Pack: Check out this article in New Science about the social structure of unhunted wolf packs. Research is showing that there is a difference and that this difference has ecological consequences as well as making a difference to the frequency and kind of “conflict” with humans. Recent research by Robert Wielgus has supported a generally similar hypothesis for unhunted vs. hunted mountain lion populations. The same is no doubt true of bears, and I will use this point to try to get at least one relatively isolated black bear population in Utah designated a non-hunted one. Fat chance of DWR and the hunters buying in, but they need to be introduced to the idea.
June 20, 2010 at 8:59 am
Pack: Check out this article in New Science about the social structure of unhunted wolf packs. Research is showing that there is a difference and that this difference has ecological consequences as well as making a difference to the frequency and kind of “conflict” with humans. Recent research by Robert Wielgus has supported a generally similar hypothesis for unhunted vs. hunted mountain lion populations. The same is no doubt true of bears, and I will use this point to try to get at least one relatively isolated black bear population in Utah designated a non-hunted one. Fat chance of DWR and the hunters buying in, but they need to be introduced to the idea.