The Secret Life of Mountain Lions
M72 dies in the first year after the family is attacked by a pack of wolves.
M80 is killed by a trophy hunter after he leaves his family to find a mate and new home.
F61 has more kittens.
F96 survives to reproduce as well.
Five threats to mountain lions
1. Habitat loss. 2. Predation by other carnivores. 3. Hunted by and harmed by humans (i.e hit by car) 4. The harsh climate in which they live. 5. Disease.
Conservation Organizations
Cougar Rewilding Foundation: To facilitate the recovery of the cougar in suitable wild habitat east of the Rocky Mountains.
Mountain Lion Foundation: The mountain lion is an apex species in which whole ecosystems depend thus conservation of the lions habitat is of the upmost importance.
Trophic Cascade
If keystone species like mountain lions go extinct then the deer, elk and other herbivores that they eat will grow out of check. The overpopulation of these herbivores will lead to destruction of much more vegetation then the ecosystem can handle and other animals that rely on that vegetation for food or shelter will also begin to diminish; overall causing a cascade of species loss.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Siuslaw National Forest - Management Changes
Points from the wonderful thirty-minute film documentary, “Seeing the Forest,”
- Instead of continually fighting with each other all those interested in or benefiting from the forest and formed a council.
- The council focused of environmental restoration, especially restoration of local salmon population, and proper usage of the land.
- The council was able to make quicker decision and work together better then if things were left to bureaucracy.
- Upon working together the forest became healthier, thrived better, and was less impacted by humans and nature.
Sunday, April 23, 2017
The Salmon Life Cycle
The salmon life cycle:
1. The salmons life cycle begins in fresh water where the eggs are laid in the gravel. After they hatch they remain hidden until they are grown into fry.
2. They can stay in their freshwater stream for up to a year, other species can migrate to nearby lakes, before they head out to sea. Depending on how well the streams and estuaries are preserved dictates how many salmon emerge to grow up in oceans.
3. Different species can spend years in the ocean traveling around for food before migrating back to their spawning stream.
4. Traveling back to their spawning stream takes up a lot of energy, their bodies ready for reproducing. Females will build nests once they find their spawning grounds. After a females mates with a male they both die to provide nutrients for the ocean.
I did not know the salmon died after reproducing, that's very fascinating. It really puts into perspective how our fishing of salmon can impact their numbers.
Endangered and threatened species are important to keep track of, the loss of individuals can impact genetic variation causing problems in the long run for a whole species. Dwindling population can lead to the collapse of other species that feed off of or are fed by the failing species. Whole ecosystems can fall from the loss of one species.
1. The salmons life cycle begins in fresh water where the eggs are laid in the gravel. After they hatch they remain hidden until they are grown into fry.
2. They can stay in their freshwater stream for up to a year, other species can migrate to nearby lakes, before they head out to sea. Depending on how well the streams and estuaries are preserved dictates how many salmon emerge to grow up in oceans.
3. Different species can spend years in the ocean traveling around for food before migrating back to their spawning stream.
4. Traveling back to their spawning stream takes up a lot of energy, their bodies ready for reproducing. Females will build nests once they find their spawning grounds. After a females mates with a male they both die to provide nutrients for the ocean.
I did not know the salmon died after reproducing, that's very fascinating. It really puts into perspective how our fishing of salmon can impact their numbers.
Endangered and threatened species are important to keep track of, the loss of individuals can impact genetic variation causing problems in the long run for a whole species. Dwindling population can lead to the collapse of other species that feed off of or are fed by the failing species. Whole ecosystems can fall from the loss of one species.
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