Last
month, Interpol, the world cops, announced the results of its "largest
coordinated operation against the illegal poaching and trade in pangolins,"
which was probably the only coordinated operation against the illegal poaching
and trade in pangolins. One search yielded 5 tons of frozen pangolins headed to
Vietnam.
That leaves the rest of us with just one question: What's a
pangolin?
Pangolins are small nocturnal armadillo-like critters that live
in the tropics of Asia and Africa and is Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species. Unfortunately, like all of the other creatures covered by
CITES, they are tasty and believed to have medicinal uses.
Interested?
Read on, the Interpol release on the operation is
below:
Pangolin traffickers arrested in INTERPOL operation
across Asia
Countries across Southeast Asia have taken part in the largest coordinated
operation against the illegal poaching and trade in pangolins. Operation Libra,
coordinated by INTERPOL’s Environmental Crime Programme, took place in June and
July and involved investigations and enforcement actions across Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Supported by the Freeland Foundation
through a grant from USAID, the operation led to the arrest of more than 40
individuals, with some 200 additional cases currently under investigation across
the region.
Pangolins are found across most of Asia and Africa. The
nocturnal mammals feed on termites and other insects using a well-developed
sense of smell to locate their prey. During the day, and for protection, they
curl into a ball, protected by large scales which cover their
body.
Pangolins are poached and illegally traded by the thousands, due to
a high demand for their scales, which are used in traditional medicine, and
their meat, which is considered a delicacy. Because of their secluded nature,
the impact of the illegal trade on the pangolins and their habitats is difficult
to assess, but some Southeast Asian forests are believed to be nearly devoid of
pangolins.
During Operation Libra, which also saw the assistance of the
World Customs Organization (WCO) and the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network,
enforcement agencies conducted raids on restaurants and other premises across
the region. Approximately 1,220 pangolins were recovered, almost half of which
were still alive. In addition to pangolins, birds, snakes and eight tigers cubs
were also seized.
In one case, as a result of close international
cooperation, Indonesian authorities discovered a shipment of frozen pangolins
bound for Vietnam. INTERPOL’s I-24/7 secure communications system was used and
additional assistance provided by the WCO to track the shipment to Hai Phong,
Vietnam, where it was intercepted by customs officers. The shipment was found to
contain 260 cartons of frozen pangolins weighing 5 tonnes in total. The two
countries are working together to identify the suspects.
All eight
species of pangolin are protected under national laws, and are also covered by
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). In spite of
this, thousands of animals are seized every year. Whilst some animals are found
alive, their chances of survival are poor due to harsh transportation conditions
and their release in unsuitable environments.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Fort Jefferson video (reprint)
(Note: First posted 7.26.12)
Above: A recent installment of Waterways features preservation efforts at Fort Jefferson.
For vacation one summer, when we lived in the south, we took a trip down through Florida, checking out the freshwater snorkeling spots inland, beaches on the Atlantic side and a few old forts.
We swung through old Saint Augustine on a whim and stumbled across the magnificent Castillo de San Marcos.
Perhaps my favorite was Fort Matanzas , a tiny outpost on a small barrier island that guarded Saint Augustine's back door. The fort is a 30-foot-tall tower containing a gun deck, soldiers' and officers' quarters topped by an observation deck. Under the gun deck is a reservoir that collected fresh rain water.
Today, visitors take a short boat ride to the island and tour the fort.
Regretfully, one of the forts we didn't get a chance to see was Fort Jackson on Dry Tortugas , which is way out past the tip of Florida's Keys and only reachable by boat or seaplane.
According to the National Park Service, Fort Jefferson is the largest all-masonry fort in the United States. Construction began in 1846 and continued until 1889, when the government pulled the plug before it was finished. Technology had advanced to the point that Fort Jefferson was obsolete, and it was shuttered without ever firing a shot.
But the effort wasn't a waste, because the fort lives on today as a national park. In recent years, park staff, masons, conservation specialists and the 482nd Civil Engineers Squadron from Homestead Air Reserve Base have been undertaking projects to preserve. Above is a 25-minute (give or take) YouTube video about the restoration.
The above National Park Service links have neat info about the forts,especially the Matanzas site, which includes an interactive map. A Wikipedia list of other forts in Florida is here. (7.26.12)
The above National Park Service links have neat info about the forts,especially the Matanzas site, which includes an interactive map. A Wikipedia list of other forts in Florida is here. (7.26.12)
Grand Teton fall (reprint)
(Note: Originally posted 7.25.12)
This climbing season is turning out to be a deadly one for the Teton range. Over the weekend, a California climber became the latest fatality, bringing the number of dead to four so far this year. Below is part of the National Park Service release on the accident:
Mountain Climber Dies from Fall on Middle Teton Date: July 23, 2012
A climber from California fell to his death on the Middle Teton in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming while descending on Sunday, July 22, according to National Park Service officials.
Justin Harold Beldin, 27 of Benicia, and two climbing partners had summited the 12,804-foot mountain and were beginning to down at about noon when the accident occurred, officials said.
Another group of climbers near the summit of the Middle Teton saw Beldin fall from the Northwest Couloir side of the ridge that separates it from the Southwest Couloir. They hailed Beldin's companions --- who were already working their way down from the summit via the Southwest Couloir and were unaware of the fall.
A member of the second climbing party called the ranger station, which summoned a Teton Interagency contract helicopter. Rangers saw Beldin during that over flight and determined that he likely suffered fatal injuries in a fall of approximately 1,000 feet.
