will experience a planned power outage on Tuesday, April 28. The planned outage will start at 8:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. 

All affected customers will be notified in advance. Traffic control will be in place from Laurel Street north of Chestnut Street.

During this time, Avista crews will be replacing aging infrastructure, including power poles and equipment, in the area. These updates are part of Avista’s ongoing efforts to enhance the safety and reliability of its infrastructure. 

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11-year-old from Idaho competing for $20K, national spotlight – East Idaho News

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11-year-old from Idaho competing for K, national spotlight – East Idaho News


GARDEN CITY – A Boise-area girl is competing in the 2026 Junior Ranger Competition, and she needs your vote to advance.

Eleven-year-old Cali Lindsay of Garden City is currently in the top 10 in her age group. The first place contestant in each group will advance to the semi-finals, which will wrap on July 17.

The final round concludes on July 24. The winner will be awarded $20,000 and be featured on the cover of Ranger Rick Magazine. They’ll also win a trip with Jeff Corwin.

Cali’s mom, Emily Edginton, tells EastIdahoNews.com how the competition works.

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“You’re allowed one free vote every 24 hours. People can also pay (to vote),” Edginton says. “The contestants have challenges every week to learn about animals and share what they’ve learned. People vote for the answer they like best. If you have enough votes, you move to the next round.”

Cali needs to secure enough votes by Thursday in order to advance to the next round.

The competition is a fundraiser for the National Wildlife Federation, the largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization in the United States.

Edginton says they recently moved to Idaho from San Bernardino, California. Her daughter acquired a love of wildlife living in Lytle Creek, a community near the San Gabriel Mountains and San Bernardino National Forest.

“She’s already like a junior ranger. We picked up trash (in the forest) for fun,” Edginton says. “We try to keep it clean because we get a lot of visitors up there in the summertime and they trash the place. It affects the animals.”

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Edginton says they moved to Idaho in February to be closer to family.

She’s grateful her daughter can be part of what she feels is a great cause, and hopes to see her advance, and even win the tournament.

“It’s a good cause, plus it’s a learning experience,” says Edginton.

To vote for Cali or learn more, click here.

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Idaho Fish and Game reminds humans not to touch wild baby animals

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Idaho Fish and Game reminds humans not to touch wild baby animals


JACKSON, Wyo. — Springtime conjures images of adorable baby animals. Unfortunately, sometimes well-meaning humans feel compelled to interfere with Mother Nature by “rescuing” baby animals who appear to be alone.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) issued a spring reminder discouraging people from intervening when they assume a wild animal is lost, abandoned or orphaned.

“While these folks typically mean well, the sad reality is they are often doing more damage than good when they intervene — and typically, mom was not far away to begin with,” IDFG shared in a press release.

“Here’s the hard truth,” the agency wrote. “Animal parents will periodically leave their young for an extended period of time for a myriad of reasons, whether it’s to search for food, to rest or to divert attention from their vulnerable offspring, especially if they sense danger. When it comes to wildlife babies, wildlife mothers know best.”

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In short, in an encounter with a lone duckling, gosling, deer fawn, baby bird, red dog or moose calf, do not disturb it. Instead, contact the state’s wildlife agency to report it. In Jackson, call the Wyoming Game and Fish Department at (307) 733-2321. In Idaho, reach IDFG at (208) 525-7290.



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