Wildlife

by Megan Baldino Thursday, February 18, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A report released by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Thursday reveals Anchorage residents' thoughts on urban bear and moose. According to the 267-page report, despite some concerns about wildlife populations, Anchorage residents have generally positive attitudes toward wildlife. Also, more than half of the residents surveyed indicated being tolerant of black and brown bears. And despite some minor annoyances with moose, a large majority of Anchorage residents said moose make life more interesting.

The Unified Command, which consists of the Coast Guard, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, is still working with the communities of Gambell and Savoonga to investigate the reports of oiled wildlife found of the coast of St. Lawrence Island. The Coast Guard was first notified of reports of oiled wildlife on the island on November 7 by the National Response Center. They began the investigation November 8 with an aerial survey of the waters surrounding the island, but came back with zero reports of maritime pollution.

by Channel 2 News staff Friday, June 4, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Hundreds of kids in the Campfire Program spent Friday at Potter Marsh learning about wildlife. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Alaska Zoo, and the Bird Treatment and Learning Center hosted several activities at the marsh. Fish and Game officials say they hope the day will encourage kids to get outside. "One of the big things is to get kids outdoors, to try to get them to enjoy and appreciate the outdoors, and hopefully they'll adopt these kind of activities in their lifestyle and do more of it," said Fish and Game's Joe Meehan.

Officials of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation say they have received reports of oiled wildlife on St. Lawrence Island in the Gambell and Savoonga communities. The Alaska Department fo Environmental Conservation received word from the National Response Center on November 7th regarding an unknown discharge, which effected wildlife and caused oil soaked debris to wash ashore. There have been confirmed reports of oiled wildlife including: three common murres, one crested auklet and two spotted seals.  The product that was spilled is still unknown, but the ADEC sent samples to an Anchorage laboratory to characterize it. The United States Coast Guard and ADEC are working with the communities to investigate the discharge and control the source.

Thursday late morning, a young black bear was spotted near the main entrance of the Alaska Native Medical Center. An ANMC spokesperson says people were outside near the bear trying to snap photos. One cab driver caught the whole thing from inside his car. “The security was screaming get inside, get inside! And everybody was excited with phones. They were trying to take a picture or record the black bear,” said Bardhul Muca. With people having more access to smart phones, Jessy Coltrane with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said people appear to be getting a lot closer to wildlife than they should be to take video and pictures.

by Jackie Bartz Friday, April 30, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A new study by the state Department of Fish and Game says Taser stun guns may be an effective tool in wildlife management. The popular self-defense tools are found on the hips of runners and police officers, as well as in purses and pockets all over the country. "We meet one demographic, and that is of scared people," said self-defense expert Sarah Spindler. "I would say that our biggest-reached market is dads buying these for their daughters in college.

The Anchorage Museum will display a rare complete set of 50 stone lithographs created from 1946 to 1980 by Alaskan artist Fred Machetanz. There are only three public institutions that are known to have complete sets of the Machetanz lithographs, since only 100 copies of each piece in the set were released. The works depict Alaska Native life, sled dogs, wildlife and traditional Alaska scenes like grizzled gold panners working. The show will be on display until Feb. 26. Contact Rebecca Palsha at rpalsha@ktuu.com

Gov. Sean Parnell selected Cora Campbell as the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s next commissioner Wednesday. Campbell has been serving as acting commissioner since the Dec. 1 retirement of Denby Lloyd after a DUI charge in Juneau. Campbell and Ron Somerville, a former deputy commissioner of Fish and Game, were named Tuesday by the Joint Board of Fish and Game as candidates to head the department. The governor then chooses from the joint board’s list. “I commend the joint board for sending me two well-qualified candidates, both whom I know and respect,” Parnell said.

In Southeast Alaska, you can find fish even in the trees.   A few years ago, Washington State-based wildlife photographer Amy Gulick read that in the wet, temperate Tongass National Forest salmon plucked by bears from streams often ended up decomposing on the forest floor, leaving trees to drink up fertilizing nutrients through their roots.   “The forest and the sea are so intertwined you really can’t separate the two,” says Gulick. “There are actually salmon in the trees.

It's the first peak of moose calving season and wildlife biologists say there will be several more now through June.   Over the next few weeks, thousands of moose calves will be born. But that could lead to more confrontations between humans and moose. "Mother moose are very, very defensive of their young and because of that, they can be very dangerous," said Jessy Coltrane, area wildlife biologist with Fish & Game in Anchorage. Coltrane says it's important to pay attention to what's going on around you when in the great outdoors.

