Last Herd of Caribou Fighting for Survival

[Judi Lynn]

Last Herd of Caribou Fighting for Survival

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS
Associated Press Writer

January 23, 2006, 3:57 AM EST

SANDPOINT, Idaho -- In the frozen Selkirk Mountains near the Canadian border, the last tiny herd of caribou in the Lower 48 states is fighting for survival.

The less than three dozen remaining animals struggle with starvation, an increase of predators and, more recently, powerful snowmobiles that roar through their winter range.

Conservationists have sued to ban snowmobiles from caribou habitat, and tension between the groups is rising.

"There is no prospect for negotiation," said Mark Sprengel of the Selkirk Conservation Alliance, whose members have been branded domestic terrorists by some snowmobilers. "I think these people are capable of extreme acts."
(snip/...)

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-the-last-caribou,0,5177808.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

[Julius Civitatus]

1. Depressing

:(

[shugah]

2. less than 3 dozen

not very good odds for survival is it?

very, very sad.

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. Couldn't the snowmobilers be rightfully called domestic terrorists?

The are wantonly and carelessly contributing to the destruction of a precious natural resource, literally terrorizing the herd.

It's a big country. Can't they find some better place to play with their toys?

[rodeodance]

6. no, that word is overused and abused.

[Catchawave]

10. Especially in the article :)

<snip>
The raw emotions involved were revealed in a recent op-ed piece by Holman in the Priest River Times newspaper, when he called environmentalists domestic terrorists.

"Bonner and Boundary County have been victimized by domestic terrorism," Holman wrote, "and the areas will feel the financial pains as the winter season continues."

Holman does not see his article as hostile. "It was honest," he said.

But the words worry Sprengel.

"If you call people terrorists, it makes it easy for a nut to take out the enemy for God and country," Sprengel said.

[rman]

21. how about "environmental terrorists"

using snow mobiles to terrorize caribous.

[YOY]

23. and we should start calling people out with real harsh words the moment

they start spouting it.

[anotherdrew]

40. it'd be a damn shame if they hit white ropes strung up between trees

it's be so sad... I mean what the hell, they want to start throwing fighting words around, what the hell do they think is going to happen?

Millions of acres and these assholes have to go to that one area? Why?

[The Stranger]

4. Kick and recommend for greatest.

Fight back. Fight on.

[rodeodance]

5. "branded domestic terrorists by some snowmobilers"--they leaned this

from our 'leaders'------beyond sad.

[wordpix]

19. some wacko will now kill environmentalists on grounds they're "terrorists"

[Auntie Bush]

43. I bet those "terrorists" will get a visit from Bush's "Terror Surveillance

Program"

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. They are talking about caribou in the Lower 48 States

The title is very misleading.

[Judi Lynn]

8. It matters a lot to some people, speaking for myself. n/t

[DoYouEverWonder]

13. I'm not saying it doesn't matter

but the headline makes it sound like there's one herd left in the whole world. I didn't even know we still had one herd in the Lower 48 since the ice age.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

22. It should matter to EVERYONE- no matter what you forgot to learn in school

If we're about to let the self gratifcation crowd determine our laws,
then we may as well kiss our planet goodbye.
Sometimes we have to use good judgement on determining where
we can recreate, where we can kill wildlife, where we can pollute,
and where we can snowmobile!!!

[Bandit]

28. Yes I caught that as well

There are hundreds of thousands of caribou in Alaska and Canada but just not in Kansas....:shrug:

[dysfunctional press]

29. exactly...i thought that it was going to be about ANWR-

about to become a moot point.

[donsu]

9. a lot of undereducated americans wouldn't even know what a Caribou

was, much less wanting to stop it's extinction in the US

[RebelOne]

25. Actually, a caribou is a reindeer.

[Odin2005]

11. Minnesota used to have Caribou and Grizzlies...

...but they were all hunted. :(

[pinniped]

24. Yup, there was also a time the mighty grizzly roamed California.

.

[xchrom]

12. i hope they don't give up fo rthe sake of the caribou.

that would be a sad, sad loss.

