2005 COUGAR NETWORK BREAKING NEWS
NEBRASKA RECORDS 7TH COUGAR CONFIRMATION OF 2005
Cougar Network News, 12/23/05
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has confirmed its seventh mountain lion in Nebraska this year. On October 22, 2005, a trail camera in the northwest corner of Sioux County near the Wyoming and South Dakota borders captured an excellent image of a cougar.
COUGAR NETWORK PUBLISHES DECEMBER 2005 ISSUE OF "WILD CAT NEWS"
Cougar Network News, 12/20/05
The Cougar Network has completed its December 2005 issue of "Wild Cat News" and is in the process of distributing it to members. This second issue of the tri-annual publication features beautifully illustrated articles on ocelots, margays, bobcats, lynx and cougars. Non-members may view the issue's cover by clicking on the link above. The entire issue can be received by becoming a member of the Cougar Network.
TWO MOUNTAIN LIONS CONFIRMED IN WESTERN OKLAHOMA
Cougar Network News, 12/14/05
On October 29, 2005, Ron Mills, the manager of Black Mesa State Park, encountered two mountain lions traveling together in the park. They were apparently stalking several deer that were bedded near the residence. The larger cat went into brush before Mr. Mills was able to get a photo, but he was able to get a good photograph of the smaller cat as it walked away. He later confirmed tracks made by the larger animal.
TWO MOUNTAIN LIONS TAKEN IN WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA
Cougar Network News, 11/18/05
Mountain lions shot November 16 and 17 in western North Dakota are the first two cats taken during the state's first experimental hunting season. The first lion, taken NW of Grassy Butte on 11/16/05 was a 92 lb. female approximately 2 1/2 - 3 years of age. The second lion, harvested in the Kildeer area on 11/17/05, was a young 92 lb. male, approximately 1 1/2 - 2 years old. Both animals were taken by individuals while they were deer hunting.
MOUNTAIN LION FOUND DEAD NEAR OMAHA NEBRASKA
Omaha World-Herald, 11/7/05
The body of a mountain lion has been recovered from Sarpy County, Nebraska. The body was lying in the eastbound lane of I-80. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will do a necropsy on the cat to determine the age, cause of death and will analyze the stomach contents. This is the 6th confirmation from Nebraska in 2005. Note -- the link above requires free registration to view. Another account not requiring registration can be found here.
HARLEY SHAW JOINS COUGAR NETWORK'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Cougar Network News, 10/5/05
The Cougar Network announced today that veteran cougar researcher Harley Shaw has joined its Board of Directors. The Network's Dr. Clay Nielsen stated, "We are thrilled that Harley has agreed to join our Board of Directors. He is truly one of the world's foremost experts on cougars, and has been an inspiration to us in our work. His advice and counsel have been invaluable to us over the past few years. We look forward to working with him even more closely as we pursue an ambitious research agenda."
SUMMERLEE FOUNDATION AND SHARED EARTH FOUNDATION SUPPORT COUGAR HABITAT MODELING PROJECT
Cougar Network News, 10/03/05
The Summerlee Foundation and Shared Earth Foundation have both contributed funding towards the cougar habitat modeling project being undertaken by Dr. Clay Nielsen of the Cougar Network and Southern Illinois University Carbondale. These grants will supplement the initial seed money provided internally to Dr. Nielsen by the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory at SIUC.
SOUTH DAKOTA'S INAUGURAL MOUNTAIN LION HUNT APPROVED
National Geographic News, 9/30/05
A South Dakota judge has ruled that the state's inaugural mountain lion hunting season can begin as scheduled this Saturday --- rejecting an eleventh hour appeal by conservationists.
NEBRASKA RECORDS 5TH COUGAR CONFIRMATION OF 2005
Cougar Network News, 9/21/05
The NGPC confirmed another cougar in Dawes County. Tracks were identified in late August, 2005 by a NGPC technician within a few miles of the state's last confirmation made on July 25, 2005. The NGPC has updated its mountain lion web page to reflect this incident.
