Idaho Statesman
Environmental reporter for the Idaho Statesman and author of Scorched Earth: How the Fires of Yellowstone Changed America
PROFILE
Rocky Barker
Guest
FROM Rocky Barker
To the Point
Sage Grouse Won't Get Endangered Species Act Protection Photo by Jeannie Stafford/US Fish & Wildlife Service The oil and gas industry, cattle grazing and farming are now safe from new restrictions that could have been problematic for Democrats in next year's elections. The Greater Sage Grouse is officially not an endangered species after all. Once numbering in the millions from California to North and South Dakota, now there are only a few hundred thousand Greater Sage Grouse left, but the Interior Department said today they're not part of an endangered species. Rocky Barker is environment and energy reporter for the Idaho Statesman .
Which Way, L.A.?
Are Wolves out of the Woods? In Yellowstone National Park, she was officially known as 832F. An alpha female gray wolf of considerable size and strength, she wore a GPS collar so researchers could track her movements. But many tourists and scientists called her ‘rock star.' She led the wolf pack in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley, an area where bison and elk provide lots of food. But this wolf's hunting prowess also represents the very thing that stirs up so much animosity among the many people who want to see fewer wolves in the west. So when 832F was shot and killed in Wyoming when she left the park boundaries, not everyone was mourning the loss, especially ranchers who lose livestock and hunters who compete for the elk. What's the loss to science? We hear the emotional debate about hunting and trapping.
To the Point
Are Wolves out of the Woods? In Yellowstone National Park, she was officially known as 832F. An alpha female gray wolf of considerable size and strength, she wore a GPS collar so researchers could track her movements. But many tourists and scientists called her ‘rock star.' She led the wolf pack in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley, an area where bison and elk provide lots of food. But this wolf's hunting prowess also represents the very thing that stirs up so much animosity among the many people who want to see fewer wolves in the west. So when 832F was shot and killed in Wyoming when she left the park boundaries, not everyone was mourning the loss, especially ranchers who lose livestock and hunters who compete for the elk. What's the loss to science? We hear the emotional debate about hunting and trapping.
To the Point
Wolves, Hunting and the Divide between Red and Blue A wolf cub tagged OR-7 in the state of Oregon grew up and found his way to California, captivating animal lovers worldwide. The ' Lone Wolf of California ' was the first to be seen in the wild in that state in almost 90 years. In Idaho, it's been a different story. OR-9, another male from the same litter went the other way, to be killed by a hunter. When OR-9's dead body was photographed, Idaho's Governor Butch Otter congratulated the hunter, even though the kill was technically illegal. Rocky Barker is environmental reporter for the Idaho Statesman and author of Scorched Earth : How the Fires of Yellowstone Changed America.
Recommended
Zócalo's Connecting California
The roofs above our heads What do our houses reveal about us – and what do they say about living in California?
To the Point
Firestorms, Federal Relief and Climate Change Victims of California’s fires can apply for assistance, but President Trump had a warning for the state’s residents. He wants to see a change in forest management. Scientists tell us the firestorms are are result of climate change--which the president still denies. Should cities still allow for building in firezones? Later, Warren talks to one Malibu resident about his firsthand experience in the Woolsey fire.