Hunting and fishing groups worried about climate change’s effects on wildlife

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The hook and bullet crowd, traditionally quite a conservative bunch, is worrying more openly about climate change, particularly its forecasted effects on wildlife crucial to their sports. The Wildlife Management Institute, a sportsperson’s organization, released a report recently highlighting climate change’s possible detrimental effects to oft-hunted species. Disappearing wetlands could contribute to a 69 percent decline in North American breeding ducks, and nearly half of U.S. trout and salmon habitat could disappear by 2100. Climate-fueled habitat changes could also lead to declines in populations of mule deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, and quail. Representatives from WMI and eight other major hunting and fishing groups are meeting today with Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, to discuss their concerns. “Sportsmen are seeing the effects of climate change and know full well that foresight and proactive management will be necessary to help fish and wildlife adapt,” said George Cooper of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.