An approaching thunderstorm forced the helicopter to land and wait for better weather. Unfortunately the storm worsened, and weather continued to delay recovery efforts until Monday. At about 10:30 a.m. Monday, four rangers reached the landing zone at the Lower Saddle of the Grand Teton by helicopter and climbed to Beldin's body to prepare an evacuation.
Beldin, a California native, had been living in Victor, Idaho, since April and working in Jackson, Wy. Beldin carried an ice axe with him on the climb; however, he was not wearing a helmet, park officials said.
The Middle Teton is one of the most popular climbs in the Teton Range and is often reached via the Southwest Couloir. The rock climbing section of the Northwest Couloir is rated a 5.6 on the Yosemite Decimal System-a set of numeric ratings describing the difficulty of climbs. There is also a snow and ice section of the couloir that is rated a 3 on the Alpine Ice numeric rating scale.
Beldin's death the fourth fatality in the Teton Range this year. Earlier, two backcountry skiers were killed in an avalanche on Ranger Peak on March 7, and a climber fell to his death on Teewinot on July 12. (7.25.12)
This climbing season is turning out to be a deadly one for the Teton range. Over the weekend, a California climber became the latest fatality, bringing the number of dead to four so far this year. Below is part of the National Park Service release on the accident:
Mountain Climber Dies from Fall on Middle Teton Date: July 23, 2012
A climber from California fell to his death on the Middle Teton in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming while descending on Sunday, July 22, according to National Park Service officials.
Justin Harold Beldin, 27 of Benicia, and two climbing partners had summited the 12,804-foot mountain and were beginning to down at about noon when the accident occurred, officials said.
Another group of climbers near the summit of the Middle Teton saw Beldin fall from the Northwest Couloir side of the ridge that separates it from the Southwest Couloir. They hailed Beldin's companions --- who were already working their way down from the summit via the Southwest Couloir and were unaware of the fall.
A member of the second climbing party called the ranger station, which summoned a Teton Interagency contract helicopter. Rangers saw Beldin during that over flight and determined that he likely suffered fatal injuries in a fall of approximately 1,000 feet.
An approaching thunderstorm forced the helicopter to land and wait for better weather. Unfortunately the storm worsened, and weather continued to delay recovery efforts until Monday. At about 10:30 a.m. Monday, four rangers reached the landing zone at the Lower Saddle of the Grand Teton by helicopter and climbed to Beldin's body to prepare an evacuation.
Beldin, a California native, had been living in Victor, Idaho, since April and working in Jackson, Wy. Beldin carried an ice axe with him on the climb; however, he was not wearing a helmet, park officials said.
The Middle Teton is one of the most popular climbs in the Teton Range and is often reached via the Southwest Couloir. The rock climbing section of the Northwest Couloir is rated a 5.6 on the Yosemite Decimal System-a set of numeric ratings describing the difficulty of climbs. There is also a snow and ice section of the couloir that is rated a 3 on the Alpine Ice numeric rating scale.
Beldin's death the fourth fatality in the Teton Range this year. Earlier, two backcountry skiers were killed in an avalanche on Ranger Peak on March 7, and a climber fell to his death on Teewinot on July 12. (7.25.12)
Looted Rubens copy back in Germany (reprint)
(Note: Originally posted 7.24.12)
Bring me the head of John the Baptist. Or at least return the looted painting of it.
Usually when we hear about looted art from World War II, we think about Nazis swiping property from families displaced by the government's brutal policies or German soldiers pillaging national museums after rolling tanks into town.
But earlier this month, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations put the finishing touches on an investigation that returned a painting that had been owned by Frederick the Great of Prussia and stolen by a Soviet general at the close of World War II.
Frederick was not longer around, and neither was Prussia, for that matter, so they gave it to Germany.
The recently repatriated painting is described as a contemporaneous copy of a Peter Paul Rubens piece that showed the beheading of John the Baptist. The Rubens original is believed to be forever gone, and the valuable copy in question hung the Frederick's gallery at Sanssouci palace in Potsdam.
In 1943, the painting was removed from Fred's Sanssouci museum and taken to the Palace of Rheinsburg, where it was stolen two years later.
Then in fall of 2010 when someone apparently tried to sell it through a Los Angeles auction house.
According to customs officials, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles heard about the sale, and a quick search of a database showed the German government had reported that the painting missing.
The investigation that followed traced the painting back to a Los Angeles-based family, who claimed the work wasn't the missing Ruben and that there were other copies across the world.
Customs agents pressed on, and during the probe, Dr. Samuel Wittwer, of the Potsdam Sanssouci Museum in Germany, traveled with a HSI special agent to the auction gallery and determined that the painting was, in fact, the one stolen from the German museum, according to customs officials.
According to officials, when agents went back to the family to discuss their findings. family members told the special agents that the painting was taken by a Russian general during World War II, according to the HSI account. The general then gave the painting to the daughter of a Soviet official, who later sold the painting to the family. The family brought the painting to the United States when they moved here in the late 1970s.
"As supporters of the arts, the family was happy to return the painting to its rightful owners," the HSI release on the matter states.
Earlier this month, HSI Frankfurt Attaché Michael Shea and U.S. Ambassador to Germany Philip D. Murphy took part in a repatriation ceremony with the director of the Potsdam Sanssouci Museum.
Bring me the head of John the Baptist. Or at least return the looted painting of it.
Usually when we hear about looted art from World War II, we think about Nazis swiping property from families displaced by the government's brutal policies or German soldiers pillaging national museums after rolling tanks into town.
But earlier this month, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations put the finishing touches on an investigation that returned a painting that had been owned by Frederick the Great of Prussia and stolen by a Soviet general at the close of World War II.
