1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: Cal's weekend review, presented by Steel Steel products are available 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: only at authorized dealers. For more, go to Steel Dealers 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: dot com. Now here's your host, Ryan cal callahan. 5 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 2: A flock of wild peacocks has been living in Omaha, 6 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 2: Nebraska for nearly a decade, and no one seems to 7 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 2: be able to do anything about it. Thanks to listener 8 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,279 Speaker 2: Kyle Anderson for sending this one in. Peacocks, which are 9 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: more properly called pea fowl than you know the cocks 10 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,519 Speaker 2: or males. The hens are female peacock p han and 11 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 2: they both go hah are native to Southeast Asia. As 12 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 2: of this recording, Southeast Asia is approximately eight thousand miles 13 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 2: away from Omaha, so it's safe to say these birds 14 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 2: are not native to the Cornhusker State. And yet, since 15 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 2: at least twenty sixteen, there have been about fourteen peacocks 16 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 2: fluttering around a neighbor just a few blocks away from 17 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:06,759 Speaker 2: downtown Omaha. Their origins remain a mystery. Omaha's Henry Durley 18 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 2: Zoo and Aquarium said the peacocks did not come from 19 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 2: the zoo. The birds may have come from a local 20 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 2: flock of pet peacocks, but the owner has remained conveniently anonymous. 21 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 2: Wherever the birds are from, they're causing trouble. Some folks 22 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 2: seem to like the large blue and green birds, but 23 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 2: other residents told local media that they've been buzzed by 24 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 2: peacocks flying close to their heads and they're constant screaming 25 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 2: hah has become annoying. Maybe the most interesting part of 26 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 2: this story is how these peacocks exist in a kind 27 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 2: of no man's land of wildlife management. Residents have contacted 28 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 2: the Mayor's hotline, Nebraska Game in Parks in the Nebraska 29 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 2: Humane Society are all no help. If the birds were 30 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 2: causing serious damage, that might be a different story, but 31 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 2: right now, it sounds like no one is interested in 32 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 2: rounding up a flock of non native wildlife and figuring 33 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 2: out where to put them. This hasn't been reported yet 34 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 2: by local media, but I think the residents themselves may 35 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: be able to take matters into their own hands. City 36 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 2: code allows landowners to request the authority to remove a 37 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 2: non domestic animal from his or her property. The code 38 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 2: defines non domestic animal as quote any animal which has 39 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 2: reverted to a wild state. I'd say these birds qualify. 40 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 2: That's a hot tip for you Omahans. As you know, 41 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 2: the sweaty, humid heat of that city seeps into you. 42 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 2: I feel like having like a taxi driver moment, may 43 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 2: want to reach for the nearest peacock. They are delicious, 44 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 2: trust me, it's just a giant pheasant, big old booty 45 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 2: on them. In fact, the rear end is so big, 46 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 2: the thing that supports that ornate tail fan that it's 47 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 2: a meal of itself. It's awesome. But Aha, this week 48 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 2: quill pigs, critter round up, easements, and the mail desk. 49 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 2: But first I'm going to tell you about my week. 50 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 2: In my week, well, it's just not nearly as much 51 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 2: fun as it was during Turkey season, which is why 52 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 2: Old Seth Morris and I have a fishing date lined 53 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,519 Speaker 2: up here for this Saturday. It's that time of year 54 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 2: where an angler's attention is most easily held on the 55 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 2: lakes due to the flood filled rivers, nightly electric laden 56 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 2: storms rolling into the Bridger range rip open pummeling deluge 57 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 2: of rain water. It's violent. It's gorgeous system that is 58 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 2: just barely staving off the heat of summer. In other 59 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 2: local news, which is you know, of course important to 60 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 2: me if you can recall Senate Bill four four to 61 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,959 Speaker 2: two here in the Treasure State, which was a bipartisan 62 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 2: bill brought by Mike Lang, a Republican out of Malta, 63 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 2: Montana Go mustangs. That bill which dealt with divving up 64 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 2: tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales to roads veterans support, 65 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 2: and the state's public access fund called Habitat for Montana. 