Infos zum Yellowstone NP

US-Bundesstaat Wyoming erlaubt Jagd auf Grizzlys

Grizzlys sind Nordamerikas ikonische Bären. Lange standen sie unter US-weitem Schutz. Jetzt, unter bundesstaatlicher Aufsicht, geht es ihnen wieder an den Kragen.

Zitat

Erstmals seit 44 Jahren erlaubt der US-Bundesstaat Wyoming im Herbst wieder die Jagd auf Grizzly-Bären.
Vor wenigen Tagen gab die zuständige Wildnisbehörde den Abschuss von bis zu 22 Bären frei - ein Jahr, nachdem die Grizzlys in und um den riesigen Yellowstone Nationalpark im Nordwesten der USA von der Liste der gefährdeten Arten genommen worden waren. Die US-Regierung hatte das Management der Bären damit in die Hände der Bundesstaaten gelegt. Im Park selbst dürfen die Bären jedoch nicht geschossen werden.
Während Jäger und viele ansässige Rancher sich über die Jagderlaubnis freuen, protestieren Tierschützer und amerikanische Ureinwohner, denen der mächtige Bär heilig ist. Eine Online-Petition sammelte in den ersten Tagen schon über 200.000 Unterschriften. Auch mehrere Gerichtsverfahren, deren Urteile die Jagderlaubnis in den nächsten Monaten noch stoppen könnten, laufen. Biologen der Wildnisbehörde sind jedoch der Auffassung, limitiertes Jagen gefährde den Bestand der Yellowstone-Grizzlys nicht.
„Die Trophäenjagd auf diese majestätischen Tiere zu erlauben ... so kurz nachdem sie ihren Schutzstatus verloren haben, hilft nicht das Vertrauen in das bundesstaatliche Management der Bären zu stärken”, monierte Tierschützerin Bonnie Rice vom Sierra Club in der „Washington Post”.
Grizzlys, die sich sehr langsam fortpflanzen, waren in den 1970er Jahren fast ausgerottet. Durch ein US-weites Abschussverbot hatten sich die Bestände in Kontinentalamerika auf wieder rund 2000 Bären erholt. Das hatte aber auch Probleme mit sich gebracht, weil sie auf Futtersuche auch Menschen nahe kamen. Durch Zusammenstöße mit Autos oder Konfrontationen mit Menschen, die dann aus Selbstschutz zur Waffe greifen, sterben jährlich viele Dutzend Grizzlys.
Die im Glacier National Park (Montana) entlang der kanadischen Grenze lebenden Grizzlys stehen derzeit noch unter Schutz. Viele weitere leben in Kanada und in Alaska, wo die Jagd erlaubt ist. Idaho, das ebenso wie Montana vom Yellowstone Park touchiert wird, hat vor kurzem den Abschuss eines männlichen Bären erlaubt.

Link

Irgendwie haben es die Menschen nicht kapiert oder wollen es nicht kapieren, dass die Tiere im Yellowstone NP (und anderen NPs) wild sind.

Person Seriously Injured By Elk

Second Person Injured By Elk In Accidental Encounter

Woman gored by bison after crowd gets too close

Mount Washburn trails in Yellowstone to close for the summer

Zitat

The popular Mount Washburn trails from Dunraven Pass and Chittenden Road in Yellowstone National Park will be closed for the rest of the summer season because of construction work.

The National Park Service says the trails and trailhead parking lot located north of Canyon Junction will close sometime around the beginning of July. A firm date has not been determined yet.

The closures will allow for work at the historic Mount Washburn Fire Lookout and along the Dunraven Pass trail switchbacks.

Various improvements are being made to the lookout, including new windows and concrete preservation work in and outside of the structure.

Workers will be using heavy equipment to rebuild rock walls along the Dunraven Pass switchbacks and will rehabilitate other portions of the trail.

Alles anzeigen

Link

Schade dass der Bison ihn nicht erwischt hat.....

Person taunts bison in Yellowstone National Park (video)

Zitat

Lindsey Jones shared this video that was taken in Hayden Valley in Yellowstone National Park on Tuesday evening (July 31).
The video shows a person in the road taunting a bison. At one point, the bison begins to charge at the person, who quickly dodges out of the way.
Yellowstone National Park officials warn that all animals are wild and can be unpredictable, no matter how calm they appear to be.
When an animal is near a trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space.
Visitor are advised to always stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards away from all other animals, including bison and elk. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity.