Frederick was not longer around, and neither was Prussia, for that matter, so they gave it to Germany.
The recently repatriated painting is described as a contemporaneous copy of a Peter Paul Rubens piece that showed the beheading of John the Baptist. The Rubens original is believed to be forever gone, and the valuable copy in question hung the Frederick's gallery at Sanssouci palace in Potsdam.
In 1943, the painting was removed from Fred's Sanssouci museum and taken to the Palace of Rheinsburg, where it was stolen two years later.
Then in fall of 2010 when someone apparently tried to sell it through a Los Angeles auction house.
According to customs officials, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles heard about the sale, and a quick search of a database showed the German government had reported that the painting missing.
The investigation that followed traced the painting back to a Los Angeles-based family, who claimed the work wasn't the missing Ruben and that there were other copies across the world.
Customs agents pressed on, and during the probe, Dr. Samuel Wittwer, of the Potsdam Sanssouci Museum in Germany, traveled with a HSI special agent to the auction gallery and determined that the painting was, in fact, the one stolen from the German museum, according to customs officials.
According to officials, when agents went back to the family to discuss their findings. family members told the special agents that the painting was taken by a Russian general during World War II, according to the HSI account. The general then gave the painting to the daughter of a Soviet official, who later sold the painting to the family. The family brought the painting to the United States when they moved here in the late 1970s.
"As supporters of the arts, the family was happy to return the painting to its rightful owners," the HSI release on the matter states.
Earlier this month, HSI Frankfurt Attaché Michael Shea and U.S. Ambassador to Germany Philip D. Murphy took part in a repatriation ceremony with the director of the Potsdam Sanssouci Museum.
Photo: Pond sunrise (reprint)
I got this shot on another one of those early morning assignments. It was a half mile hike out because the road was closed for a really bad head-on collision, and then another half mile walk back. The day started off hot and later reached a scorching 100 degrees. I had a good sweat going before most people were awake. (7.22.12)
(Note: Originally posted 7.22.12)
Moche artifacts headed back to Peru (reprint)
(Note: Originally posted 7.15.12)
This bronze tumi knife was used in Pre-Inca sacrificial ceremonies in what is now Peru before it was swiped and brought to the U.S. Last week, the tumi and other loot, some of which was listed on eBay, was returned to Peruvian authorities. Photo courtesy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A few months ago, we wrote about a gold bell shaped like a monkey head that was on its way back to Peru after being looted. Last week, U.S. customs officials announced the monkey head, which was made by the Moche culture some 1,500 years ago, now has some company.
Another looted hoard being repatriated to Peru includes a bronze tumi sacrificial knife, a woven belt, a Moche whistling bowl as well as other pottery and some more recent (1700s ) paintings. A Thursday ceremony at the Peruvian embassy in Washington, D.C., marked the occasion.
"The plundering of cultural property is one of the oldest forms of organized cross-border crime and has become a world-wide phenomenon that transcends frontiers," Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton said in a prepared statement.
The looted artifacts were recovered in the course of five separate investigations by special agents of ICE Homeland Security Investigations in New York; W.V.; Wilmington, Del.; and Austin and Houston, Texas, officials said.
Federal agents determined the items were removed from Peru and brought to the United States in violation of laws in both countries, including statues that restrict the importation of pre-Columbian artifacts and colonial-era religious objects into the United States without proper export documents.
Where did the feds find the stuff? Authorities said some was listed by prestigious auction houses. And some, it appears, was for sale on eBay.
According to the an ICE statement on the case, "two of the Cusco (Cusco is a region in Peru) oil paintings – Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and Virgin and Child – were sold at an auction house in Austin. Seven other Peruvian antique paintings were being sold from a Houston gallery. The pre-Columbian Chimu-Inca whistling pot and Andean textile were being sold on eBay. In an undercover Internet operation, HSI special agents in West Virginia targeted sellers of illicit pre-Columbian artifacts operating from this Internet site. The monstrance was listed for sale at Christie's auction house in New York and HSI special agents discovered it was consigned by an art collector associated with museums in Puerto Rico and Denver."
The monstrance --- a Eucharist receptacle --- was stolen from St. Stephen the Martyr, a small Catholic church in Yaurisque, located in the Cusco region. The Moche ceramic jar and the tumi knife were consigned by an estate trust in order to be sold at an auction house in Madison, N.J.
The collection of items returned includes:
Nine 18th century religious paintings from the Cusco region;
A pre-Columbian Chimu-Inca double-chambered blackware vessel that whistles when it contains liquid;
An ancient Andean textile that may have been used as a woman's belt;
A Spanish colonial silver gilt and enamel monstrance from the 1700s. This type of receptacle was and is still used in Roman Catholic and Anglican churches;
A ceramic jar from the Moche culture that portrays farmers and fishermen who lived on the river valleys and the arid coastal plain of northern Peru during 100 to 800 A.D.; and
A Peruvian bronze ceremonial blade, or tumi, used by the Inca and pre-Inca cultures in the Peruvian coastal region as a sacrificial ceremonial knife.
(7.15.12)
This bronze tumi knife was used in Pre-Inca sacrificial ceremonies in what is now Peru before it was swiped and brought to the U.S. Last week, the tumi and other loot, some of which was listed on eBay, was returned to Peruvian authorities. Photo courtesy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A few months ago, we wrote about a gold bell shaped like a monkey head that was on its way back to Peru after being looted. Last week, U.S. customs officials announced the monkey head, which was made by the Moche culture some 1,500 years ago, now has some company.
