Time’s Running Out to Help Endangered Species on Your Tax Return!

 

Media Contacts:
Esther Burkett, DFG Wildlife Branch, (916) 445-3764
Melissa Miller, Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center, (831) 469-1746
Dana Michaels, DFG Communications, (916) 322-2420

California sea otter

Snowy plover

Californians have until April 16 to contribute to funds that benefit endangered wild plants and animals on their state income tax returns. By donating any amount (one dollar or more) you can support the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Fund and/or the California Sea Otter Fund. Make a voluntary contribution on line 403 and/or line 410 of your California tax return, and you will help save the western lily, southern sea otter and other species from extinction.

“These two funds have become especially vital during the current economic downturn, because other sources of support for these conservation and research programs have decreased or are no longer available,” said DFG Wildlife Biologist Esther Burkett. “There are no other dedicated state funding sources available to continue this important work.”

What you donate this year is tax deductible on next year’s return. More information on the Rare and Endangered Species Preservation tax check-off program is available at www.dfg.ca.gov/taxcheck.

Many rare, threatened and endangered species have benefited from these voluntary contributions. DFG has been working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Humboldt State University, Redwood National and State Parks and other cooperators to study the nesting behavior and causes of nest failure for the forest-nesting marbled murrelet, a highly endangered seabird.

“The contributions of California’s taxpayers provide extra conservation power because we often use the funds to receive matching grants from the USFWS, providing even more support for species on the brink, such as the marbled murrelet,” said DFG Wildlife Biologist Esther Burkett.

There are 387 listed plant and animal species, from insects that provide essential ecosystem services to the iconic California condor and sea otter. Hundreds more are at risk. Money raised through the tax check-off program helps pay for important DFG research and recovery efforts, including protection of nesting sites for the California least tern, a small, migratory seabird that nests in remnant protected areas along California’s coast from our southern border to the San Francisco Bay Area. The terns are now beginning to arrive along our coast from their wintering grounds, just in time to remind tax filers that they can still help make a difference!

Since 1983, the tax check-off fund for Rare and Endangered Species has raised more than $18 million and supported numerous projects, including a captive breeding and release program for endangered riparian brush rabbits using a newly discovered population of wild rabbits. The critical support of California taxpayers has enabled wildlife biologists to achieve important recovery milestones to conserve our vulnerable species, and many species still need help.

In 2006 a second tax check-off fund was created specifically to facilitate recovery of the California sea otter, which is listed as a State Fully Protected Species and a Threatened Species under the federal Endangered Species Act. The most recent survey indicates there are fewer than 2,800 sea otters remaining in California. This small population is extremely vulnerable to oil spills, environmental pollution, predation by white sharks and other threats. Many sea otter deaths and ailments have been linked to pollution flowing from land to the sea, including fecal parasites, bacterial toxins and chemicals that have been linked to coastal land use.

According to DFG Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center Director Laird Henkel, donations to line 410 on state tax returns fund research such as a recent comparative study of sea otter food habits, behavior, health and survival in areas where there is high (Monterey) vs. low (Big Sur) human impact to the nearshore environment. Collaborative work among government, university and non-profit organizations ensures that the California Sea Otter Fund is used effectively to maximize the benefits to sea otter research and conservation.

You can support this research by making a contribution on line 410 of your state tax form 540, the California Sea Otter Fund. DFG works with Defenders of Wildlife to help promote the Sea Otter Fund. An excellent video about the sea otters’ current plight is on their website, www.defenders.org (keywords “tax check-off”).

Help Save Endangered Species at Tax Time!

Media Contacts:
Esther Burkett, DFG Wildlife Branch, (916) 445-3764
Melissa Miller, Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center, (831) 469-1746
Dana Michaels, DFG Communications, (916) 322-2420

California’s wild animals and plants need your help, and there’s an easy way to do it! Just make a voluntary contribution on line 403 and/or line 410 of your state income tax return (Form 540). By contributing any amount over one dollar you can support the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Fund and/or the California Sea Otter Fund. What you donate this year is tax deductible on next year’s return. Californians can receive state income tax credit from the Franchise Tax Board for helping wildlife.

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“The voluntary donations made by Californians at tax time are incredibly important in our efforts to save threatened and endangered species,” said DFG Director Charlton H. Bonham. “These funds have provided critical support for many state-listed species such as the Bakersfield cactus, Owens pupfish, San Francisco garter snake, California tiger salamander, marbled murrelet, Mohave ground squirrel and many more. These donations will help ensure that California’s extraordinary biodiversity is maintained for future generations.”

