Rare wolverine spotted in Idaho’s Pioneer Mountains

Rare observation and photo near the top of Idaho’s second highest mountain range-

Hikers see solitary member of the weasel family on east side of range. By Jason Kauffman. Idaho Mountain Express Staff Writer.

The wolverine was near the top of one of the canyons in the distance.
Photo copyright © Ralph Maughan

Kathie Lynch: Summertime 2009 Yellowstone wolf news.

Wolf watching is slow in this summer’s extra green Yellowstone-

While watching has been slow lately in the reconfigured Yellowstone wolf packs, Kathie Lynch has quite a bit of news. Ralph Maughan

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July and August wolf notes for YNP. By © Kathie Lynch
Copyrighted material. Not to be reprinted or reposted without explicit permission

Summer wolf watching in Yellowstone ran the gamut from the great expectations of June and early July to the challenges of late July and early August. Despite eternal vigilance by devoted watchers, the Druid Peak pack somehow managed to spirit their pups away from their traditional den forest to their summer rendezvous without anyone seeing them go. With the Druids’ departure from Lamar Valley, wolf watching took a turn for the worse as many days found us searching high and low just to find a wolf.

What had been a grand spectacle last year when the Druids moved their pups across Soda Butte Creek, this year quietly turned into a non-event. Because the pups stayed mostly hidden in the trees of the traditional den forest and seldom came into view, we never even obtained a solid count. However, the Druids are believed to have had at least nine pups, including five blacks and four grays. Even the Wolf Project’s monitoring flights have not been able to confirm the Druid pup count.

Nevada Water Authority shaken by growing push-back to their effort to drain groundwater from under the Nevada desert

Nevada’s “water wizard” to ask for vote of confidence in face of opposition to more draining the desert-

Southern Nevada Water Authority’s boss, Pat Mulroy, thought by many to be the most powerful woman in the Interior West, says she wants a quick vote from Water Authority members [this is a board, not the public] to show they are still committed to plans to pipe groundwater to Las Vegas from the eastern Nevada Desert (including maybe Utah’s desert).

Opposition has been growing rapidly, and there may not be enough water for 270,000 more homes for more sprawl in and near Las Vegas, especially with the rapidly falling water level of Lake Mead on Colorado River.

Nevada Water Authority vote sought on pipeline project. Growing opposition prompts call for vote. By Henry Brean. Las Vegas Review-Journal.