Another looted hoard being repatriated to Peru includes a bronze tumi sacrificial knife, a woven belt, a Moche whistling bowl as well as other pottery and some more recent (1700s ) paintings. A Thursday ceremony at the Peruvian embassy in Washington, D.C., marked the occasion.
"The plundering of cultural property is one of the oldest forms of organized cross-border crime and has become a world-wide phenomenon that transcends frontiers," Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton said in a prepared statement.
The looted artifacts were recovered in the course of five separate investigations by special agents of ICE Homeland Security Investigations in New York; W.V.; Wilmington, Del.; and Austin and Houston, Texas, officials said.
Federal agents determined the items were removed from Peru and brought to the United States in violation of laws in both countries, including statues that restrict the importation of pre-Columbian artifacts and colonial-era religious objects into the United States without proper export documents.
Where did the feds find the stuff? Authorities said some was listed by prestigious auction houses. And some, it appears, was for sale on eBay.
According to the an ICE statement on the case, "two of the Cusco (Cusco is a region in Peru) oil paintings – Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and Virgin and Child – were sold at an auction house in Austin. Seven other Peruvian antique paintings were being sold from a Houston gallery. The pre-Columbian Chimu-Inca whistling pot and Andean textile were being sold on eBay. In an undercover Internet operation, HSI special agents in West Virginia targeted sellers of illicit pre-Columbian artifacts operating from this Internet site. The monstrance was listed for sale at Christie's auction house in New York and HSI special agents discovered it was consigned by an art collector associated with museums in Puerto Rico and Denver."
The monstrance --- a Eucharist receptacle --- was stolen from St. Stephen the Martyr, a small Catholic church in Yaurisque, located in the Cusco region. The Moche ceramic jar and the tumi knife were consigned by an estate trust in order to be sold at an auction house in Madison, N.J.
The collection of items returned includes:
Nine 18th century religious paintings from the Cusco region;
A pre-Columbian Chimu-Inca double-chambered blackware vessel that whistles when it contains liquid;
An ancient Andean textile that may have been used as a woman's belt;
A Spanish colonial silver gilt and enamel monstrance from the 1700s. This type of receptacle was and is still used in Roman Catholic and Anglican churches;
A ceramic jar from the Moche culture that portrays farmers and fishermen who lived on the river valleys and the arid coastal plain of northern Peru during 100 to 800 A.D.; and
A Peruvian bronze ceremonial blade, or tumi, used by the Inca and pre-Inca cultures in the Peruvian coastal region as a sacrificial ceremonial knife.
(7.15.12)
Life raft (reprint)
(NOTE: Originally posted 7.4.12)
The rubber raft swayed with a wobbly ripple as it took on new passengers. Its cardboard box guaranteed it would hold four people --- four men, to be exact --- and we planned to hold the manufacturer to the promise on its maiden voyage.
No test run. Just pile everybody in.
My 9-year-old son took the bow, followed by my wife and 5-year-old daughter. I sat in the stern, and it wasn't too long before my daughter decided to relocate to my lap.
With the raft's gunwale significantly above the waterline, we set out.
I remembered piloting a similar craft alone on a Minnesota lake while vacationing with my parents in my teen years. I recalled maneuvering around with some directness --- heading out, turning around, spinning clockwise and widdershins all with a few strokes of the oars.
But now, with four people aboard, movement took more effort. We must have been quite a sight for those fishing from the nearby jetty as the raft floundered around and drifted from the launch pier toward the shore. The kayaking family who put in after us was long gone by now.
Our paddles weren't very helpful. They were three-piece, screw together contraptions --- a blade and two shaft sections, all plastic. First, the shafts kept unscrewing as we rowed, then they started bending at the joints. Circling haplessly near land, we decided to remove one section from each paddle, leaving just the blade and a stubby shaft. Although this gave us less leverage, the short shaft made it easier to row with the preschooler in my lap. The spare sections made adequate pushing sticks.
The bendy oar problem resolved, we began to make some distance and passed through a strait into an adjacent lake. The 9 year old took the paddles for a bit but then relinquished them after realizing it was work. The craft dodged a few partially submerged trees, and we pulled up to a sandbar to explore. (7.4.12)
Roadkill report: Nene in Hawai'i Volcanoes (reprint)
(Note: Originally posted June 29, 2012)
Here's our latest installment of the roadkill report, courtesy of the National Park Service:
Mother Nēnē Struck and Killed by Vehicle
Date: June 22, 2012
Hawaii National Park, Hawai'i - Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park urges motorists to slow down and watch out for the endemic and federally endangered nēnē while driving on park roadways.
On Tuesday evening, a female Hawaiian goose (Branta sandvicensis) died after being struck by a vehicle on Chain of Craters Road near Pauahi Crater. Her mate of 13 years escaped harm, but remains in the area. The female, known as Green DU, was a consistent breeder, and successfully raised 24 goslings. She was hatched in captivity in the park in December 1991 and was released in March 1992. Green DU was what wildlife biologists call a rare "double-clutch" breeder, who once reared two goslings to fledglings, then re-nested and raised an additional four goslings in a single breeding season.
"It is a shame that a nēnē with such a long and productive life had to die so tragically," said Dr. Rhonda Loh, the park's chief of resource management.
Nēnē is the Hawai'i state bird. About 200 nēnē thrive within Hawai'i Volcanoes, and there are an estimated 2,000 birds statewide. It's not unusual to encounter nēnē in the park during their nesting season, which runs from October through March, and they are frequently spotted along roadsides throughout the year. But geese can be anywhere, from sea level to the slopes of Mauna Loa.