66 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 2: All that bill, Senate Bill four four two passed with 67 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 2: what is known as a super majority. One hundred and 68 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 2: thirty out of one hundred and fifty state legislators voted 69 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 2: in faber of Senate Bill four four two, and then 70 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 2: the governor vetoed it, stating that the bill failed to 71 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 2: address some of the hows of funding you know, get 72 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 2: from points A to point you know, down the line, 73 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 2: you get it well. The Governor, Greg g and Fota 74 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 2: and the Secretary of State Christi Jacobson are now being 75 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,599 Speaker 2: sued by Montana wild and Montana Wildlife Federation for a 76 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 2: breach of procedure that goes against the Montana State Constitution. 77 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 2: We shall see if Lazarus will rise again. Now the 78 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 2: governor has stated many places, including right here on this podcast, 79 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 2: that he is in favor of public access with the Covey, 80 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:37,280 Speaker 2: that it has local support such as the Big Snowy WMA. 81 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 2: But it appears from my perspective that our state funding mechanism, 82 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 2: Habitat for Montana may not have the governor's support. I'll 83 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 2: see if we cannot get the governor and or Christy 84 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 2: to give us their point of view on the situation 85 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 2: sometime soon. To bring this back to something more fun, 86 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 2: the girlfriend and I hit the libre A Tar Pits, 87 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 2: which was a first time for me. Super cool in 88 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 2: my opinion. Not all that far from Beverly Hills are 89 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 2: bubbling piles of asphalt that trapped invertebrates, plants, mammals, reptiles 90 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 2: and birds and still occasionally do. On top of that, 91 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 2: super fun thing that I found is these bubbling piles 92 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 2: of asphalt, most of which are contained in behind fences. 93 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 2: But then there's all these little puddles that are bubbling 94 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 2: up on their own, unfenced, and the Los Angelinos put 95 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 2: sticks and stuff in them, and I found that very entertaining. Anyway, 96 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 2: a couple of things that blew me away outside of 97 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 2: the unrestricted asphalt access. Rainbow trout bones were found in 98 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 2: the middle of downtown La evidence of a happier time 99 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 2: in the city's distant past, suggesting that clean and clear 100 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 2: water ran through that part at least enough to support 101 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 2: rainbow trout. And then outside of the water lived a 102 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 2: twenty two pound antelope species called the dwarf pronghorn, which 103 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 2: I had never heard of, much to my shame. Also, 104 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 2: the Hammer Museum and the La County Art Museum are 105 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 2: both very much worth a stop on your tour the 106 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 2: next time your attendance is required at a wedding. Moving 107 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:19,799 Speaker 2: on it to the porcupine desk. Spring has finally arrived 108 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 2: in the Northwest, which can only mean one thing. It's 109 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 2: time for porcupines to start falling out of trees. To 110 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: back up a moment, porcupines are not known for their 111 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 2: dexterity or climbing abilities, although they do a lot of it. 112 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 2: They're not terrible climbers, but no one's putting a porcupine 113 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 2: on the mount rushmore of tree rodents. But after a 114 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 2: winter of eating nothing butt bark, they can't resist young 115 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 2: willow buds at the tippy top of willow trees. If 116 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 2: you know anything about willow trees, you know that their 117 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:48,160 Speaker 2: uppermost branches can barely support a squirrel, much less a 118 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 2: fifteen pound quill pig. But they try anyway, and research 119 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 2: suggests that about a third of them fall to the ground. 120 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 2: One paper published in nineteen ninety found serious skeletal injuries 121 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 2: in about thirty five percent of porcupines at study. But 122 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 2: a hard landing isn't the only thing porcupines have to 123 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 2: worry about. Porcupines are also susceptible to self quilling. The 124 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 2: thirty thousand barbed quills that cover their bodies are only 125 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 2: loosely attached to their skin. When the animals fall, those 126 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 2: quills can dislodge and sink into their own bodies, adding 127 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 2: injury to the insult of falling twenty feet from the 128 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 2: top of a willow. And I mean twenty feet's an exaggeration, 129 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 2: right That willow branch would have leaned way over if 130 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 2: you think about it anyway. Here's where things get really interesting. 131 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 2: Research is found that porcupine quills are covered in fatty 132 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 2: acids that actually inhibit bacterial growth. The quills are antibiotic. 