Link

Man who harassed bison is arrested at US park
Link

Boy injured by bear

Update: Boy injured by bear

Zitat

Law enforcement and bear management staff investigated the incident and determined that an adult female grizzly bear injured the 10-year-old boy from Washington.
Tracks observed by staff indicated the grizzly bear was with at least one cub-of-the-year or yearling bear.
The bears were likely foraging next to the trail when the encounter occurred.
Park rangers do not intend to search for the bear since this incident was a surprise encounter with a female grizzly bear defending its cub.
“This incident could have been more serious. We applaud the family for traveling in a group, carrying bear spray, and knowing how to effectively use it during their emergency,” said Yellowstone National Park Deputy Superintendent Pat Kenney. “We wish their son a full recovery from his injuries.”
The Divide and Spring Creek trails remain temporarily closed. They will reopen after the trails have been inspected for recent bear activity.

Link

Inspiration Point Restoration Completed At Yellowstone National Park

Zitat

It's going to be easier to find some inspiration at Yellowstone National Park now that Inspiration Point overlooking the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone has reopened after a two-year restoration project.
The restoration work created an expanded viewing area that is safer and more accessible, according to park staff.
“The design of the new overlook uses natural materials to protect the natural setting and integrate the infrastructure into the canyon’s spires and cliffs,” said Superintendent Dan Wenk. “I’m excited for our visitors to experience Inspiration Point in a new way.”
There is a necklace of eight overlooks in the Canyon area of the park connected by five miles of trails, all constructed between 1930 and 1950. For nearly 70 years, these vistas have hosted millions of people—and that visitation, in addition to natural erosion, has taken its toll.

To address maintenance needs and improve safety, the park undertook a major initiative to repair and improve overlooks, trails, and parking lots along the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. Lookout Point and Grand View were completed in 2005. Artist Point was completed in 2007. Inspiration Point is the fourth overlook to be rehabilitated. The fifth project, Uncle Tom’s Point and parts of South Rim Trail, is expected to reopen later this fall.
Immediately following the opening of Uncle Tom’s Point, the park will break ground at the Brink of Upper Falls, the next overlook in the long-term project. This area will be closed through 2019. The rehabilitation work on Inspiration Point and Uncle Tom’s totaled $12 million. It was funded in part by Yellowstone Forever, the park's non-profit philanthropic partner.
The final two overlooks, Brink of the Lower Falls and Red Rock Point, will break ground as early as 2020 and the estimated cost is $10 million. With the opportunity to capitalize on $4.5 million in federal matching funds, Yellowstone Forever is currently seeking corporate and private donations for the last stage of this rehabilitation project.

Alles anzeigen

Link

Richter stoppt erste geplante Jagd auf Grizzlybären

Zitat

In den USA hat ein Gericht die geplante Jagd auf Grizzlybären in den Bundesstaaten Idaho und Wyoming vorerst gestoppt.

Es handelt sich um eine einstweilige Verfügung. Die Entscheidung von Richter Dana Christensens gilt dennoch als erster Sieg für Wildschützer und Indianerstämme. Diese hatten den "US Fish and Wildlife Service" verklagt, der den Schutz der ungefähr 700 Grizzlybären in und um den Yellowstone Nationalpark aufgehoben hatte. Anders als die Bundesbeamten argumentieren die Kläger, die Bären seien nach wie vor in ihrem Bestand bedroht.

Der Auftakt der Jagd sollte an diesem Wochenende erfolgen. Die Lizenz hätte den Abschuss von 23 Bären zur Freizeitbeschäftigung in den beiden Staaten ermöglicht. Es wäre die erste Grizzly-Jagd seit 40 Jahren im Yellowstone-Gebiet gewesen. Zuletzt gab es in den südlicheren 48 Bundesstaaten der USA im Jahr 1991 in Montana eine offizielle Jagd.

Link

Yellowstone's wolves are back, but they haven't restored the park's ecosystem. Here's why.