Nēnē Crossing signs are posted along park roadsides in places nēnē frequent most, and information on the Hawai'i's largest native land animal can be found in the park's visitor centers. Nēnē are quite active in the late evening and early morning, and their grayish coloring makes them difficult to see during those hours.
Park officials also caution visitors not to feed the geese because birds seeking handouts fall prey to oncoming vehicles. The equation is simple, sad, and all too often true: a fed nēnē equals a dead nēnē.
Here's our latest installment of the roadkill report, courtesy of the National Park Service:
Mother Nēnē Struck and Killed by Vehicle
Date: June 22, 2012
Hawaii National Park, Hawai'i - Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park urges motorists to slow down and watch out for the endemic and federally endangered nēnē while driving on park roadways.
On Tuesday evening, a female Hawaiian goose (Branta sandvicensis) died after being struck by a vehicle on Chain of Craters Road near Pauahi Crater. Her mate of 13 years escaped harm, but remains in the area. The female, known as Green DU, was a consistent breeder, and successfully raised 24 goslings. She was hatched in captivity in the park in December 1991 and was released in March 1992. Green DU was what wildlife biologists call a rare "double-clutch" breeder, who once reared two goslings to fledglings, then re-nested and raised an additional four goslings in a single breeding season.
"It is a shame that a nēnē with such a long and productive life had to die so tragically," said Dr. Rhonda Loh, the park's chief of resource management.
Nēnē is the Hawai'i state bird. About 200 nēnē thrive within Hawai'i Volcanoes, and there are an estimated 2,000 birds statewide. It's not unusual to encounter nēnē in the park during their nesting season, which runs from October through March, and they are frequently spotted along roadsides throughout the year. But geese can be anywhere, from sea level to the slopes of Mauna Loa.
Nēnē Crossing signs are posted along park roadsides in places nēnē frequent most, and information on the Hawai'i's largest native land animal can be found in the park's visitor centers. Nēnē are quite active in the late evening and early morning, and their grayish coloring makes them difficult to see during those hours.
Park officials also caution visitors not to feed the geese because birds seeking handouts fall prey to oncoming vehicles. The equation is simple, sad, and all too often true: a fed nēnē equals a dead nēnē.
Roadkill report: Bear at Grand Teton (reprint)
(NOTES: Originally published June 27, 2012)
We find the National Park Service roadkill reports interesting, so there will be a few of these drifting in on Assorted Skullduggery over the next week. As you will see, park officials take this stuff seriously. Our first installment is about a bear that was hit Thursday. Below is the NPS release:
Investigation Reveals Details about Collision between a Vehicle and Grizzly Bear
Date: June 22, 2012
An ongoing investigation by Grand Teton National Park rangers, with assistance from Wyoming Highway Patrol, has clarified the circumstances around a vehicle accident that resulted in the death of a young male grizzly bear on June 21. The driver of the vehicle, a 29-year-old Pennsylvania man, sustained minor injuries and his sedan incurred significant damage.
The preliminary investigation has determined that a southbound vehicle slightly swerved to avoid a young grizzly bear that was trying to cross the highway. That unexpected maneuver caused the northbound vehicle to also swerve, over correct, and veer off into the sagebrush on the west side of Highway 26/89/191. At some point while the vehicle careened through the sage, it collided with the bear-the animal was not struck on the road surface. The vehicle came to rest about 80 feet off the road. Findings from the accident scene reconstruction suggest that neither vehicle was speeding at the time of the incident. The daytime speed limit on this highway is 55 mph.
The young bear was still breathing when park rangers arrived at the scene, but it died shortly after. Grand Teton National Park biologists removed the carcass and took hair and tissue samples as well as a tooth, which determines the age of the bear. Biologists will submit a hair sample for DNA testing to determine whether this bear is related to identifiable grizzlies within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE).
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team conducts research on grizzly bears throughout the 22-million-acre GYE as part of a long-term effort to monitor the population. The hair sample will be matched with available data collected by this interdisciplinary group of scientists and biologists. The team has obtained data on grizzlies through biological samples and radio-collar tracking since 1973. The team is composed of representatives from the U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the States of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
This is the first bear fatality caused by a vehicle on park roads this year. However each year in Grand Teton, an average of one or more bears (grizzly and/or black bears) are involved in vehicle collisions that result in the injury or death of the animal.
In the past six years, vehicle-related deaths of bears include: 2006, one black bear; 2007, two black bears and one grizzly bear cub; 2009, one black bear; and 2010, one grizzly bear, one black bear cub, and one black bear cub and two other bears (unverified species) that were injured but left the scene; 2011, two black bears, according to the National Park Service.
These encounters between vehicles and bears --- among other wildlife accidents --- serve as a reminder that animals actively cross and use park roads. Motorists are reminded to drive the posted speed limit and be prepared to stop suddenly for wildlife, or those viewing wildlife, along or on park roadways. Driving slower than indicated speed limits-especially at night-can increase the margin of safety for people and animals. Collisions between motor vehicles and wildlife may result in severe damage to a vehicle, serious or fatal injuries to the occupants of that vehicle, and/or death for the animal involved.