NORTH DAKOTA SCHEDULES MOUNTAIN LION HUNTING SEASON
A/P, 8/5/05
North Dakota will hold its first mountain lion hunting season this fall, the stated goal being to provide information about the animal's presence in the state. According to the state Game and Fish Department, five cougars have been confirmed in the state so far this year, while seven were confirmed in 2004.
NEBRASKA RECORDS 4th COUGAR CONFIRMATION OF 2005
Cougar Network News, 7/27/05
NGPC biologists confirmed another cougar near Crawford, NE (Dawes County) on July 25, 2005. The Commission received a report that a mountain lion had run across a road in front of a car. The investigation turned up tracks confirmed as mountain lion. This confirmation is within ~15 miles of the state' s last confirmation (June 7). The NGPC has updated its Mountain Lion web page to reflect this and other recent incidents.
COUGAR NETWORK PUBLISHES NEWSLETTER DEVOTED TO WILD CATS
Cougar Network News, July 19, 2005
The Cougar Network announced today that it is publishing a tri-annual newsletter, "Wild Cat News." This beautifully illustrated publication features compelling, in-depth articles about North America's wild cat species, including cougars, jaguars, lynx, bobcats, ocelots, jaguarundis and margays.
COUGAR NETWORK BOOK RECOMMENDATION - "COUGAR MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES"
Cougar Network News, 7/16/05
According to Stephen Herrero, Professor Emeritus, Environmental Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, " Cougar Management Guidelines is a stellar, peer-reviewed, contribution by the top researchers in cougar ecology, population dynamics, management and conservation. The chapters are succinct, rigorous and meaty. Anyone interested in a scientific understanding of cougars and their management should read this book."
NGPC RELEASES NEW MAP OF COUGAR OCCURRENCES IN NEBRASKA
Cougar Network News, 6/15/05
This map summarizes twenty instances in which the NPGC has documented cougars in the state since 1991. Included are two incidents from 2005 that the Cougar Network had not previously reported; track sets from Dawes (January) and Brown (February) counties.
NEBRASKA RELEASES ANNUAL MOUNTAIN LION REPORT 2004
Cougar Network News, 6/15/05
The NPGC reports summarized five occurrences of mountain lions in Nebraska during 2004. Four of these incidents qualify as confirmations using the Cougar Network's confirmation criteria. The Cougar Network was previously unaware of one of these incidents, a track set from Dawes County (May 2004).
COUGAR CONFIRMED IN NORTHWESTERN NEBRASKA
Cougar Network News, 6/7/05
On June 7 2005, a mountain lion was confirmed near Crawford, Nebraska. A landowner called the NGPC around 6:30AM reporting that his dog was barking at a mountain lion in a cottonwood tree on his property. In accordance with the Commission's Mountain Lion Response Plan, the cougar retreated from the area undisturbed. Photographs of the animal were taken by NGPC staff.
PBS FEATURES IOWA COUGAR ISSUE
Cougar Network News, 6/7/05
The PBS program Religion & Ethics has produced an interesting piece on cougars in Iowa. The diverse views of various stakeholders are presented, including those of residents, hunters, environmentalists, biologists, and the state Department of Natural Resources. You can view the six minute video from the PBS Religion & Ethics web site.
MALE PANTHER KILLED IN NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA
Cougar Network News, June 7, 2005
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recovered the remains of a male panther that was struck by a car on I-95 early Saturday morning on the Flagler and St. Johns County line. This animal was more than 200 miles from the normal range of the endangered cats in southwest Florida. See the necropsy report and a picture of the body.
HEADING FOR THE WILD, WILD EAST
Time Magazine, 5/2/05
North America's biggest cat is making a comeback and seems to be heading east in the process. Clay Nielsen, a wildlife ecologist at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Director of Scientific Research for the non-profit Cougar Network, is gearing up for the possibility that more are on the way. With initial funding from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Nielsen is starting the first large-scale research regarding potential habitat for cougars in the Midwest.