There are 387 listed plant and animal species, from little “bugs” that most of us have never heard of, to the iconic California sea otter. Hundreds more are at risk. Money raised through the tax check-off program helps pay for essential DFG research and recovery efforts. Such work allowed the California brown pelican and American peregrine falcon to be de-listed in 2009.

California is one of 41 states that allow taxpayers to make a voluntary, tax-deductible contribution to one or more worthwhile causes on their state returns. Since 1983, the tax check-off fund for Rare and Endangered Species has raised more than $18 million and supported numerous projects, including the establishment of a controlled breeding program for endangered riparian brush rabbits using a newly discovered population of wild rabbits. This collaborative effort has resulted in a significant expansion of riparian brush rabbit populations on public lands. The critical support of California taxpayers has enabled wildlife biologists to achieve important recovery milestones to conserve our vulnerable species.

More information on the Rare and Endangered Species Preservation tax check-off program is available at www.dfg.ca.gov/taxcheck.

A second tax check-off fund was created specifically to facilitate recovery of the California sea otter, which is listed as a State Fully Protected Species and a Threatened Species under the federal Endangered Species Act.  Based on the most recently completed survey, there are fewer than 2,800 sea otters remaining in California. This small population is extremely vulnerable to oil spills, environmental pollution, predation by white sharks and other threats.  Many sea otter deaths have been linked to pollution flowing from land to the sea, including fecal parasites, bacterial toxins and chemicals that have been linked to coastal land use.

According to DFG Wildlife Veterinarian and lead sea otter researcher Melissa Miller, the California Sea Otter Fund provides crucial funding to help scientists better understand and trace causes of sea otter mortality, identify factors limiting population growth and work collaboratively with stakeholders to prevent pollution of California’s nearshore marine ecosystem. This fund is made possible entirely through voluntary contributions by citizens of the state of California. The California Sea Otter Fund has become especially vital during the current economic downturn, because other sources of support for sea otter conservation and research have decreased or are no longer available. There are no other dedicated state funding sources available to continue this important work.

You can support this research by making a contribution on line 410 of your state tax form 540, the California Sea Otter Fund. DFG works with Defenders of Wildlife to help promote the Sea Otter Fund. An excellent video about the sea otters’ current plight is on their website, www.defenders.org (keywords “tax check-off”).

Sea Otter Program Reports Troubling Numbers

Contact: Carol Singleton, Department of Fish and Game, (916) 539-6124

Southern sea otters recently passed two grim milestones, report wildlife officials, demonstrating that the threatened marine mammal is not faring well in California waters.

According to a preliminary summary, 2010 broke the record for the number of southern sea otter carcasses recovered in one year, with a total of 304. In addition, officials recently collected the 6,000th deceased sea otter as part of the 40-year collaborative program between California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

“The tireless work of the Southern Sea Otter Stranding Network has helped to bring awareness to the dire situation of the sea otter,” said Melissa Miller, wildlife veterinarian for DFG. “By conducting surveys, collecting carcasses and performing necropsies on a consistent and ongoing basis, we can better understand what is imperiling this important species and find solutions to help.”

Based on this year’s otter survey, the three-year running average count dropped to 2,711 animals. This year’s data represents a 3.6 percent decline from last year’s number of 2,813. This is the second year in a row that the three-year average has dropped, indicating that the southern sea otter population is in a period of decline.

Experts believe there are a variety of factors causing this decline including infectious disease, pollution, habitat degradation and shark attacks. Over the past decade the number of sea otters dying from fatal shark bites has greatly increased, with 2010 seeing a large spike. In addition, recent research found that sea otters are being poisoned by eating shellfish contaminated with toxins that flow into the ocean from freshwater algal blooms.

The Southern Sea Otter Stranding Network was implemented by DFG in 1968 and is currently overseen by the USGS with support from DFG. The purpose of this network is to verify all reports of stranded sea otters in California, and recover the carcasses whenever possible to determine the cause of death. The network is comprised of personnel from the USGS, DFG, Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Marine Mammal Center, California Academy of Sciences and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

You can support vital research and conservation programs for sea otters by contributing to the California Sea Otter Fund when you file your California Income Tax return.  The Sea Otter Fund is on Line 410 of Form 540.

For more information on the USGS sea otter survey results, visit http://www.werc.usgs.gov/outreach.aspx?RecordID=38.