
Winners
Prairie dogs
Rather than focus on the plight of their country during the Olympics’ opening weekend, a group of Tibetan monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery, Inc. visited Santa Fe to show solidarity with another displaced community: the Gunnison’s Prairie Dog. The monks blessed the dogs at Frenchy’s Field on Aug. 9, and their prayers were immediately answered: According to the El Defensor Chieftain, two new prairie dog refuges are open at the
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
.
Mycobacterium bovis
Cattle ranchers are hoofin’ mad about the United States Department of Agriculture’s decision to yank New Mexico’s status as a bovine-tuberculosis-free state. The emergency rule, expected to be published sometime this week, is the second time since 2003 that a couple of infected cows in eastern New Mexico have ruined the reputation of the entire state’s cattle, according to Alisa Ogden, president of the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association. Ogden says the state’s congressional delegation is working to limit the impact, but any remedy will still take months. In the meantime, ranchers will need to obey the USDA’s testing rules, which can cost an extra $50 to $60 per animal.
Dogs
August has been horrible month for canines in New Mexico. First, 67 Afghan hounds were found in a home in Ilfield, nine of which were puppies that died of canine parvo-virus soon after being rescued. Then a pack of dogs were abandoned in Socorro County, which doesn’t have an animal shelter. Luckily, Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society took charge of the Afghans until the burden could be shared with out-of-state rescue organizations, and Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano dispatched his animal-control officer to pick up the four dogs and three puppies left in Socorro.
Losers
Prairie-chicken hunters
Sometimes lesser is greater, at least when it comes to escaping hunting season. The State of New Mexico canceled the hunting of the lesser prairie-chicken while the US Fish and Wildlife Service considers the small, striped fowl for coverage under the Endangered Species Act (again). New Mexico’s deer and elk weren’t so lucky: As of Aug. 11, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish began giving out 1,500 leftover deer permits and 54 elk hunting licenses for a bargain $8 a pop.
Cyber-cows
In the most recent episode of the British TV series Doctor Who, an evil scientist invents a new kind of Bluetooth-style earpiece, which he then uses to enslave the human race as his own army of “Cybermen.” Now the US Department of Agriculture is testing out an eerily similar technology on cattle in southern New Mexico. The Associated Press reports, the Ear-A-Round “has stereo earphones that funnel sounds directly into the cow’s ears to guide its movement” and also includes GPS and a solar energy panel. According to the Doctor Who encyclopedia (tardis.wikia.com), The Doctor hasn’t had to save New Mexico’s ass since 1957, when The Master infiltrated Kirtland Air Force Base.
Trout thieves
On Aug. 1, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish agents discovered 54 rainbow trout missing from the state’s Rock Lake Fish Hatchery in Santa Rosa. The thieves, by means yet unknown, transported the fish to the Blue Hole, a spring-fed lake that’s better suited for scuba divers than fish. The Hole’s low oxygen content killed all the trout in a matter of hours. Wherever they are, the thieves better cover their gills: Game & Fish has a $350 anonymous-tip bounty on their heads through its hotline: 800-432-4263.