Biologists Fear Fire May Doom Nev. Deer

[jpak]

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."

<more>

[mike_c]

1. this article badly misses the point....

It's not fire that has harmed Nevada deer populations, it's a century of fire exclusion and fire suppression. The natural fire cycle renewed habitats rather than destroying them. The deer population can recover in time if the natural fire regime is restored-- and if human population encroachment ceases.

[Cosby]

2. Which is to say...

Sadly, the herd is doomed.

[LiberalEsto]

3. I will be happy to send them our deer

The deer population here in Montgomery County, Maryland is way beyond the number that the area can sustain.

They have devoured forest understory, agricultural crops, landscaping, and nearly killed off a rare plant that is the only host of a nearly extinct and beautiful butterfly.

At an estimated 200 deer per square mile, there are FAR more deer here per acre than there were prior to the European arrival, so it can't all be blamed on development and loss of habitat. The fact is, they have no natural predators.