COUGAR NETWORK ANNOUNCES MAJOR COUGAR HABITAT RESEARCH INITIATIVE
Concord, MA - April 15, 2005
Dr. Clay Nielsen, Wildlife Ecologist at the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (www.siu.edu/~wildlife) and Director of Scientific Research for the Cougar Network (www.cougarnet.org), has received initial funding to begin creating a model of potential cougar habitat in Midwestern North America. This project will represent the first large-scale habitat modeling effort for cougars in the Midwest, a region wherein the Cougar Network has documented more than two-dozen cougar confirmations during the past two years. The habitat model will identify landscape factors affecting cougar habitat potential in the Midwest, and serve as a useful planning tool for wildlife conservation agencies and non-government organizations. Dr. Nielsen is currently seeking additional funding for this multi-year project from a variety of sources.
COUGAR HAIR SAMPLE VERIFIED IN MENOMINEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
Cougar Network News, 2/18/05
The MDNR has announced that hair samples retrieved from a car bumper last November came from a cougar. The hairs were retrieved by a state trooper after a motorist reported hitting a "large cat."
DR. CLAY NIELSEN TO GIVE COUGAR LECTURE AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Cougar Network News, 2/11/05
Dr. Clay Nielsen, Director of Scientific Research for the Cougar Network and Wildlife Ecologist at the Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, will be giving a cougar lecture at Michigan State University in March.
MINISTRY REPORTS TWO NEW CONFIRMATIONS IN QUEBEC
Montreal La Presse, 2/7/05
Marco Festa-Blanchet, Professor of Biology at the University of Sherbrooke, is President of COSEPAC, the scientific committee of the federal government dealing with threatened species, "Are there cougars in Quebec? The answer is yes, he says. Can one call that a population? Not yet. It would be necessary to have evidence of reproduction." The official press release from the Quebec Ministry for Natural Resources, Fauna and Parks on these two confirmations can be accessed here.
COUGARS MOVING INTO U. S. MIDWEST, WESTERN SUBURBS
National Geographic Channel, 1/21/05
Over the past 18 months, the Cougar Network has documented 21 cougars in nine Midwestern states and one Canadian province. The big cats had been long absent from places like Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Manitoba.
SECOND COUGAR CONFIRMATION FROM NEW BRUNSWICK
Cougar Network News, 1/18/05
A second positive DNA analysis of a hair sample, taken during October, 2003, reconfirms the presence of a cougar in Fundy National Park in New Brunswick, Canada. The first positive results were from a hair sample taken in July, 2003. Given the location of the posts and the dates hair samples were collected, it is highly likely that the samples are from the same cougar.
SOUTH DAKOTA GAME, FISH & PARKS PROVIDES MORTALITY DATA
Cougar Network News, 1/13/05
South Dakota has an estimated population of 165 cougars. During 2004, 25 cougar carcasses were recovered in the state. Causes of death included car and motorcycle strikes (9), control actions (6), incidental snaring (3), starvation (2), and miscellaneous other (5). These recoveries occurred in a state with a relatively low human population and road density.
SECOND FEMALE COUGAR KILLED IN WESTERN MANITOBA IN THREE MONTHS
Winnipeg Sun, 1/06/05
After going 32 years without examining a cougar, the provincial conservation department has acquired its second specimen in three months, giving officials hope that there might be a breeding population in Manitoba. On Dec. 30, a trapper discovered a dead adult female cougar in one of his coyote traps northeast of Erickson, about 1.5 kilometers south of Riding Mountain National Park.
2004 COUGAR NETWORK BREAKING NEWS
YOUNG BLACK HILLS COUGAR NOW IN MINNESOTA
Keloland Television, 12/23/04
Wildlife officials have been tracking the animal through a radio collar attached late last May in South Dakota. North Dakota biologist Jacquie Ermer says the collar sent off a signal near Karlstad, Minnesota about 40 miles into that state. This cougar has dispersed about 450 miles to date. The Network will be closely following the progress of this animal in the coming weeks.
EASTERN COUGAR NETWORK CHANGES NAME
ECN News, 12/14/04
The Eastern Cougar Network announced today that it has changed its name to the "Cougar Network". The new name reflects the group's expanded mission. The Network will be issuing a press release about this change within the next few days. In conjunction with the new name, the group has also revised its web site http://www.easterncougarnet.org.