133 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 2: This is counterintuitive because in most other animals stingers, pokers, 134 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 2: and fangs are laced with poison. Why would porcupine quills 135 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 2: contain materials that help their attackers recover more quickly. Apparently, 136 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 2: porcupines are more concerned about self quilling in a fall 137 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 2: from a willow tree than incapacitating a predator. Researchers believe 138 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 2: a porcupine's antibiotic quills are an adaptation to help it 139 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 2: heal after falling from a tree and stabbing itself with 140 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 2: its own quills. Of course, this doesn't mean that you 141 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 2: shouldn't worry about infection after your dog gets whacked by 142 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 2: a porcupine. That nineteen ninety study found that the quills 143 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 2: only resist some kinds of bacterial growth, and infected wounds 144 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 2: from a run in with a porcupine are not uncommon 145 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 2: in wild and domestic animals. What's more, those barbs on 146 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 2: the end of porcupine quills allow the quill to dig 147 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 2: deeper and deeper into flesh, which could threaten arteries and 148 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,439 Speaker 2: vital organs if left unattended. If your dog gets a 149 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 2: face full of porcupine quills, get to a vet as 150 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 2: soon as possible. It's going to be rough on them 151 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,239 Speaker 2: to try and pull them out yourself, and broken quills 152 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 2: can burrow even deeper into a dog. I get it. 153 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 2: Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I've done 154 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 2: it myself. But a vet can anesthetize your pooch and 155 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 2: make sure all the quills get removed so you aren't 156 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 2: dealing with complications down the road, which does happen big 157 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 2: Thanks to listener Andrew Whitman for sending in this great 158 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 2: porcupine photo. You want to laugh. Look up the Denali 159 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 2: National Park and Preserve facebook page. They posted a great 160 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 2: photo of a porcupine at the top of a willow 161 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 2: tree doing its darnedest to eat those buds without falling 162 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 2: and for the listener question, will inevitably get They do 163 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 2: taste great and to quote the old outfitter, little greasy, 164 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 2: but good. Moving on to the money desk, a North 165 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 2: Carolina land appraiser pled guilty last month the swindling American 166 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 2: taxpayers out of one point three billion with a bee 167 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 2: as part of a land conservation fraud scheme. Walter Terry 168 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 2: Douglas Roberts the second admitted to inflating the value of 169 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 2: the conservation easements along with the length of his name 170 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 2: upon which the tax deductions were based. Because the federal 171 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,680 Speaker 2: government wants to encourage landowners to be good stewards of 172 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 2: the land, the IRS offers tax deductions when land is 173 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,959 Speaker 2: placed in a conservation easement. Those tax deductions are based 174 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 2: on the property's value, so the higher the value, the 175 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 2: greater the tax deduction. Roberts admitted to inflating the value 176 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 2: of eighteen conservation easements, some by as much as seventy percent. 177 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 2: He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. 178 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 2: Believe it or not, this kind of conservation easement fraud 179 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 2: is very common, or at least it was before Congress 180 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 2: passed a bill last year cracking down on these schemes. 181 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,560 Speaker 2: Several investigations by the news outlet Pro Publica revealed that 182 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 2: aggressive promoters have built a lucrative industry by syndicating these 183 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,959 Speaker 2: land easement deals. Basically, these folks snatch up idle land, 184 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 2: bundle it all together, and hire a shady appraiser like 185 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 2: mister Roberts to inflate the value of the land. These 186 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 2: appraisers would claim that land had previously unrecognized developmental value, 187 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 2: such as for luxury homes or solar farm. Then they 188 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:41,719 Speaker 2: sold the stakes in these conservation easement deductions to rich investors. 189 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 2: These investors repuge tax deductions while the promoters made millions 190 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 2: in fees. These conmen defrouded taxpayers out of billions of 191 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 2: dollars using this strategy, which is why the US Congress 192 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,320 Speaker 2: included a provision in the latest spending bill designed to 193 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 2: end it. The new measure will limit taxpayer deductions to 194 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,439 Speaker 2: two and a half times their investment. According to Pro publica, 195 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 2: that will effectively eliminate the profits that drive syndicated deals 196 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 2: while allowing traditional conservation easements to continue. Lobbyists for these 197 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 2: conservation schemes stymied this bill for years, but last year 198 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 2: Montana Senator Steve Danes figured out a way to resolve 199 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 2: this issue. He proposed that the funds generated from eliminating 200 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 2: these syndicates be used to pay for a proposal enhancing 201 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 2: benefits for disabled police, firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs. That got 202 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 2: enough members of Congress on board, and it was signed 203 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 2: by President Biden in December. Moving on to the dog desk, 204 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 2: six dogs died last week at a wildlife conservation training 205 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 2: area in Salt Lake City, prompting the enclosure of the facility. 