Zitat

ellowstone's wolves are back, helping revive parts of the ecosystem that changed drastically when this top-of-the-food-chain predator was killed off nearly a century ago. But Yellowstone is still not 100% back to normal – and it may never be.
“You put the predator back, that’s great, but conditions have changed so much in the intervening decades that putting the predator back is not enough to restore the ecosystem,” said Tom Hobbs, a Colorado State University ecology professor. “There’s not a quick fix for mistakes like exterminating apex predators.”
It's a sign of both the promise – and the limitations – of a multi-decade wildlife recovery effort. The reintroduction of the wolf nearly 25 years ago to the country's first national park has brought change: Overpopulated elk herds have thinned, allowing some willow and aspen groves to return and thereby creating better habitat for songbirds and beavers.
But even as this ecosystem shows signs of recovery, a complete restoration is nowhere to be found.
"In some places, I don't expect a full recovery of the ecosystem," said Bill Ripple, a distinguished professor of ecology at Oregon State University, who started working in Yellowstone in 1997. "It’s going to be a mixed bag for the longer term now in coming decades."

Mehr hier

Man arrested after walking on Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park (video)

Zitat

A video has been posted showing a man walking on Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park.
Ashley Lemanski shot the video while visiting Yellowstone on September 14.
The unidentified man can be seen standing close to the center of the iconic geyser. He lays down at one point in the video.
“We were absolutely terrified as we didn’t know if he was going to jump in or not. Very scary moment. We all just stood in shock watching him,” Lemanski said.
People hollered at him to “get off Old Faithful” and to “get on the boardwalk.”
Lemanski told MTN News the man walked toward the parking lot and was followed by a park ranger. She said he was then quickly arrested.
“They had him on the ground for several minutes, first laying and then sitting, in handcuffs, and then took him to the back of the SUV cop car,” Lemanski said. “He was back there for the remainder of our time at the park, about 30 minutes. We didn’t see if they drove him off or not.”
We do not yet know if the man will be charged for the incident; we will update you if we get more information.
The Yellowstone website states: “Stay on boardwalks and trails in thermal areas. Hot springs have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature. ”
This is one of three notable incidents that have grabbed attention recently in Yellowstone National Park.
Raymond Reinke was sentenced to 130 days in jail after he was caught on video taunting a bison in August. An elk knocked down a visitor who was standing alongside the road on September 14.

Alles anzeigen

Link

New thermal activity in the Upper Geyser Basin

Zitat

Over the last several days there has been new thermal activity in the Geyser Hill area of the Upper Geyser Basin. This includes new erupting vents splashing water on the boardwalks, surface fractures, and a rare eruption of Ear Spring on Saturday, September 15.
Geyser Hill lies across the Firehole River from Old Faithful and features dozens of hot springs, geysers, and fumaroles.

For the public’s safety some boardwalks and trails in the Geyser Hill area have been temporarily closed. Closure signs are posted. Find additional information at the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center during business hours.

The boardwalks around Old Faithful remain open.

There are no signs of impending volcanic activity in the park.

Alles anzeigen

Link

For years tourists tossed trash in a Yellowstone geyser. This stuff was just coughed up.

Zitat

A surprising geyser eruption in Yellowstone National Park coughed up some surprising objects that had been tossed into it over the decades. Human stuff like coins and cans aren't surprising, necessarily, but a 1930's pacifier?
"After Ear Spring erupted on September 15, employees found a strange assortment of items strewn across the landscape around its vent! Some are clearly historic: they'll be inventoried by curators and may end up in Yellowstone's archives," park officials said on their Facebook page.

Oh and you're not supposed to toss stuff into the geysers ... even though it might be fun to imagine the item coughed out 50 years from now.
The park service added on its Facebook page: "Foreign objects can damage hot springs and geysers. The next time Ear Spring erupts we hope it's nothing but natural rocks and water. You can help by never throwing anything into Yellowstone's thermal features!"