THE EASTERN COUGAR NETWORK RELEASES NEW COUGAR RANGE MAP
ECN News, 12/13/04
The Eastern Cougar Network has revised its "Big Picture" map to include the entire contiguous United States. ECN worked with state game agencies to acquire the necessary mortality and habitat data to estimate the cougar's current breeding range.
COUGAR CONFIRMED IN NORTH DAKOTA NEAR MINNESOTA BORDER
Associated Press, 12/7/04
A young male cougar, radio collared in the Black Hills of South Dakota in May 2004, has turned up near Arvilla, North Dakota close to the Minnesota border.
MALE COUGAR FOUND DEAD IN NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS
Quad-City Times, 12/4/04
The animal had been shot by a bow, with the arrow entering the big cat's shoulder and exiting at a downward angle through the chest cavity. This is the second dead cougar found in Illinois in recent years, as another male was killed by a train in southern Illinois in June 2000.
MALE MOUNTAIN LION KILLED IN NORTHEASTERN NEBRASKA
NG&PC Press Release, 11/23/04
A young male mountain lion perched in a tree in a residential neighborhood at the northwest edge of South Sioux City was shot and killed Tuesday morning by a Dakota Country Sheriff's deputy, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reported. The incident marks the 17th confirmed sighting in Nebraska since 1992. Pictures may be seen here .
COUGAR CAUGHT ON FILM BY TRAIL CAMERA IN CENTRAL IOWA
Times-Republican, 11/13/04
A cougar was captured on film by a trail camera in Marshall County during October. Rick Trine, Iowa DNR Wildlife Biologist, believes the animal involved was likely of wild origin.
AERIE TO OFFER COUGAR HANDLING SERVICES TO WILDLIFE AGENCIES
ECN News, 11/12/04
In response to the growing incidence of cougar confirmations outside the species' established range in North America, the American Ecological Research Institute (AERIE) will be offering its unique, on-call, rapid response services to federal, state, and provincial wildlife agencies.
FEMALE COUGAR SHOT IN SOUTHWESTERN MANITOBA
CBC Manitoba, 11/9/04
A female cougar was shot by a landowner in Grandview, Manitoba in October, 2004. This is believed to be the first cougar to have been killed in Manitoba in more than 30 years. According to the landowner, the animal was accompanied by a second cougar that ran off after he fired the shot. The carcass is currently in the possession of Manitoba Conservation, which is in the process of arranging a necropsy. ECN expects to receive additional details on this incident in the near future and will post them to breaking news as we receive them.
THE EASTERN COUGAR NETWORK REVISES EVIDENCE CRITERIA
ECN News, 11/5/04
The Eastern Cougar Network has revised the criteria it uses to classify evidence of cougar presence. ECN will no longer consider any sighting reports unless the reports are supported by strong physical evidence. Previously, sighting reports from wildlife professionals were counted as "probable confirmations." This strengthening of the criteria means that all incidents can be considered confirmations with two levels of confirmation classification.
DR. CLAY NIELSEN TO GIVE CAT LECTURES IN CHICAGO AREA
ECN News, 10/27/04
Dr. Clay Nielsen, Director of Scientific Research for the Eastern Cougar Network and Wildlife Ecologist at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, will be giving two lectures in the Chicago area in November, one on bobcats and the other on cougars.
MASSIVE WINTER TRACK SURVEY REVEALS NO EVIDENCE OF COUGARS IN MICHIGAN'S UP
ECN News, 10/25/04
Federal and state biologists surveyed 8,298 miles of roads and trails during their annual wolf population survey. 2,005 man-hours were expended on this effort. The survey encompassed all UP counties. A minimum of 360 wolves were counted. No cougar tracks were found and none have been found in any of the previous surveys dating back to 1996.
FLORIDA PANTHER GENETIC RESTORATION & MANAGEMENT REPORT RELEASED
ECN News, 10/23/04
The FFWC Commission has released its annual panther report for the 2003-2004 season. The document contains a wealth of valuable information on panthers and their biology. Of particular interest is the comprehensive mortality data, which highlights the species' vulnerability on roads. 73 panthers have been hit on roads since 1972, with 34 having been hit since 2000.
