I am not posting this to start a big ol uproar. A friend posted this on the Snowest forum and it was very informative and I thought I would post it for my friends to see here at Moosie's place:
Thu January 05, 2006 2:51 PM
Last summer I submitted a comment letter during the Winter Use Scoping for the new EIS for Yellowstone National Park. A small portion of my comment letter is included below. So I asked two questions regarding how many animals were killed by wolves and how many by snowmobiles. I received a response today.
Do you think you will ever read this in any major paper? Ya right.
If you ever need to quote this figure, it was provided by Michael J. Yochim, Ph.D., National Park Service. I give the guy credit for actually replying, even though it is 6 months later, and for actually giving me some valuable information. I guoted 1800, but I guess I was a little low.
Some of my previous comments:
Since more than 8300 automobiles, motorcycles, pick-up trucks, busses, recreational vehicles and commercial trucks entered YNP on a daily basis between April 16th, and November 7th, 2004, I fail to see what sort of impact less than 1000 snowmobiles a day would have on the environment or wildlife. Snowmobiles do not put unreasonable stress on wildlife. Studies have shown that wildlife are more stressed and move further away from approaching humans on foot (cross-country skiing) than they do when approached by motorized vehicles (snowmobiles).
I would argue that wildlife is seriously impacted by wolves, not snowmobiles, since the re-introduction of 14 wolves to the park in 1995. Current estimates are that there are now over 200 wolves. Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, estimated in 1999 that “About 160 adult wolves will kill and eat approximately 1,800 big game animals a year”.
How many animals were killed by wolves in YNP during 2004? I realize you can not give me an exact number, but I would like an educated guess.
How many animals were killed by snowmobiles in YNP during 2004?
Response from Michael J. Yochim, Ph.d., National Park Service:
Parkwide we estimate 2200-2700 ungulates (mostly elk, but also including moose, deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and bison) are killed by wolves per year. This is out of an estimated 30,000-35,000 elk that use YNP sometime during the year. Prior to the beginning of mandatory commercial guiding for all snowmobilers, we lost 1 or 2 animals due to snowmobiles per year. Since 2003, when guiding was instituted, there have been no wildlife fatalities. Thanks for your interest. Michael J. Yochim, Ph.D. National Park Service
0 - ungulates killed by snowmobile in Yellowstone (2003, 2004, 2005)
73 - ungulates were killed by automobiles in Yellowstone (2005 only)
2200-2700 - estimate of ungulates killed by wolves each year
Ungulates - mostly elk, but also including moose, deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and bison.
|oo
Thu January 05, 2006 2:51 PM
Last summer I submitted a comment letter during the Winter Use Scoping for the new EIS for Yellowstone National Park. A small portion of my comment letter is included below. So I asked two questions regarding how many animals were killed by wolves and how many by snowmobiles. I received a response today.
Do you think you will ever read this in any major paper? Ya right.
If you ever need to quote this figure, it was provided by Michael J. Yochim, Ph.D., National Park Service. I give the guy credit for actually replying, even though it is 6 months later, and for actually giving me some valuable information. I guoted 1800, but I guess I was a little low.
Some of my previous comments:
Since more than 8300 automobiles, motorcycles, pick-up trucks, busses, recreational vehicles and commercial trucks entered YNP on a daily basis between April 16th, and November 7th, 2004, I fail to see what sort of impact less than 1000 snowmobiles a day would have on the environment or wildlife. Snowmobiles do not put unreasonable stress on wildlife. Studies have shown that wildlife are more stressed and move further away from approaching humans on foot (cross-country skiing) than they do when approached by motorized vehicles (snowmobiles).
I would argue that wildlife is seriously impacted by wolves, not snowmobiles, since the re-introduction of 14 wolves to the park in 1995. Current estimates are that there are now over 200 wolves. Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, estimated in 1999 that “About 160 adult wolves will kill and eat approximately 1,800 big game animals a year”.
How many animals were killed by wolves in YNP during 2004? I realize you can not give me an exact number, but I would like an educated guess.
How many animals were killed by snowmobiles in YNP during 2004?
Response from Michael J. Yochim, Ph.d., National Park Service:
Parkwide we estimate 2200-2700 ungulates (mostly elk, but also including moose, deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and bison) are killed by wolves per year. This is out of an estimated 30,000-35,000 elk that use YNP sometime during the year. Prior to the beginning of mandatory commercial guiding for all snowmobilers, we lost 1 or 2 animals due to snowmobiles per year. Since 2003, when guiding was instituted, there have been no wildlife fatalities. Thanks for your interest. Michael J. Yochim, Ph.D. National Park Service
0 - ungulates killed by snowmobile in Yellowstone (2003, 2004, 2005)
73 - ungulates were killed by automobiles in Yellowstone (2005 only)
2200-2700 - estimate of ungulates killed by wolves each year
Ungulates - mostly elk, but also including moose, deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and bison.
|oo