In addition to bears, other wildlife such as wolves, elk, moose, bison, deer, pronghorn antelope, as well as smaller creatures such as beavers, marmots, and porcupines may also be encountered on or near park roads. (6.27.12)
Photo: Rain on the bridge (reprint)
We spent the morning looking for things to do around our old stomping grounds but ended up driving around in the rain. Too cold to try out the splash park, too rainy to take the kids for a walk on the banks of the Mississippi River. Our favorite coffee place didn't open until noon. During the drive, I held the camera out the window as we crossed the Centennial Bridge at got this shot. (6.26.12)
(Note: Originally posted June 26, 2012)
Feds seize looted dino (reprint)
(NOTES: Originally posted June 25, 2012. Re-posted here for archival purposes)
(Left) Allegedly looted dino skeleton is headed back to Mongolia after posing as a British tourist. Photo courtesy of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The feds seized a looted dinosaur skeleton. It seems the alleged smugglers tried passing it off as a British dino when it was really a Mongolian dino. Also, they left out a bunch of zeros when claiming it's value on customs records. It went to auction and sold for more than $1 million while the investigation was ongoing.
Below is ICE's release on the matter:
HSI takes custody of Tyrannosaurus dinosaur skeleton looted from MongoliaJune 22, 2012
NEW YORK — The nearly complete skeleton of a dinosaur was forfeited today to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations special agents.
The skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Bataar dinosaur (the Tyrannosaurus Bataar Skeleton) was looted from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. This forfeiture is the first step to the hopeful repatriation of the fossil to Mongolia.
"I thank and applaud the United States Attorney's Office in this action to recover the Tyrannosaurus Bataar, an important piece of the cultural heritage of the Mongolian people," said Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, president of Mongolia. "Cultural looting and profiteering cannot be tolerated anywhere, and this cooperation between our governments is a large step forward to stopping it."
Criminal smugglers misrepresented this fossil to customs officials when they illegally imported it into the United States, said ICE Director John Morton.
According to court documents, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar, a native of what is now Mongolia, was a dinosaur from the late Cretaceous period, approximately 70 million years ago. It was first discovered in 1946 during a joint Soviet-Mongolian expedition to the Gobi Desert in the Mongolian Ömnögovi Province. Since 1924, Mongolia has enacted laws declaring dinosaur fossils to be the property of the Government of Mongolia and criminalizing their export from the country.
On March 27, 2010, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was imported into the United States from Great Britain. The customs importation documents contained several misstatements. First, the country of origin of the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was erroneously listed as Great Britain. However, according to several paleontologists, Tyrannosaurus Bataars have only been recovered in Mongolia. In addition, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was substantially undervalued on the importation documents. Customs importation forms listed its value as $15,000, in contrast to the $950,000 to $1.5 million price listed in a 2012 auction catalog.
Finally, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was incorrectly described on the customs importation documents as two, large, rough fossil reptile heads; six boxes of broken fossil bones; three rough fossil reptiles; one fossil lizard; three rough fossil reptiles and one fossil reptile skull.
Texas-based Heritage Auctions Inc., offered the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton for sale at an auction conducted in New York. Prior to the sale, the Government of Mongolia sought — and was granted by a Texas Civil District Judge — a temporary restraining order prohibiting the auctioning, sale, release or transfer of the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton. Notwithstanding the state court order, Heritage Auctions completed the auction and the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton sold for $1.052 million. The sale, however, is contingent upon the outcome of any court proceedings instituted on behalf of the Mongolian Government.
On June 5, at the request of the President of Mongolia, several paleontologists specializing in Tyrannosaurus Bataars examined the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton and concluded it is a Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton that was unearthed from the Western Gobi Desert in Mongolia between 1995 and 2005. (6.25.12)
(Left) Allegedly looted dino skeleton is headed back to Mongolia after posing as a British tourist. Photo courtesy of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The feds seized a looted dinosaur skeleton. It seems the alleged smugglers tried passing it off as a British dino when it was really a Mongolian dino. Also, they left out a bunch of zeros when claiming it's value on customs records. It went to auction and sold for more than $1 million while the investigation was ongoing.
Below is ICE's release on the matter:
HSI takes custody of Tyrannosaurus dinosaur skeleton looted from MongoliaJune 22, 2012
NEW YORK — The nearly complete skeleton of a dinosaur was forfeited today to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations special agents.
The skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Bataar dinosaur (the Tyrannosaurus Bataar Skeleton) was looted from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. This forfeiture is the first step to the hopeful repatriation of the fossil to Mongolia.
"I thank and applaud the United States Attorney's Office in this action to recover the Tyrannosaurus Bataar, an important piece of the cultural heritage of the Mongolian people," said Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, president of Mongolia. "Cultural looting and profiteering cannot be tolerated anywhere, and this cooperation between our governments is a large step forward to stopping it."
Criminal smugglers misrepresented this fossil to customs officials when they illegally imported it into the United States, said ICE Director John Morton.
According to court documents, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar, a native of what is now Mongolia, was a dinosaur from the late Cretaceous period, approximately 70 million years ago. It was first discovered in 1946 during a joint Soviet-Mongolian expedition to the Gobi Desert in the Mongolian Ömnögovi Province. Since 1924, Mongolia has enacted laws declaring dinosaur fossils to be the property of the Government of Mongolia and criminalizing their export from the country.
On March 27, 2010, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was imported into the United States from Great Britain. The customs importation documents contained several misstatements. First, the country of origin of the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was erroneously listed as Great Britain. However, according to several paleontologists, Tyrannosaurus Bataars have only been recovered in Mongolia. In addition, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was substantially undervalued on the importation documents. Customs importation forms listed its value as $15,000, in contrast to the $950,000 to $1.5 million price listed in a 2012 auction catalog.
Finally, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton was incorrectly described on the customs importation documents as two, large, rough fossil reptile heads; six boxes of broken fossil bones; three rough fossil reptiles; one fossil lizard; three rough fossil reptiles and one fossil reptile skull.
