Oregon WildBlog

In this month's wildlife newsletter, we cover a wide range of topics from restoring federal wolf protections to wildlife legislation, Fish and Wildlife Commission appointments and more.

Beloved and abused

Think of one of your favorite, and most beautiful hikes. Now think of one of the most overrun, busy, and abused places you’ve been in recent years. For many people, Tamolitch Pool on the McKenzie River probably falls into both of these categories. As the word has spread about the relatively easy (and beautiful) hike and the gorgeous pool at its destination, this special place is one of those in danger of becoming “loved to death”. 

Oregon's incredible wildlands are inhabited by an abundant diversity of fish and wildlife. But some of the heftiest members of the state's native megafauna club no longer range its forests, hills, and valleys. Naturalist Ethan Shaw explored the history of two of the West's most iconic species - the mighty American bison and grizzly bear - and their relationship to Oregon. Ethan dived into some of what we know about the where and the when of these big beasts in the Beaver State and how they may have once integrated into local ecosystems.

C’waam and Koptu are sucker fish sacred to the Indigenous peoples of Southern Oregon. This video includes guests from the Klamath Tribes who discuss the importance of these fish, and how drought, water quality, and climate change are bringing them to the brink of extinction.

In October 2017, The Oregonian released a series starring a newborn polar bear cub named Nora, which swiftly went viral. Kale Williams who reported the story went on to win the Scripps Howard Edward J. Meeman Award and the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award for his work on the series, which also won a regional Emmy. Since then, Williams has continued to follow Nora's story, while expanding his lens, spending time with traditional Arctic hunters and closely tracking the research of one of the leading wildlife biologists studying how polar bears are struggling to adapt to climate change.

- Contributed by Sam Krop

Biodiversity is the key to resilience in the face of a changing planet, and my hope was to give the biodiversity of the Monument an opportunity to speak for itself.

Joan Maloof has likely been to more old-growth forests across the US than anyone alive today. She was so inspired by what she saw in these forests that she founded a national organization to preserve them and help make them accessible for the next generation. From the towering Redwoods of the Oregon and California Coast to the Cypress groves of Florida and the oak forests of New England, Joan will take you on a journey through the incredible differences and striking similarities of the country's remaining ancient forests.

2021 has been a busy year for wildlife advocates in Oregon! Between the state legislature in session, changing of the guard at the Interior Department, litigation, and much more, there’s a lot to tell you about in this month’s wolf pack newsletter.

WOLVES

Let’s start with the bad news first, so that we can end this section on a happy note!

Join Oregon Wild staff for the full scoop on the 2021 legislative session in Salem (so far) and the bills that will impact Oregon’s natural treasures.