Why Such Disregard For Cougars?
Jackson Hole News&Guide (Download PDF-24MB HERE)
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Opinion by Cara Blessley Lowe
In the days following the capture and removal of three cougars kittens near Game Creek, I have attempted to speak to and obtain information from the Jackson division of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department as to why these cubs were removed from their natural habitat in the first place. I would believe the publicly stated goodwill intention to prevent the suffering of the orphaned cubs (JH News & Guide 1/28/06), were the Jackson WGFD actively working to amend a hunting policy which creates the problem they now step in to solve.
The mark of a well-functioning democracy is a general faith in our elected leaders, a constitutionally-conceived program of checks and balances, and a transparency on the part of public officials to their constituents, the public. The Great State of Wyoming and its wildlife--perhaps an even more iconic symbol to this place in these early days of the twenty-first century than the cowboy--appears to be at a crossroads at this point in time.
The cougar is Wyoming's most widespread large carnivore, which is not to say the most numerous. The state's mountains in the west feed new generations, as well as varied genetic strains, of cougars to other parts of Wyoming, and other western states as well. (A cougar collared in Wyoming once was discovered as far south as central Colorado.) In scientific language, these kinds of habitats, once identified, are called source zones, and are crucial to maintaining a genetically varied population of this keystone species.
Now, not only do we have a statewide hunting policy that does little to protect female cougars (the biological ‘savings accounts' of the species), we have a WGF division who steps in to the wild to “rescue” orphaned cubs who may or may not make it on their own out there, exchanging the likely suffering, if not extreme duress and hardship in the wild for a more prolonged, and far from natural existence in a captive research facility somewhere outside of Cheyenne.
Meanwhile, lay people and NGOs who are most concerned about this issue fumble around in a veritable minefield of rumors, unreturned telephone messages, reports from those close to the Jackson division of the WGFD but unwilling and/or afraid to come forward about what really happened and is happening to these animals--and even more importantly, why.
Why the disregard for this species? Why the repeat maligning of these animals as potential safety hazards for the public--bees, even bison, are statistically far more dangerous. Why the lack of transparency?
It would appear a subversive revolution is taking place within the ranks of the Jackson division of the WGFD. He whose job it is to communicate the actions, or provide justification for the actions, has been forbidden by superiors to speak to certain individuals. A single outfitter has killed three collared cougars, all of them subjects of Beringia South's Teton cougar study, all males, all killed in the Gros Ventre drainage: one sub-adult cub, one 3-year old, and one resident, eight year-old territory-holding male.
The three cubs “rescued” by the WGFD on 1/28/06 may be the orphans of the female cougar illegally shot in a winter closure area. The hunter was allowed to keep his illegal trophy, and the professional guide, whose job is to know where and where not to go, continues guiding.
First the trail is closed, and their natural food is taken away, because the cubs may be a threat to humans recreating in a popular area. Next, they are “rescued” because they may have no mother. Days later, with still no press release on behalf of WGFD, the JH News & Guide reports WGFD dragged another, fresher kill to the site to help the little ones out. Or bait them, which makes more sense since they ended up being captured in bear trap culverts.
It should not take an education group, a team of pre-eminent cougar biologists, conservation groups, animal rights groups, hunters, lawyers--ore even Governor Freudenthal or WGFD Director Terry Cleveland--to step in and wade through these kinds of misguided moves and set things right. But it might.
3 Cougars Trapped and Removed in Jackson Hole
The USDA Forest Service issued the following news release on Friday, January 27, 2006 regarding the removal of three cougars from prime cougar habitat along Game Creek in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
The Cougar Fund is extremely concerned about the circumstances surrounding the removal of these three majestic cats from their home range and their fate in the event no facility elects to adopt them.
Furthermore, all evidence indicates that these were not independent, adult cats. According to Dr. Rick Hopkins, a member of our Board of Directors and a renowned cougar expert, “These were three cubs or a mother and two kittens.” Unless small children were wandering alone on Game Creek, these three young cougars were unlikely to be a threat to human health and safety.
Please visit this site again in the near future, when we will provide you with information and tools to appeal to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department and to the Governor of Wyoming to encourage more transparency in reporting to us, the public.
Thank you,
Zeenie Scholz
Director of Development and Operations
The Cougar Fund
News Release
USDA Forest Service
Bridger-Teton National Forest
P.O. Box 1888
Jackson, WY 83001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS: Mary Cernicek (307) 739-5564
DATE: January 27, 2006
Bridger-Teton National Forest Reopens Game Creek Trail
Jackson, Wyo : This morning, the Bridger-Teton National Forest Jackson Ranger District lifted the temporary closure at the Game Creek trail, just south of the town of Jackson. Wyoming Game and Fish officials reported that the three mountain lions that were in the vicinity of the Game Creek trailhead were taken from the area to be perhaps adopted by an educational facility.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006, Jackson Ranger District Winter Patrollers spotted the mountain lions feeding on an elk carcass in close proximity to the Game Creek trailhead. After moving the elk carcass from the area, the District temporarily closed the trail in the interest of human health and safety. Regular grooming schedules and patrols will resume today.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Opinion by Cara Blessley Lowe
In the days following the capture and removal of three cougars kittens near Game Creek, I have attempted to speak to and obtain information from the Jackson division of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department as to why these cubs were removed from their natural habitat in the first place. I would believe the publicly stated goodwill intention to prevent the suffering of the orphaned cubs (JH News & Guide 1/28/06), were the Jackson WGFD actively working to amend a hunting policy which creates the problem they now step in to solve.