MOUNTAIN LION CAUGHT ON FILM IN NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA
Omaha World-Herald, 10/9/04
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has "officially confirmed" the presence of a mountain lion in western Keya Paha County during August 2004. The lion was captured on film by a trail camera. The location was just 1/2 mile from the Niobrara River.
TWO SETS OF COUGAR TRACKS CONFIRMED IN WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota Game and Fish Dept., 10/7/04
Jacquie Ermer of the North Dakota Fish and Game Department reported two 2004 confirmations of cougar tracks from western ND to ECN. The first was from Mountrail County on March 2 and the second was from McKenzie County on March 12.
COUGAR CONFIRMED IN NEW BRUNSWICK
Parks Canada Bulletin, 10/5/04
Recent DNA analysis from a hair sample collected during the summer of 2003 validates the presence of a cougar in Fundy National Park in New Brunswick, Canada. The park is in the second year of an eastern cougar monitoring program. Similar monitoring programs are also taking place in Kouchibouquac National Park in New Brunswick and Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia.
EXTENSIVE WINTER TRACK SURVEYS REVEAL NO EVIDENCE OF COUGARS IN WISCONSIN
ECN News, 9/12/04
A total of 3696.5 miles of track surveys were conducted by DNR trackers in 80 survey blocks in northern Wisconsin. Felid track observations included 97 bobcat and two Canada lynx. No cougar tracks were found and none have been detected in previous years.
MOUNTAIN LION KILLED IN WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA
NDG&FD Press Release, 9/7/04
A female mountain lion was killed by an archery hunter early Sunday morning in western North Dakota near Lone Butte in McKenzie County, according to Brent Schwan, State Game and Fish Department district game warden located in Watford City. The female lion weighed 80 pounds and is believed to be young because of spots on her hind quarters, said Jacquie Ermer, game and fish furbearer biologist located in Riverdale.
EIGHTH MOUNTAIN LION WORKSHOP TO BE HELD IN MAY, 2005
ECN News, 9/3/04
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will be hosting the 8th Mountain Lion Workshop in Leavenworth, Washington, May 16-20, 2005. The workshop is specifically designed for the exchange of information, science and education among biologists, scientists, conservationists, land managers and educators involved in mountain lion management and research.
MICHIGAN "COUGAR" VIDEOS SHOW HOUSECATS
ECN News, 8/23/04
On July 26, 2004, the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy released a video-production, which purported to document two separate incidents of wild cougars caught on videotape in Michigan. ECN coordinated an independent expert review of these videos. The conclusion of the review was that the animals depicted in both video segments are clearly house cats.
MICHIGAN "WILD COUGAR SKULL" CAME FROM CAPTIVE ANIMAL NAMED "SASHA"
ECN News, 8/23/04
ECN conducted an independent investigation into the origins of a cougar skull found by woodcutters in Chippewa County, Michigan in 2001. This skull has been cited in numerous press accounts as evidence of a "wild, breeding population" of cougars in Michigan. It was also featured prominently in a July 26, 2004 video released by the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy. Our investigation revealed that the skull originated from Randy Desormeau's Northland Taxidermy Shop, which is located adjacent to the property on which the skull was found. In life, the animal was a de-clawed pet female cougar named "Sasha."
COUGAR KILLED IN YANKTON COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan, 6/15/04
A young, 115 pound male cougar was shot by conservation officers in Yankton County on Monday as it wandered through a residential neighborhood. This area is 350 miles east of the Black Hills, which has the nearest documented cougar population. Yankton is east of the Missouri River, and is close to the Iowa and Nebraska borders. This is the second cougar verified in Yankton County since November 2002.
COUGAR KILLED BY TRAIN IN OKLAHOMA NEAR KANSAS BORDER
Wichita Eagle, 6/4/04
The mountain lion -- found near Red Rock, Okla. --was last tracked via its collar in the northwestern part of the Black Hills of Wyoming on Sept. 3, 2003, said Jonathan Jenks, a wildlife professor at South Dakota State University. "Then it shows up in Oklahoma. That's 667 straight-line miles," Jenks said. That's twice as far as any collared mountain lion has been known to travel.