Texas-based Heritage Auctions Inc., offered the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton for sale at an auction conducted in New York. Prior to the sale, the Government of Mongolia sought — and was granted by a Texas Civil District Judge — a temporary restraining order prohibiting the auctioning, sale, release or transfer of the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton. Notwithstanding the state court order, Heritage Auctions completed the auction and the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton sold for $1.052 million. The sale, however, is contingent upon the outcome of any court proceedings instituted on behalf of the Mongolian Government.
On June 5, at the request of the President of Mongolia, several paleontologists specializing in Tyrannosaurus Bataars examined the Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton and concluded it is a Tyrannosaurus Bataar skeleton that was unearthed from the Western Gobi Desert in Mongolia between 1995 and 2005. (6.25.12)
Ranger death at Rainier (reprint)
(NOTE: Originally posted June 22, 2012. Re-posted here for archival purposes)
From the National Park Service:
Mount Rainier National Park Climbing Ranger Dies During Rescue AttemptDate: June 21, 2012
A climbing ranger at Mount Rainier National Park has died during a rescue attempt on the Emmons Glacier Thursday afternoon. Ranger Nick Hall, 34, fell from the 13,700 foot level to about 10,000 feet on the mountain's northeast side as he was helping to prepare other climbers for extrication by helicopter.
At approximately 1:45 p.m. Thursday, June 21, 2012, a party of four climbers from Waco, Texas, fell at the 13,700 foot level of the Emmons Glacier as they were returning from a successful summit attempt on Mount Rainier. Two members of the party slid into a crevasse. A third member of the group was able to call for help using a cell phone, according to the National Park Service.
During the subsequent rescue, at 4:59 p.m., as the first of the climbers was being evacuated by helicopter, Mount Rainier climbing ranger Nick Hall fell, sliding more than 3,000 feet down the side of the mountain. He did not respond to attempts to contact him and was not moving. High winds and a rapidly lowering cloud ceiling made rescue efforts extremely difficult, but with the help of Chinook helicopters from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, three members of the original climbing party were lifted off the mountain by about 9:00 p.m. and taken to Madigan Hospital.
Nick Hall was a four-year veteran of Mount Rainier National Park's climbing program and a native of Patten, Maine. He was unmarried and has no children. The names of the original four climbers will be released once all four families have been notified. Rescue and recovery efforts will resume in Friday morning. Sunrise, which had been scheduled to open for the season tomorrow morning, will remain closed while the incident is underway. We hope to reopen later in the day. (6.22.12)
From the National Park Service:
Mount Rainier National Park Climbing Ranger Dies During Rescue AttemptDate: June 21, 2012
A climbing ranger at Mount Rainier National Park has died during a rescue attempt on the Emmons Glacier Thursday afternoon. Ranger Nick Hall, 34, fell from the 13,700 foot level to about 10,000 feet on the mountain's northeast side as he was helping to prepare other climbers for extrication by helicopter.
At approximately 1:45 p.m. Thursday, June 21, 2012, a party of four climbers from Waco, Texas, fell at the 13,700 foot level of the Emmons Glacier as they were returning from a successful summit attempt on Mount Rainier. Two members of the party slid into a crevasse. A third member of the group was able to call for help using a cell phone, according to the National Park Service.
During the subsequent rescue, at 4:59 p.m., as the first of the climbers was being evacuated by helicopter, Mount Rainier climbing ranger Nick Hall fell, sliding more than 3,000 feet down the side of the mountain. He did not respond to attempts to contact him and was not moving. High winds and a rapidly lowering cloud ceiling made rescue efforts extremely difficult, but with the help of Chinook helicopters from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, three members of the original climbing party were lifted off the mountain by about 9:00 p.m. and taken to Madigan Hospital.
Nick Hall was a four-year veteran of Mount Rainier National Park's climbing program and a native of Patten, Maine. He was unmarried and has no children. The names of the original four climbers will be released once all four families have been notified. Rescue and recovery efforts will resume in Friday morning. Sunrise, which had been scheduled to open for the season tomorrow morning, will remain closed while the incident is underway. We hope to reopen later in the day. (6.22.12)
More loot returned to Italy
(NOTE: Originally posted June 21, 2012. Re-posted here for archival purposes.)
It remains to be seen if the Greek god of wine will be pleased with his return to Italy, given his history with Italian pirates. One of the myths surrounding Dionysos tells of a voyage he took on the Aegean islands when he was set upon by pirates from the Tyrrenhia region of Italy. They captured him with the intent of selling him into slavery, but the deity conjured up vines and creatures that he unleashed on the boat. When the pirates dived into the sea to escape the chaos, Dionysos turned them into dolphins.
Below are excerpts from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement release about the jug's pending repatriation:
Agreement paves way for artifact's return to Italy
June 18, 2012
CLEVELAND – A rare Etruscan black-figure kalpis which has been traced back to 510 B.C. will be returned to the Italian government following an agreement between the United States and the Toledo Museum of Art. The arrangement comes after an extensive investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.
The kalpis, a ceramic vessel used in ancient times for holding water, depicts a mythological scene of pirates being transformed into dolphins by Dionysos. It was smuggled out of Italy after an illegal excavation prior to 1981. It was then sold in 1982 to the Toledo Museum of Art by art dealers Gianfranco and Ursula Becchina, who had earlier purchased it from convicted art smuggler Giacomo Medici. The Becchinas misrepresented the true provenance of the vase to the museum by providing falsified documentation.