The mark of a well-functioning democracy is a general faith in our elected leaders, a constitutionally-conceived program of checks and balances, and a transparency on the part of public officials to their constituents, the public. The Great State of Wyoming and its wildlife--perhaps an even more iconic symbol to this place in these early days of the twenty-first century than the cowboy--appears to be at a crossroads at this point in time.
The cougar is Wyoming's most widespread large carnivore, which is not to say the most numerous. The state's mountains in the west feed new generations, as well as varied genetic strains, of cougars to other parts of Wyoming, and other western states as well. (A cougar collared in Wyoming once was discovered as far south as central Colorado.) In scientific language, these kinds of habitats, once identified, are called source zones, and are crucial to maintaining a genetically varied population of this keystone species.
Now, not only do we have a statewide hunting policy that does little to protect female cougars (the biological ‘savings accounts' of the species), we have a WGF division who steps in to the wild to “rescue” orphaned cubs who may or may not make it on their own out there, exchanging the likely suffering, if not extreme duress and hardship in the wild for a more prolonged, and far from natural existence in a captive research facility somewhere outside of Cheyenne.
Meanwhile, lay people and NGOs who are most concerned about this issue fumble around in a veritable minefield of rumors, unreturned telephone messages, reports from those close to the Jackson division of the WGFD but unwilling and/or afraid to come forward about what really happened and is happening to these animals--and even more importantly, why.
Why the disregard for this species? Why the repeat maligning of these animals as potential safety hazards for the public--bees, even bison, are statistically far more dangerous. Why the lack of transparency?
It would appear a subversive revolution is taking place within the ranks of the Jackson division of the WGFD. He whose job it is to communicate the actions, or provide justification for the actions, has been forbidden by superiors to speak to certain individuals. A single outfitter has killed three collared cougars, all of them subjects of Beringia South's Teton cougar study, all males, all killed in the Gros Ventre drainage: one sub-adult cub, one 3-year old, and one resident, eight year-old territory-holding male.
The three cubs “rescued” by the WGFD on 1/28/06 may be the orphans of the female cougar illegally shot in a winter closure area. The hunter was allowed to keep his illegal trophy, and the professional guide, whose job is to know where and where not to go, continues guiding.
First the trail is closed, and their natural food is taken away, because the cubs may be a threat to humans recreating in a popular area. Next, they are “rescued” because they may have no mother. Days later, with still no press release on behalf of WGFD, the JH News & Guide reports WGFD dragged another, fresher kill to the site to help the little ones out. Or bait them, which makes more sense since they ended up being captured in bear trap culverts.
It should not take an education group, a team of pre-eminent cougar biologists, conservation groups, animal rights groups, hunters, lawyers--ore even Governor Freudenthal or WGFD Director Terry Cleveland--to step in and wade through these kinds of misguided moves and set things right. But it might.
3 Cougars Trapped and Removed in Jackson Hole
The USDA Forest Service issued the following news release on Friday, January 27, 2006 regarding the removal of three cougars from prime cougar habitat along Game Creek in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
The Cougar Fund is extremely concerned about the circumstances surrounding the removal of these three majestic cats from their home range and their fate in the event no facility elects to adopt them.
Furthermore, all evidence indicates that these were not independent, adult cats. According to Dr. Rick Hopkins, a member of our Board of Directors and a renowned cougar expert, “These were three cubs or a mother and two kittens.” Unless small children were wandering alone on Game Creek, these three young cougars were unlikely to be a threat to human health and safety.
Please visit this site again in the near future, when we will provide you with information and tools to appeal to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department and to the Governor of Wyoming to encourage more transparency in reporting to us, the public.
Thank you,
Zeenie Scholz
Director of Development and Operations
The Cougar Fund
News Release
USDA Forest Service
Bridger-Teton National Forest
P.O. Box 1888
Jackson, WY 83001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS: Mary Cernicek (307) 739-5564
DATE: January 27, 2006
Bridger-Teton National Forest Reopens Game Creek Trail
Jackson, Wyo : This morning, the Bridger-Teton National Forest Jackson Ranger District lifted the temporary closure at the Game Creek trail, just south of the town of Jackson. Wyoming Game and Fish officials reported that the three mountain lions that were in the vicinity of the Game Creek trailhead were taken from the area to be perhaps adopted by an educational facility.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006, Jackson Ranger District Winter Patrollers spotted the mountain lions feeding on an elk carcass in close proximity to the Game Creek trailhead. After moving the elk carcass from the area, the District temporarily closed the trail in the interest of human health and safety. Regular grooming schedules and patrols will resume today.
posted by Allie @ 9:21 PM
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