AUTHOR DAVID BARON TO GIVE A NUMBER OF LECTURES IN THE NORTHEAST IN MAY
ECN News, 5/5/04
The lectures -- which focus on the history of the cougar in North America and the story he tells in his book "The Beast in the Garden" -- will be an extended version of the excellent talk he gave at the Eastern Cougar Conference last week in Morgantown, WV.
HABITAT STUDY TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL FLORIDA PANTHER RE-INTRODUCTION SITES IN THE SOUTHEAST
ECN News, 4/1/04
This important peer-reviewed study was just released. Commissioned by the USF&WS, conservation managers, biologists, and recovery team members will use the results of this preliminary assessment as a starting point in discussions regarding future potential re-introduction planning and proposal development. Note that the link download is relatively large at 1.1 Mbytes.
NEBRASKA ADOPTS MOUNTAIN LION RESPONSE PLAN
ECN News, 3/26/04
The NGPC recognizes that mountain lions may be reclaiming portions of their former range and should not be regarded as a general threat to human life and economy in Nebraska. This plan outlines NGPC policy/protocol for collecting and investigating occurrence reports, classifying reports and distributing information as well as coordinating NGPC actions with interests and jurisdictions of other organizations.
EASTERN COUGAR CONFERENCE 2004 - PRELIMINARY AGENDA
ECN News, 2/22/04
The program for The Eastern Cougar Conference 2004 is quickly taking shape and promises a diverse array of exciting and meaningful presentations and posters. If you haven't registered for this landmark international symposium, you will want to do so as soon as possible. Sign up before March 31st and save $25.
SUE MORSE OF "KEEPING TRACK" GIVES TALK ON EASTERN COUGARS
ECN News, 2/18/04
Sue Morse, nationally known wildlife researcher and photographer, will be giving a free talk on the eastern cougar and their habitat needs in Concord, MA on March 22. Good opportunity for those in the Boston area to hear a prominent researcher who has been co-director of the Fort Huachuca Mt. Lion Research Project in Arizona the past 15 years. Directions can be found here.
FORMER PANTHER RESEARCHER RESPONDS TO PEER REVIEW
ECN News, 2/10/04
University of Kentucky professor David S. Maehr has responded to a December 2003 peer review report titled "An Analysis of Scientific Publications Related to the Florida Panther". The peer review report itself can be accessed by clicking here.
MICHIGAN WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY PLEADS CASE ON COUGARS
Michigan Outdoor News, 1/23/04
Faced with mounting criticism of its methods and doubts over its conclusions, the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy has shifted gears in its attempt to prove the state is home to a native wild breeding population of cougars.
EASTERN COUGAR NETWORK ANNOUNCES COLLABORATION WITH GENETICS LAB AT SIUC
ECN Press Release, 1/20/04
The Eastern Cougar Network (ECN) has announced the establishment of a working relationship with a genetics laboratory at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). According to ECN Director of Scientific Research Dr. Clay Nielsen, "DNA analysis is a powerful tool for determining the presence and possible origin of cougars in the eastern half of North America. This collaboration with SIUC will greatly facilitate our future research efforts."
COUGAR VERIFIED IN NORTH-CENTRAL NEBRASKA
AP, 1/08/04
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission confirmed Thursday that tracks found about a mile east of Valentine in north-central Nebraska were made by a mountain lion.
Associated Press, 1/07/04
A young male cougar was shot in Wayne County in southern Iowa over the weekend, the Department of Natural Resources reported Tuesday. This is the second apparently wild cougar killed in the state since October 23, 2003, when another young male was shot in rural Sioux County. The Iowa DNR will be providing ECN with more detailed information in the coming days.
FLORIDA PANTHERS MAY BE MOVING NORTH
St. Petersburg Times, 1/02/04
Some panther experts are recommending that female panthers be transplanted to the north in the hopes of establishing a panther colony in central Florida. It's the only choice if this panther population is to continue growing, explained John Kasbohm of the U. S Fish and Wildlife Service.