Biologists Fear Fire May Doom Nev. Deer [View All]

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http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/tech/2006/aug/18/081807362.html

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Wildlife biologists fear last week's Verdi fire that burned 6,000 acres west of Reno could be a last straw for the area's struggling deer herd.

Combined with a human population boom that has encroached into the critical winter habitat area, experts said the fire will further strain the herd that has dwindled from thousands to a few hundred in the past quarter century.

"Human encroachment is one thing, and then you get the fires on top of it," said Mike Dobel, a supervising biologist with the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

"This sounds very pessimistic, but that deer herd is just done," he said. "There will probably always be deer in that area, but in terms of the big numbers, with the loss of the migration corridors, it's done."

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