[progressoid]

14. "We can't make ourselves extinct," he said.

Wanna bet?

[blindpig]

15. What a self absorbed asshole.

As though his play time was equivalent to the survival of a population of animals. :mad:

[Lorien]

17. Same bullshit line we hear from speed boaters here in Florida

who roar through once quiet waterways, killing manatees and driving every other peace-and-quiet loving boater and fisherman out of their minds. The speed boaters always use the 'but humanity will go extinct" line whenever someone them exactly what a "no wake zone" means. Yes, humanity WILL go extinct- if enough keystone species are driven to extinction because then entire ecosystems break down and fail to support life on earth! The planet is a living organism, not just a dirt pit and water park for self centered assholes like these knuckle draggers.

:grr:

[Lorien]

16. What authority decided that snowmobilers have greater rights

than threatened wildlife (and nearly every non-human species IS threatened these days, save for a few opportunists) and the REST of humanity?? I swear, there's no more quiet walks, hikes or cross country skiing in the wilderness anymore because a small cadre of ignorant, self centered rednecks feels the need for noise and speed. So now the law is "if it burns fossil fuel, it rules"? Good God, we need to throw out EVERY LAST ONE of these brainless energy lobbyist's whores before every last ecosystem on earth breaks down beyond repair!!

[wordpix]

18. they do this too, in CT: "rights to access" for motorboats and snowmobiles

in state parks and on state waters. No matter you can take a non-motorized boat or walk, x-country ski or snowshoe everywhere.

[Tippy]

20. This is just the first step

Once this heard is gone the snowmobiles will move on the the next, after all we must provide rich Republicans a place to play at all costs.

[Sweet Home Alabama]

26. Snowmobiles don't hurt Caribou

I saw this article in the ( http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/12/14/state/n145341S90.DTL )San Francisco Chronicle
------------
12-14 14:53 PST Billings, Mont. (AP) --
"Most elk, bison and trumpeter swans are unfazed by the presence of snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park, a new study suggests.

"Researchers from the park and Montana State University observed more than 2,100 interactions between snowmobiles and wildlife last winter.

"In 81 percent of the interactions, the animals either had no apparent response, or they looked and then resumed what they were doing, the study said. " There's more at the link.
----------------


So let's find the real problem and stop worrying about snowmobiles.

[The Stranger]

27. Elk, bison and trumpeter swans are not the issue.

It's carribou. Go back and read the original article.

[Sweet Home Alabama]

30. The problem is not snowmobiles; It's no migration away from predators.

http://www.propertyrightsresearch.org/2004/articles3/howling.htm

"Few elk historically winter in Yellowstone, or in the higher elevations, where deep snow and severe winters make foraging difficult. Don Cushman of the Fish and Wildlife Service at the National Elk Refuge in Jackson, Wyoming, explains that vast herds of elk historically migrated down off of the Yellowstone Plateau and the surrounding mountains and headed south at least 250 miles to winter in the high plains near Rock Springs, Wyoming.

"Again, historically speaking, by migrating long distances, the elk herds, like their cousins the caribou, were able to "spatially separate" themselves for significant periods of time from their main predator, the wolf. Some wolves undoubtedly followed the elk herds on their migrations, but most stayed in their home territories and began preying on alternate species. When faced with wolf predation, migration is really the only genetic factor in the elk (or caribou's) favor.

"In the United States, migration onto the plains is restricted by cattle ranching, agriculture, highways, and both rural and urban development. Elk herds are, in effect, living year round on millions of acres of well protected summer range. "

and

"Preservationist organizations...like to put the blame on heli-skiers, snowmobile users, mining activities, old growth logging, etc. Yet, none of these activities have been shown to have a significant impact on caribou mortality."

[Lorien]

32. A right wing source. Yeah, riiight.

[Sweet Home Alabama]

36. Here's a better source: National Geographic.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/09/gk2/migrationcaribou.html

Who really cares where it comes from? I just googled caribou and migration. There are lots of sources about the problems of the caribou being 'sitting ducks' for cougars and wolves and how they used to migrate.

