AWCC NEWS:

Here you will find updated news stories, links, and happenings at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.

ALASKA WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CENTER

JANUARY 2, 2008

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center has recently sent 3 plains bison calves to the western Aleutian Island of Umnak. After a night of being corralled, captured, transported, flown and transported again the plains bison calves are free in their lush island pasture. Crated for only 12 hours, with the cooperation of the weather, the bison arrived safely at a land so distant, it is in a different time zone.

Privately owned herds of plains bison exist in a few places in Alaska. This Umnak herd hopes to not only boost island tourism, but also provide native groups with a subsistence animal that can help protect wild resources.  Bison on the island will give local residents an alternative food source while aiding economics by attracting sport-hunting and wildlife-viewing tourists.

At the 2006 Alaska Tourism Industry Conference in Valdez, conversations led to a plan soon to be put in motion. Mike Miller, AWCC Executive Director, met with George Weaver tourism director for the Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association and agreed to complete the necessary planning steps to make the proposal a reality. An USDA official visited Umnak and confirmed the grass was nutritious enough to support bison.  Weaver talked with the Chaluka Corp., the Native village corporation for Nikolski.  AWCC had the plains bison tested for disease.  Custom crates were built and travel arrangements were made.

Nikolski villagers welcomed their new neighbors on January 4th. With the forklift inoperable, island residents recruited muscles and brute strength to lift the 3 crates weighing up to 800 lbs each onto trailers that were pulled by ATV’s. Once at the pasture site, the bison were released under the eye of their new caretaker Constance Fredenberg. Bustamante the bull and Stampede the female exited their crates with ease. Nickel was reluctant to leave the security of his crate and needed some encouragement. Once free, the siblings explored their new island habitat together and are doing well in their new home.

JANUARY 6, 2008

Historic Conservation Effort Continues...

January 7th Alaska's Wood Bison Restoration Team will take a giant step of a fantastic journey.  Tomorrow the Alaska State Veterinarian, ADF&G staff and I will travel to Alberta. Once there, we will join up with the Canadian Wood bison team and members of the American Bison Society, Wildlife Conservation Society and Safari Club International. 500 wild wood bison located on the grounds of Elk Island National Park will be herded via helicopters to awaiting corrals. These bison will be processed through a handling system and held in a squeeze chute long enough to draw 12cc's of blood. From these 500, a group of 60 bison will be chosen for transportation to Alaska. Their trip from Alberta to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage will cover over 2,000 miles and further bridge the gap of more than 100 years since their ancestors freely roamed Alaska. The 60 wood bison are expected to arrive in February and will join 28 wood bison currently residing at the Center.

A mandatory quarantine period of 2 years will be observed prior to an anticipated release in 2010.  The likely release area will be near Minto Flats and the day will most assuredly be remembered as one of the greatest in Alaska's wildlife conservation history!

The State of Alaska and Elk Island National Park has given its authority for me to take photos of the round up, handling, squeezing and loading. The process will take 7 days to complete. We will send photos nightly to the Alaska media.

PRESS RELEASES

NEWS LINKS:

KTUU: Meet Alaska’s newest movie stars

Cubs Become Celebrities and Get Unusual Names:

On September 4, 2004 the cubs were brought to AWCC and quickly began exploring their new environment. The following weekend, the cubs became television celebrities when AWCC hosted a promotional event for the Celebrity Sports Invitational. On Saturday, September 11, there was a charity auction held at the Performing Arts Center to benefit AWCC and Dream Foundation. The black-tie gala was the crowning event for the Celebrity Sports Invitational, which aired nationwide in early October. The final auction item that night was “Name the Bear Cubs”. The president of The Patrón Spirits Company bid $5000 to name one cub, and the president/CEO of Joe Boxer Clothing Company also bid $5000 to name the other. The names they chose for the cubs are “Patrón” and “Joe Boxer”. In the fall of 2005, these cubs were introduced to Hugo and the largest brown bear exhibit in the United States. Solar electricity powers the electric fence that encloses 18 acres of land and water is pumped into the pond by the rotations of a nearby windmill.  Bears are fed local Alaskan salmon, road killed moose, dog food, carrots and apples.  With such a large enclosure, bears can be observed displaying their natural, “wild” behaviors.

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JANUARY 17, 2008

Mythbusting at AWCC...

Myth Busters filmed a up coming TV show at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center today. The MB crew asked AWCC's Kelly Miller ( knitted hat, red hair dressed in black) and AWCC's Stephen Trimble ( wool hat, orange jacket, jeans) many questions about moose food. How much do they eat? What do they eat? Do they eat meat? Do they eat snow? (yes) Do they kill other animals? (yes but not for food). What does AWCC feed them in the winter? (moose food) . In the summer? (willows) What is their favorite food? ( bananas, a reward when training)  What is a weird food they have ate? ( a yellow rose that was on a wedding party woman's corsage)  What do they hate to eat? (anything they don't like they will not eat) What does AWCC feed them that is good for them ( wormer mixed in feed) How does AWCC get them to eat it? (mix the feed & wormer with bananas) What do baby moose eat? (the same as adult). Have they ate anything that you wished that they has not  ( 6 four foot apple trees, 2 cherry trees)

The crew filmed with 3 cast members, Tory Belleci & Grant Imahara, and Kari Byron. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center was closed for the day so the moose has the whole run of the park. He (River) followed vehicles down the road (banana taped to the trunk). Stood his ground when a speeding car slid to a stop in front of his hooves(normal moose behavior). River mingled with the stars of the show as Kelly and Stephen presented interesting facts about moose and fed River bananas. It was harder to get the MB crew to cooperate then it was the  moose. Apparently they heard stories about moose attacking people and the size of the animal was to much intimidation. Eventually after Kelly proved that he was safe and manageable the crew was put at ease. River the moose, was a star himself if the moose Into the Wild, directed by Sean Penn.

The weather was Portage. Sunny and bitter cold in the morning, warmed up to freezing and snowing hard by afternoon. Ideal for the wildness they needed for this special episode.