CONSERVATION NOTES
 

by Dave Johnson

►After a rocky beginning, the lynx reintroduction in our state is getting into high gear. During the spring, and up through June 20, the Colorado Division of Wildlife researchers found six dens containing 16 lynx kittens. All the kittens appeared to be in excellent condition. Each kitten is inspected, hair samples are taken for genetic analysis and a tiny tag is inserted under its skin for future identification. The mothers left the dens when the researchers approached, but stayed close, growling, and returned immediately when the researchers left.

Since the first releases in 1999, 129 lynx have been released. Forty-five are confirmed dead, with gun-shot wounds and vehicle collisions the biggest cause of death. Starvation has also been a cause of death.

The dens found so far have all been at high elevation, usually above 10,000 feet, in dense stands of Engleman spruce with a lot of downed timber in the area. The dens are found in areas of high snowshoe hare population, the lynx’s favorite prey.

Over the next four years 130 more lynx will be released.

►Paul Crespín, District Ranger for the San Carlos Ranger District of the U.S. Forest Service, issued a decision notice last July authorizing prescribed burning and thinning of pine and oak forests in the Greenwood and Mason Gulch areas near Wetmore.  Previous burns have been conducted in the nearby Red Creek and Babcock Hole areas. The objectives of the burns include the following:

●Mimic pre-settlement fire pat-terns, thereby create a mosaic of various ages of grasses, shrubs and trees.

●Reduce accumulated natural fuels, thereby reducing the potential for a catastrophic wild-fire.

●Increase the ratio of grasses and forbs to trees, leading to improved wildlife foraging habitat.

Following a finding of “No Sig-nificant Impact,” the burns are scheduled to begin in January 2004 and continue through April.

FORMER DOW EMPLOYEES PROTEST POLITICAL INTERFERENCE

In mid-September the Denver Post published a story concerning a letter of protest signed by 58 former employees, including top officials, of the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Perry Olson, director of the DOW from 1988 to 1995, and others criticized the intervention of Gov. Bill Owens’ administration in the management of Colorado’s wildlife.

According to the Post, they charge that “the administration has systematically degraded the DOW’s ability to protect wildlife and its habitat.” In one example, the Post quoted Bruce Gill, a former researcher, as saying he refused Assistant Director of Natural Resources Tim Pollard’s request that he alter a study in order to falsely implicate coyotes in mule deer deaths. Pollard was responding to groups representing hunters, outfitters and guides who wanted to kill coyotes to increase the deer population.

MANY LEGISLATORS FLUNK

ENVIRONMENTAL SCORECARD

How did your local Colorado legislators do on the scorecard published by the Colorado Conservation Voters?  Below are the results of their votes concerning 11 environmental bills during the last legislative session. The percentage reflects the number of times the legislator voted for the environment.

HOUSE

SENATE

For more information, visit

www.coloradoconservationvoters.org