May 25, 2006
Where wildlife and urban life meet
The bear that found itself in the University District earlier this week was a rarity, but bears in Seattle’s outer suburbs aren’t uncommon this time of year as they scavenge for springtime food in what once was their habitat, Fish and Wildlife Department’s Kim Chandler told the The Seattle Times.
The interaction between people and carnivorous animals is the subject of a free public presentation the evening of May 31 involving UW students who had a chance to explore this topic over spring break in Yellowstone. The next day, June 1, the topic of how humans shape ecosystems in urban areas — including effects on wildlife — will be discussed during presentations about Urban Ecology: How Urban Ecosystems Function.
“This was no Winnie the Pooh,” Chandler is quoted as saying about the 150-pound, wild black bear that had made its way to the University District. Unfortunately, the bear died as officers and fish and wildlife agents used tranquilizers and a police Taser to subdue it.
Intense interactions between people and potentially dangerous animals are not unique to this region. The frequency of such encounters is increasing worldwide as people settle, explore and pursue recreational activities in even the most remote reaches of earth. To better understand the human-carnivore dynamic, three faculty from the College of Forest Resources led 16 students to Yellowstone National Park during spring break.
The faculty and students will report about what they learned from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, in the Forest Club Room in Anderson Hall. The session is free and open to the public.
During their trip they observed wolves, coyotes and a grizzly bear and found tracks of cougar and wolverine. They observed interactions of predators and scavengers at carcasses of elk and bison. They also talked with private citizens and state and National Park Service wildlife biologists. See course Website at:
http://courses.washington.edu/vseminar/ynpsyl.htm. (The class syllabus even lists a theme song: Lyle Lovett’s Bears. “Get it for your mp3 players,” the instructors urged.)
The basic ecology of urban areas, including the soils, streams and wildlife found there, is the subject of half a dozen presentations from 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday, June 1, at the UW Botanic Gardens, Center for Urban Horticulture. The session is part of the Denman Forestry Issues Series sponsored by the College of Forest Resources.
The program is free and open to the public but people are asked to RSVP to Ellen Matheny at 206-685-9477 or ematheny@u.washington.edu. For more information see http://www.cfr.washington.edu/Outreach/Denman/denmanspr06.htm.
