Bears
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I’m surprised that even Alaska would allow this to happen, if only for economic reasons, but they have elected a reactionary new governor, and the Alaska Board of Game has never been enlightened. This will probably attract the same kind of shooters as those who like to shoot elk, deer behind a high fence. YouTube…
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The Rocky Mountain Front continues to be a success story, now with more plains grizzly bear habitat protected. The last Congress greatly reduced the likihood of oil and gas development dangers. See the AP story. The Front still faces problems — off road vehicles and potential sub-divisions. The Nature Conservancy always plays a cautious game,…
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The state of Montana has moved quickly to authorize wolf hunting and grizzly hunting (the grizzly bear in the Greater Yellowstone is expected to be delisted soon too). While most folks expect Montana to be much more moderate than Idaho, the bill sets a low tag fee for wolves (lower than Idaho’s), and apparently doesn’t…
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There are about 650 wolves in Idaho. To hear some tell, this “incredible” number is devastating the big game herds, menacing people, and driving farmers from their lands. “How many do you want. When will the “wolf-lovers” ever be satisfied?” I’m a friend of the wolf, and its prey. I’m a friend of the cougar…
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Here is a good article on the dieoff of whitebark pine and grizzly bears. In the Rockies, Pines Die and Bears Feel It. New York Times. By Charles Petit.
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Various pine beetles are attacking pines all over North America with an extraordinary vengeance. In Yellowstone the high valued whitebark pine, which grows, and grows but slowly, at high elevations continues under attack. This pine is especially valuable to grizzly bears who eat its fat rich nuts in the fall to fatten up. In years…
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The annual count of elk on Yellowstone’s northern range is in. It remains low compared to years past, but is about the same as a year ago — 6,738 elk compared to about 6600 in the last count, 9 months ago. The Northern Range herd has always been controversial with its numbers called wildly excessive…
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The Idaho Statesman has made a good compilation of recent newspaper editorials about the listing of the polar bear — the addition of the polar bear to the endangered species list. Story: Other Views: Polar bears and global warming. Idaho Statesman.