206 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 2: And cancelation of an upcoming event. As authorities investigate the 207 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 2: cause of the incident, All the dogs were owned by 208 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 2: the same individual. He camped with his thirteen dogs for 209 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 2: eight days at the facility, which is used frequently for 210 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 2: training hunting dogs. He noticed his dogs eating a crust usty, 211 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 2: salty like layer on some of the grass near the 212 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 2: edge of the water at one of the ponds. He 213 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 2: called his dog's back, but they soon began showing signs 214 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 2: of contamination, such as vomiting and diarrhea. Some of the 215 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 2: dogs had to be euthanized, while others died from cardiac arrest, 216 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 2: likely caused by kidney or liver failure heartbreaking. Investigators with 217 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 2: the Utah Division of Water Quality are working to figure 218 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,440 Speaker 2: out what happened, but so far they don't have any 219 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 2: great answers. They'd taken water samples from the pond, but 220 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 2: they said there was no visual evidence of a harmful 221 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 2: algae bloom on the pond. However, they did notice some 222 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:33,679 Speaker 2: growth along the edge of the pond they think may 223 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 2: contain a bacteria that's been known to harm dogs. The 224 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 2: investigators didn't say which kind of bacteria they observed, but 225 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:43,319 Speaker 2: it could have been a common water related bacterial infection 226 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 2: called leptospirosis. Leptosperrosis is caused by the leptospira bacteria leptospirap bacteria, 227 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 2: not leptospirap bacteria that's a spaghetti noodle, and dogs frequently 228 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:59,959 Speaker 2: contracted it through exposure to or drinking from rivers, lake 229 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 2: or streams laden with the leptospira bacteria. Some infected dogs 230 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 2: do not show any signs of illness. Some have a 231 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 2: mild and transient illness and recover spontaneously, while others develop 232 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:15,359 Speaker 2: severe illness and death. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association. 233 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 2: In those extreme cases, it causes liver or kidney failure, 234 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 2: which is what killed these dogs in Utah. Anyone who's 235 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 2: owned a dog knows it's impossible to keep them from 236 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 2: drinking from puddles or swimming in ponds. But there are 237 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 2: twelve month vaccines that you can get if you're concerned 238 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 2: about leptospirosis. If you think your dog has been infected, 239 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 2: early and aggressive antibiotic treatment is often effective. It is 240 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 2: never ever any fun to lose a dog. That's what 241 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 2: we sign up for as dog owners. But there is 242 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 2: something exceptionally cruel about losing a dog when hunting dogs 243 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 2: season is just a couple of months away. Moving on 244 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 2: to the coyote desk. Coyotes rarely attack humans, but when 245 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:02,200 Speaker 2: they do, biologists aren't always sure what compels the usual 246 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 2: timid canines to target the much larger, two legged prey. Now, 247 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:09,199 Speaker 2: a new study published in the Journal of applyed Tocology 248 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 2: offers at least one explanation. Researchers tracked and analyzed coyote 249 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:16,719 Speaker 2: movement and behavior in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in 250 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 2: Nova Scotia and concluded that moose predation is likely a 251 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 2: contributing factory to the park's high rate of coyote attacks 252 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 2: on humans. We have described a unique ecological system in 253 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 2: which a generalist carnivore has expanded its ecological niche to 254 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 2: specialize on large prey species, with the unfortunate consequence of 255 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 2: also expanding pathways to conflicts with people. You know, basically saying, 256 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 2: if they get together in their little coyot pack and 257 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 2: they say we can take down this moose, the next 258 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 2: time they look at a human, they're like, not as 259 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 2: big as a moose. Now, unfortunate is an understatement. There 260 