[The Stranger]

33. God Damn, that is weak.

You are citing to "propertyrightsresearch.org"?

"If you love farmers, miners, ranchers, loggers, fishermen, and recreationists, you've come to the right place."

Are you kidding? Are you lost?

[Sweet Home Alabama]

39. Yikes! (Well I do love farming.)

I grow herbs and finches.
And thistle plants for the finches.
And raspberries.

And we also have a couple of acres of pine trees.

[hatrack]

35. Excuse me, but this isn't happening in Yellowstone

It's happening in northern Idaho, which is several hundred miles away.

In addition, it isn't happening to elk, it's happening to caribou. Wrong state, wrong species . . . wrong turn on your part?

[Sweet Home Alabama]

38. Patiently I will repeat my response to Lorien

Caribou are being killed by cougars and wolves because they can't migrate away from predators anymore because of ranches and highways and fences. Banning snowmobiles won't save the heard.

[hatrack]

41. So, before fences and ranches, cougars & wolves did not kill caribou?

So, what will save the "heard", O mighty snowmobiler?

[Lorien]

31. Oh, bullshit. Bill Moyers talked about this issue on NOW

snowmobilers have been chasing elk and bison TO THEIR DEATHS in Yellowstone. In winter food is scarce and animals need to conserve energy; running from snowmobiles throughout the day can lead to exhaustion and death.Even though harassing animals with snowmobiles is banned, the park service doesn't have the staff to enforce laws. Snowmobiles are a real problem for winter wildlife-and there's no reason on earth to protect snowmobilers over dwindling wildlife and the desire of those who go to our nation's parks to get away from noise and exhaust fumes (rangers say that it's so bad that they often need to wear masks)!

[Sweet Home Alabama]

34. Should you ban cars because some people have road rage? That's bullshit.

If you focus on the snowmobiles you won't solve the real problem. Cougars and wolves.

[hatrack]

37. "The real problem. Cougars and wolves."

Those evil, EVIL predators!! How DARE they predate!

[alarimer]

45. Exactly

Some people don't want to give up their toys. Texas had to pass a law prohibiting people from DRIVING ON STREAM BEDS (with water) because the stupid fucking redneck yahoos want to run their goddamn machines everywhere. Oil in the water, habitat destroyed. But they don't give a shit as long as they can drive their goddamn macho machines. Some people make me sick. I know. Let's put the snowmobilers on foot and chase them with their machines. See how the assholes like it.

[roguevalley]

42. poor angels. they need relocating until this is settled. caribou are

wonderful. they relocated a herd to our area and they are amazing animals to watch.

[54anickel]

44. Hey, I'm a snowmobiler (well former one anyway) and I don't understand

what these snowmobilers are complaining about. They are blocked from 77 miles of trail, but they've got another 251 miles and some 50,000 acres to ride on. This is one of the reasons I got out of the sport, a few diehard, all or nothing types giving the rest of us a bad name. They want to ride as fast as they want (nearly got taken out in a head-on on MY side of the trail TWICE), where they want, when they want. They don't bother to read signs, pay attention to trail markings or have any respect for the private landowners that would allow our club to run trails through their property. Our local club would go through the work of negotiating with landowners, providing insurance, marking the trails, and grooming them (and the state forest trails). Then we'd get these outta-towners coming in on the weekends and raising hell. We lost most of our local trails to farmers that got fed up with their winter wheat fields being destroyed and to developments. We used to head "up north" but there would be those crazies heading there as well. I got tired of the locals up there looking at me like I was "one of them". All of that, and the fact that I'm getting too old, outta shape and weak in the back to ride anymore. By the way, that is how most snowmobile trails are run - local clubs, private landowners sometimes state forests. Lots of snowmobilers don't know that, and their disregard really shows.

Just trying to say not all snowmobilers are bad (or rich Republicans). Yes it may seem like a waste of gas or environmentally unfriendly, but a lot of us just enjoy getting out to remote areas to take in the beauty and the wildlife (we'd see lots of deer!). You can do that if you're not flying down the trails and are willing to pullover and stop to "smell the pines".