Link mit Bildern

Aerial drone photos at Yellowstone National Park could land photographer in hot water

Zitat

Officials at Yellowstone National park are investigating a New York photographer who posted drone photos taken in the park last week.
Drone use in Yellowstone National Park is prohibited, and it’s illegal to fly drones in most national parks.
Thermal features are a big attraction for visitors to the park, and the biggest park supporters keep a close eye on how visitors treat these rare wonders.
Morgan Warthin, spokesperson for Yellowstone National Park, said the photos are creating an uproar: “The photo was posted on Instagram and stewards of the park shared the photo with us and we were able to share it with Law Enforcement Rangers so they could initiate an investigation.”
The photo is no longer on Instagram, but the photographer, Tim McGurr, has left his comments about the incident on his account. He’s unapologetic, telling critics on his Instagram page: “People hiking and driving through the park create more of a disturbance than I did or ever will.”
Warthin disagrees, saying park employees have witnessed wildlife being harassed by drones and more.
“There have also been small drones that have actually been located in Yellowstone geysers,” said Warthin. “They’re also a safety concern.”
McGurr says he entered the park overnight, the last day of the fall season, and waited until dawn to take his photo. He said the gates were locked when he tried to leave, so he found another way out. He doesn’t explain what that other way was.
“We thank those stewards of Yellowstone who are online watching and seeing those photographs that were taken illegally and sharing that with us,” Warthin said.
Violating the no-drone policy in the park is a misdemeanor with a penalty of a maximum of six months in jail or a fine of $5,000. In the past, people who violated the policy have also been banned from the park for a number of years. A decision on that is up to the judge in the case and that would be a federal judge since the park is federal land.

Alles anzeigen

Link

Steamboat Geyser erupts and breaks all-time record

Zitat

Steamboat Geyser erupted at about 1:07 a.m. on Saturday, December 8, 2018, and set a new record.
This eruption, the 30th since March 15, 2018, surpasses the previous all-time record of 29 documented eruptions set in 1964.
“The heightened activity at Steamboat this year is uncommon but not unprecedented. We have seen similar activity twice previously; once in the early 1960s, and again in the early 1980s. Conversely, the world’s tallest active geyser has also exhibited years of quiescence or no major eruptions, with the longest being the 50-year period between 1911 and 1961,” said Jeff Hungerford, Yellowstone’s park geologist. “We’ll continue to monitor this extraordinary geyser.”

Link

20 Amazing Wildlife Photos in Yellowstone National Park
Link

First bear sighting of 2019 in Yellowstone National Park; Protect yourself and protect bears

Zitat

The first grizzly bear sighting of 2019 occurred in Yellowstone National Park just days ago. On Friday, March 8, visitors observed a large grizzly bear between Canyon Village and Fishing Bridge. Additionally, grizzly tracks were reported between Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Junction on Monday, March 11. The first grizzly bear sighting in 2018 occurred on March 7.

Male grizzlies come out of hibernation in mid-to-late March. Females with cubs emerge in April and early May. When bears emerge from hibernation, they look for food and often feed on elk and bison that died over the winter. Sometimes, bears will react aggressively while feeding on carcasses.

All of Yellowstone National Park is bear country: from the deepest backcountry to the boardwalks around Old Faithful. Protect yourself and the bears people come here to enjoy by following these guidelines:
Prepare for a bear encounter
Carry bear spray, know how to use it, and make sure it’s accessible.
Stay alert.
Hike or ski in groups of three or more, stay on maintained trails, and make noise. Avoid hiking at dusk, dawn, or at night.
Do not run if you encounter a bear.
Stay 100 yards away from black and grizzly bears. Use binoculars, a telescope, or telephoto lens to get a closer look.
Store food, garbage, barbecue grills, and other attractants in hard-sided vehicles or bear-proof food storage boxes.
Report bear sightings and encounters to a park ranger immediately.
Learn more about bear safety
“Yellowstone visitors care deeply about the conservation of bears and observing them in the wild,” says Kerry Gunther, the park’s bear management specialist. “Reduce human-bear conflicts by preventing bears from getting food and garbage, hiking in groups of three or more people, carrying bear spray, and making noise in blind spots on the trail.”

While firearms are allowed in the park, the discharge of a firearm by visitors is a violation of park regulations. Bear spray has proven effective in deterring bears defending cubs and food sources. It can also reduce the number of bears killed by people in self-defense.

The park restricts certain visitor activities in locations where there is a high density of elk and bison carcasses and lots of bears.

Alles anzeigen

Link