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 2: has been only one documented case of a fatal coyote 261 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 2: attack in the US and Canada, and it occurred in 262 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 2: two thousand and nine Cape Breton Park. A nineteen year 263 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 2: old folk singer from Toronto was attacked and killed by 264 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 2: two coyotes while hiking alone on a popular trail. She 265 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 2: was soon found by other hikers, but she died from 266 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 2: her injuries later that day. Coyote attacks are rare nationwide, 267 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 2: but canis Latrans are responsible for thirty one percent of 268 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 2: all documented attacks on people by a large carnivore species, 269 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 2: the most of any such carnivore. Cape Breton coyotes appear 270 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 2: to be particularly aggressive. In recent years, the park has 271 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 2: recorded thirty two coyote human incidents, including seven independent cases 272 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 2: where coyotes bit an injured people. In most environments, coyote 273 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 2: attacks occur when they begin to see humans as a 274 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 2: source of food. They lose their fear of people and 275 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 2: take boulder and bolder steps to secure a slice of 276 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 2: leftover pizza. But the situation in Cape Breton turns that 277 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 2: story on its head. This two hundred and thirty four 278 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 2: thousand acre park is sparsely populated by humans and GPS 279 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 2: color data indicates that the coyote packs have large home ranges. 280 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 2: That suggests that the animals aren't congregating around human settlements 281 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 2: and eating dog food left out in the yard. What's more, 282 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 2: when these researchers an a the stable isotopes and whisker 283 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 2: samples alongside coyotes scat, they found that the canines weren't 284 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 2: surviving on human food. Instead, they found something surprising moose 285 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 2: meat comprised the majority of their diet. Mixing models showed 286 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 2: that moose comprised an average of fifty two and a 287 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 2: half percent of the diets of twenty eight of the 288 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 2: thirty two coyotes studied. A twenty nineteen study of coyotes 289 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 2: in the same area also found that moose comprised fifty 290 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 2: seven percent of their diet, with some seasonal frequencies in 291 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 2: winter and spring exceeding seventy percent. Right is at calving 292 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 2: time of year? Like, when are they most likely? That's 293 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 2: a big part of these studies. Anyway, Coyotes rarely eat moose, 294 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 2: but researchers noted that the prey abundance was low in 295 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 2: the park, especially the hares and deer that usually comprise 296 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 2: the majority of a coyote's diet, so coyotes do what 297 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 2: they do best, They adapt and began to prey on 298 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:53,440 Speaker 2: North America's largest ungulate. Researchers assumed that most moose consumption 299 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 2: resulted from scavenging, but they also found evidence of direct predation. 300 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 2: At least one carcass located during winter, ca iote tracking 301 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 2: showed signs of predation, and on other occasions, live adult 302 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 2: moose were observed with fresh wounds consistent with coyote bites. 303 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 2: In addition to coyote tracks leading to the moose, coyotes 304 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 2: likely target moose when they get stuck in high snow drifts, 305 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 2: which frequently form in the park. The studies authors speculate 306 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 2: that after emerging victorious from a fight with a moose, 307 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:24,880 Speaker 2: people didn't seem all that scary anymore. The park also 308 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 2: does not allow coyote hunting, and so the animals lost 309 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 2: all fear of large prey. If they were learning how 310 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 2: to successfully hunt moose, then hunting a person is probably 311 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 2: not all that difficult, biologist Seth Newsom told The Wildlife Society. 312 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,160 Speaker 2: The authors are careful to note that Cape Breton Park 313 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,159 Speaker 2: is a unique ecological situation. The park's topography, combined with 314 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,159 Speaker 2: limited hunting and a lack of usual prey species, forced 315 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 2: coyotes to target an animal that they would not otherwise tackle. 316 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 2: If you live in an area where coyotes and moose overlap, 317 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 2: you shouldn't live in fear of being jumped by a 318 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:00,640 Speaker 2: forty pound wild dog. But the researchers still incur wildlife 319 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 2: managers and outdoor recreators to be on the lookout for 320 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 2: where these unique circumstances collide and maybe carry a cann 321 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 2: of bear spray. Even if coyotes are the biggest, meanest 322 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 2: carnivores around, best be prepared. Moving on to the mail desk, 323 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 2: listener Sam Shawl wrote in to tell me about a 324 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:23,640 Speaker 2: conservation conundrum unfolding in his neck of the woods in Willlammett, Oregon. 