A wildlife guide arrested by Alaska Wildlife Troopers in October faces roughly three dozen charges involving attempts to evade paying about $160,000 in child support, as well as driving, flying and guiding without the proper licenses. Alaska State Troopers released the updated total of charges Thursday against 50-year-old Michael Anthony “Tony” Roberts following the completion of a nearly year-long investigation into his activities. According to a Thursday AST dispatch, Roberts faces felony charges of defrauding creditors in avoiding his child-support debts, as well as falsifying business records and criminal mischief for tampering with a court-ordered ankle monitor.

The Unified Command, which consists of the Coast Guard, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, is still working with the communities of Gambell and Savoonga to investigate the reports of oiled wildlife found of the coast of St. Lawrence Island. The Coast Guard was first notified of reports of oiled wildlife on the island on November 7 by the National Response Center. They began the investigation November 8 with an aerial survey of the waters surrounding the island, but came back with zero reports of maritime pollution.

Starting Nov. 22, you can get cut down your own Christmas tree for free at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Trees are for personal use with a limit of one per household. In the refuge, trees can be cut with hand tools anywhere, except within 150 feet of a road, lake, stream, trail, and campground or picnic area. Trees are also not allowed to be cut in the refuge headquarters, visitor's center, or along ski hill road. Refuge managers ask that anyone taking a Christmas tree in the area cut the stump as close to the ground as possible.

Officials of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation say they have received reports of oiled wildlife on St. Lawrence Island in the Gambell and Savoonga communities. The Alaska Department fo Environmental Conservation received word from the National Response Center on November 7th regarding an unknown discharge, which effected wildlife and caused oil soaked debris to wash ashore. There have been confirmed reports of oiled wildlife including: three common murres, one crested auklet and two spotted seals.  The product that was spilled is still unknown, but the ADEC sent samples to an Anchorage laboratory to characterize it. The United States Coast Guard and ADEC are working with the communities to investigate the discharge and control the source.

A man wanted by Alaska Wildlife Troopers on a $50,000 arrest warrant after removing an ankle monitor and fleeing from his court-approved third-party custodian's home last week has been taken into custody. Alaska State Troopers spokesperson Beth Ipsen says 50-year-old Michael Anthony Roberts, also known as Tony Roberts, was arrested at a Big Lake home at about 10:15 a.m. Wednesday. An AST dispatch says troopers received an anonymous tip that Roberts was at the home; he was taken into custody after troopers obtained a search warrant and entered the home.

Alaska Wildlife Troopers are seeking a 50-year-old man, currently facing charges in seven criminal cases and previously the subject of a 1999 manhunt, after he removed an ankle monitor and fled from a court-approved custodian Thursday. An Alaska State Troopers dispatch Tuesday says Michael Anthony Roberts, also known as Tony Roberts, is wanted on a $50,000 arrest warrant for contempt of court. He has been charged with offenses including guiding without a license, flying without a pilot's license and driving with a revoked driver's license.

There is no doubt that flooding this year in the Mat-Su Valley, the Kenai Peninsula and in Seward have caused big disruptions in the lives of people -- but what is it doing to salmon? In the Kenai River, Coho (Silvers) are making their annual runs at the very moment that huge currents -- generated by flooding -- are washing downstream. Those currents are sometimes capable of scouring river bottoms, and forcing salmon eggs that have been buried in the sediment to flow out to sea. Wildlife experts say it's possible that this month's flooding could adversely affect Coho runs 2-to-4 years from now. But they also say a major impact on the run is far from certain.

Thursday late morning, a young black bear was spotted near the main entrance of the Alaska Native Medical Center. An ANMC spokesperson says people were outside near the bear trying to snap photos. One cab driver caught the whole thing from inside his car. “The security was screaming get inside, get inside! And everybody was excited with phones. They were trying to take a picture or record the black bear,” said Bardhul Muca. With people having more access to smart phones, Jessy Coltrane with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said people appear to be getting a lot closer to wildlife than they should be to take video and pictures.

As avid bikers, the Davis family knows that Alaska's backyard can be dangerous. Darcy Davis is reminded of it with marks from a moose encounter Tuesday night at Kincaid Park while she biked on one of the new single track trails. “A couple hundred feet from the trail, I rounded a corner and came upon a moose that was probably 10-12 feet away from me. A cow moose with a baby behind it, running down the trail at me,” she said. “I was very surprised I was attacked, but we have heard of others hurt on the trails, but unfortunately I was under the naive impression our trails were safe.” For her daughter, Petra, hearing about the attack was another reality check.

On Monday, representatives from the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center released the name of this season's first-born baby musk ox. "Walter," the musk ox, is named after former Alaska Governor Walter "Wally" Hickel. The baby musk ox was born last week, but was not getting enough nutrition from his mother. Staff from the conservation center removed Walter from the rest of the herd to provide care. They are currently bottle-feeding him several times daily to promote weight gain and stabilize his immune system.