6/5 Tiger beetle, kids climate, biz climate, NZ mudsnail, aquatic reserves, Maia Bellon, testing octopi, tribal consent, killing wolves, Carnival penalties, bag ban, Orca Action Month

Tiger beetle [Sound Waters Stewards]

Tiger beetle Cicindela oregona
Voracious predators both as adults and larvae, many tiger beetles use what is literally blinding speed to chase down their prey. Sometimes referred to as “cheetahs of the insect world”, their long spindly legs zip them along at 120 body lengths per second. If a human were to match this, they would have to run over 200 mph.... Tiger beetles have large sickle shaped mandibles that make quick work of ripping apart their prey (often ants or spiders). They secrete an enzyme from the base of the mandibles that begin the digestive process as they tear their victim apart. The sharp mandibles and digestive enzyme can cause a painful bite to any unwary person who tries to handle them. Mary Jo Adams writes. (Sound Waters Stewards)

Climate change lawsuit vs. US government faces court test
A lawsuit by a group of young people who say U.S. energy policies are causing climate change and hurting their future faces a major hurdle Tuesday as lawyers for the Trump administration argue to stop the case from moving forward. Three judges from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals are hearing arguments from lawyers for 21 young people and the federal government in Portland but are not expected to rule right away. The Obama and Trump administrations have tried to get the lawsuit dismissed since it was filed in Oregon in 2015. Andrew Selsky reports. (Associated Press)

Companies See Climate Change Hitting Their Bottom Lines in the Next 5 Years 
Many of the world’s biggest companies, from Silicon Valley tech firms to large European banks, are bracing for the prospect that climate change could substantially affect their bottom lines within the next five years, according to a new analysis of corporate disclosures. Under pressure from shareholders and regulators, companies are increasingly disclosing the specific financial impacts they could face as the planet warms, such as extreme weather that could disrupt their supply chains or stricter climate regulations that could hurt the value of coal, oil and gas investments. Early estimates suggest that trillions of dollars may ultimately be at stake. Brad Plumer reports. (NY Times)

Invasive snails found in local slough
Another invasive species has made its way to Skagit County, this time in the waters of Big Indian Slough off of Padilla Bay south of Bay View. New Zealand mudsnails are tiny, spiral-shelled creatures that thrive in lakes, rivers, streams and estuary environments where freshwater and saltwater meet.... While the newfound mudsnails are small — each about the size of former President Abraham Lincoln’s ear on the penny — they reproduce rapidly, creating quantities that can clog pipes or habitat used by other species. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

State aquatic reserves lean heavily on citizen scientists
Eight aquatic reserves in Puget Sound are being studied by volunteers working under the direction of state experts. Washington Department of Natural Resources manages the reserves with guidance from nearby communities. Chris Dunagan reports. (Salish Sea Currents)

WA's Ecology director on Native knowledge and fighting for forgotten communities
Maia Bellon grew up exploring Washington’s woods and coastlines. As Washington's Department of Ecology director, she's putting environmental justice front and center.  Hannah Weinberger reports. (Crosscut)

The Newest Lab Rat Has Eight Arms
Move over mice and fruit flies, the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, is busy developing the next great model organism for science. Mićo Tatalović reports. (Hakai Magazine)

WA's top lawyer took a rare step to affirm tribal sovereignty — here's why that's a big deal
Under the new policy, the attorney general must get written consent from tribes before taking certain actions that affect them. That's something few have put into practice, experts say. Melissa Santos reports. (Crosscut)

The relentless slaughter of wolves paved the way for a predator that refuses to die
In the mismanagement of nature, government hunting programs cleared a path for coyotes to surge east. Darryl Fears reports. (Washington Post)

Carnival Cruise Lines Hit With $20 Million Penalty For Environmental Crimes
The cruise line giant Carnival Corporation and its Princess subsidiary have agreed to pay a criminal penalty of $20 million for environmental violations such as dumping plastic waste into the ocean. Princess Cruise Lines has already paid $40 million over other deliberate acts of pollution. U.S. District Judge Patricia Seitz approved the terms of the deal during a hearing Monday in Miami. She had appeared to grow increasingly frustrated as the company continued to flout environmental laws during the course of the years-long case. Merrit Kennedy and Greg Allen report. (NPR)

Plastic bag ban goes into effect in Gig Harbor later this month
Gig Harbor’s plastic reduction ordinance will go into effect June 18. The ordinance calls for a ban on most single-use plastic shopping bags in Gig Harbor. The ordinance will be put into effect at retail establishments such as grocery stores, department stores, hardware stores, pharmacies, liquor stores and restaurants. According to City Council member Jeni Woock, Gig Harbor stores including Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer and Home Depot use a combined total of 9,962,104 plastic bags every year, or 192,211 plastic bags a week. That does not include smaller retail stores in the city. Jake Gregg reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

If you like to watch: Raising awareness during Orca Action Month
June is Orca Month, and for the past 12 years, it has been about raising awareness. But now, organizers are saying this year it is about action. KING 5's Kalie Greenberg explains. (KING)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  253 AM PDT Wed Jun 5 2019   
TODAY  Variable wind to 10 kt becoming S 10 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds. A  chance of showers in the morning then showers likely in the  afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SW wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  4 ft at 7 seconds. A chance of showers.

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