Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Retiring SOU president Roy Saigo recalls days in Japanese-American camps ... Since You Asked: New airbows not legal for hunting in Oregon ... Recruiting firm didn't pick Patridge ... Retiring SOU president Roy Saigo recalls days in Japanese-American camps ... Since You Asked: New airbows not legal for hunting in Oregon ... Recruiting firm didn't pick Patridge ... SIERRA NEVADA Scientists capture rare images of wolverine Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Jul. 24, 2016 at 5:09 PM By The Associated Press Posted Jul. 24, 2016 at 5:09 PM » Social News TRUCKEE, Calif. — Scientists following up on a rare wolverine sighting in the Sierra Nevada set up cameras and captured video of the animal scurrying in the snow, scaling a tree and chewing on bait. They believe the wolverine is the same one that eight years ago became the first documented in the area since the 1920s. Chris Stermer, a wildlife biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, set up the remote cameras in the Tahoe National Forest after officials at a field station sent him photos in January of unusual tracks in the snow near Truckee. "They were definitely wolverine tracks," Stermer told the Sierra Sun newspaper (http://bit.ly/2apR99p). Wolverines, a member of the weasel family that look like a small bear with big claws, once were found throughout the Rocky Mountains and as far west as the Sierra. An estimated 250 to 300 wolverines survive in remote areas of Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and Washington state, according to wildlife officials. Prior to the 2008 sighting, scientists were convinced fur trapping during the early 1900s had wiped out the species in California. Now, a warming planet is threatening to shrink the deep mountain snows that wolverines need to den, scientists say. The male carnivore near Lake Tahoe apparently migrated from the Sawtooth Range in Idaho, Stermer said. Since then, the animal that scientists nicknamed Buddy has been detected more than 20 times over nearly 300 square miles, but it had not been sighted since November 2014, Stermer said. Video from the remote cameras soon provided additional evidence. One clip recorded the night of Feb. 19 offers a glimpse of the wolverine before it scurries away. A second daytime clip captured Feb. 27 shows it climb a tree before chomping and tugging at a baited sock. "When you see them on video, a wolverine is a pretty exciting species to have in California," Stermer said. "With the population we have in California, thinking that we can have a wild wolverine amongst us is pretty amazing. It really begins to restore our larger carnivores back in California." By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Jul. 24, 2016 at 5:09 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501