325 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 2: As per usual Oregonians, you know I'm going to mispronounce 326 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 2: some names here Willlammtt dam It. As I've been told 327 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,680 Speaker 2: many times, here we go. The Army Corps of Engineers 328 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:37,840 Speaker 2: will drop four reservoirs to historically low water levels this spring, summer, 329 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 2: and fall. The decision was made as the result of 330 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 2: lawsuits from environmental groups and is aimed at helping endangered 331 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 2: salmon and steelhead. The reservoirs will be fifty to one 332 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 2: hundred and twenty feet lower than normal. This will in 333 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,960 Speaker 2: some cases transform the reservoirs into rivers to allow spring 334 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 2: chinook to pass through dams. The larger goal is to 335 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:59,120 Speaker 2: improve the endangered fish's numbers in the upper Willlammett Basin. 336 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:03,680 Speaker 2: As you can imagine, this will seriously impact recreation, particularly 337 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:07,119 Speaker 2: camping and fishing. Numerous boat ramps will be high, dry 338 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 2: and unusable during summer, and campsites will be a long 339 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:12,959 Speaker 2: way from the water. One of these lakes is an 340 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 2: amazing coconeat Fishery and another is a trophy walleye in 341 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 2: Bass Lake. Proponents of the move say the temporary loss 342 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:22,879 Speaker 2: of recreation is worth it to help struggling salmon species, 343 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 2: but sam Our writer isn't so sure. He has a 344 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 2: biology degree and he's worked in salmon habitat restoration for 345 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 2: about seven years. He told me that he doesn't see 346 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 2: a real benefit in reducing the levels of these reservoirs. 347 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:35,719 Speaker 1: Quote. 348 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:38,880 Speaker 2: Salmon have been absent above many of these dams once 349 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 2: they were built, except some hatchery Smoltz planted above that 350 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 2: would have a dam hard time pun intended making it 351 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 2: back up some of these dams that are a couple 352 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 2: hundred feet high with no fish ladder. I'm very pro 353 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 2: salmon and salmon habitat restoration, but feel that this action 354 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 2: is no magic bullet to bring them back as long 355 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:59,159 Speaker 2: as the dams are in place. He says there are 356 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:02,400 Speaker 2: plans to implement at fish migration strategies to get adult 357 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 2: salmon over the dams, but these strategies are several years away. 358 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:09,120 Speaker 2: He asked, quote, why wreck one fishery if the plan 359 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 2: management goals are not ready to be implemented. It seems 360 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 2: like we are going to just destroy a few really 361 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 2: amazing fisheries for no reason. The Army Corps engineers says 362 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 2: that lowering the water level will help salmon find the 363 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:23,480 Speaker 2: gates that are usually located one hundred feet or more 364 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:26,679 Speaker 2: below the surface of the reservoir's normal levels. Salmon are 365 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:30,200 Speaker 2: surface oriented, so lowering the water level should encourage salmon 366 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 2: to find the current and follow it through those gates. 367 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 2: While I understand how lowering the water level might help 368 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:38,919 Speaker 2: the salmon this year, I think Sam is right to 369 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 2: ask about what the long term plan will result in. 370 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 2: What happens once salmon populations have been restored. Will this 371 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 2: be the new normal every summer? Is there a more 372 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 2: permanent solution to accommodating salmon migration. It's reasonable to ask 373 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 2: anglers to sacrifice a summer or two for the good 374 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:58,640 Speaker 2: of another species, but it's another thing to ask them 375 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 2: to give up great fisheries altogether. Whatever the case, this 376 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 2: is one that folks in Oregon's will Lammett Valley should 377 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,119 Speaker 2: keep a close eye on. That's all I've got for 378 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 2: you this week. Thank you so much for listening, and 379 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 2: remember to write in just like Sam did and let 380 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 2: me know what's going on in your neck. 381 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:14,879 Speaker 1: Of the woods. 382 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 2: I appreciate it, and I appreciate all you for listening. 383 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 2: Once more, check out www dot steel Dealers dot com. 384 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 2: Find that local, knowledgeable steel dealer near you. They're gonna 385 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:27,479 Speaker 2: get you set up with what you need and they 386 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 2: won't try to send you home with what you do. 387 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 2: Thanks again and I'll talk to you next week.