Following a January 2010 lead from HSI's Rome attache, Cleveland-based HSI special agents launched an investigation into the true provenance of the artifact. Working closely with law enforcement officials in Italy, HSI special agents were able to definitively establish that the documentation provided to the Toledo Museum of Art was falsified and part of a larger scheme by the Becchinas to sell illegitimately obtained cultural property. Gianfranco Becchina was convicted in February 2011 of illicitly dealing in antiquities by a court in Rome. That conviction was appealed by Becchina and remains in the Italian court system.
According to court documents, the kalpis has been valued at more than $665,000.
"This agreement establishes the true provenance of the kalpis and reconnects this valuable artifact to its rightful cultural origin and history," said Brian Moskowitz, special agent in charge of HSI Michigan and Ohio. "We applaud the integrity of the Toledo Museum of Art for their willingness to ensure that this piece is repatriated to its home country."
The kalpis will be formally repatriated in an official ceremony later this year with the Toledo Museum of Art, HSI, federal prosecutors and representatives from the Italian government.
Since 2007, HSI has repatriated more than 2,500 items to more than 23 countries. (6.21.12)
It remains to be seen if the Greek god of wine will be pleased with his return to Italy, given his history with Italian pirates. One of the myths surrounding Dionysos tells of a voyage he took on the Aegean islands when he was set upon by pirates from the Tyrrenhia region of Italy. They captured him with the intent of selling him into slavery, but the deity conjured up vines and creatures that he unleashed on the boat. When the pirates dived into the sea to escape the chaos, Dionysos turned them into dolphins.
I bring this up because Italy is in line to get back an ancient jug that was looted and smuggled to Ohio. And by whatever coincidence, the smuggled jug depicts the pirate/dolphin scene. Art dealer Gianfranco Becchina had sold the piece to Toledo Museum of Art using bogus paperwork in the 1980s, and he was later convicted in Italy (we last wrote about Gianfranco Becchina here ).
Agreement paves way for artifact's return to Italy
June 18, 2012
CLEVELAND – A rare Etruscan black-figure kalpis which has been traced back to 510 B.C. will be returned to the Italian government following an agreement between the United States and the Toledo Museum of Art. The arrangement comes after an extensive investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.
The kalpis, a ceramic vessel used in ancient times for holding water, depicts a mythological scene of pirates being transformed into dolphins by Dionysos. It was smuggled out of Italy after an illegal excavation prior to 1981. It was then sold in 1982 to the Toledo Museum of Art by art dealers Gianfranco and Ursula Becchina, who had earlier purchased it from convicted art smuggler Giacomo Medici. The Becchinas misrepresented the true provenance of the vase to the museum by providing falsified documentation.
Following a January 2010 lead from HSI's Rome attache, Cleveland-based HSI special agents launched an investigation into the true provenance of the artifact. Working closely with law enforcement officials in Italy, HSI special agents were able to definitively establish that the documentation provided to the Toledo Museum of Art was falsified and part of a larger scheme by the Becchinas to sell illegitimately obtained cultural property. Gianfranco Becchina was convicted in February 2011 of illicitly dealing in antiquities by a court in Rome. That conviction was appealed by Becchina and remains in the Italian court system.
According to court documents, the kalpis has been valued at more than $665,000.
"This agreement establishes the true provenance of the kalpis and reconnects this valuable artifact to its rightful cultural origin and history," said Brian Moskowitz, special agent in charge of HSI Michigan and Ohio. "We applaud the integrity of the Toledo Museum of Art for their willingness to ensure that this piece is repatriated to its home country."
The kalpis will be formally repatriated in an official ceremony later this year with the Toledo Museum of Art, HSI, federal prosecutors and representatives from the Italian government.
Since 2007, HSI has repatriated more than 2,500 items to more than 23 countries. (6.21.12)
Avalanche on Mt. McKinley (reprint)
(NOTES: Originally posted June 8, 2012. Re-posted here for archival purposes)
Four people are presumed dead in an avalanche on Mount McKinley. One made it out. Here's the National Park Service release on the incident:
Avalanche Recovery Efforts Suspended on Mt. McKinley
Date: June 17, 2012
TALKEETNA, Alaska: A two-day ground search of the debris path from a fatal avalanche on Mt. McKinley was suspended Sunday after clues were found confirming the likely location of four deceased climbers. Mr. Yoshiaki Kato, 64, Ms. Masako Suda, 50, Ms. Michiko Suzuki, 56, and Mr. Tamao Suzuki, 63, of the Miyagi Workers Alpine Federation expedition are presumed to have died in the avalanche, while one team member, Mr. Hitoshi Ogi, 69, survived the event with a minor hand injury, according to officials with the National Park Service.
All are from Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
The avalanche happened at approximately 11,800-feet on the West Buttress, and was originally believed to have occurred early morning June 14. However rangers have since confirmed with both Ogi and multiple teams on the mountain that the slide occurred during the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 13.
Ogi was swept into a crevasse and subsequently climbed out with minor injuries. He was unable to locate his teammates in the avalanche debris. Throughout the day, Ogi descended solo to the Kahiltna Basecamp at 7,200 feet, where he reported the accident shortly after 4:00 pm. June 14.
An aerial hasty search the park's A-Star B3 helicopter took place on June 14 followed by an initial four-member NPS ground search the following day. On Saturday, June 16, an expanded 10-person ground crew consisting of rangers, volunteer patrol members, a dog handler, and a trained search and rescue dog probed and further investigated the debris zone. During the search, mountaineering ranger Tucker Chenoweth descended into the same crevasse that the survivor Hitoshi Ogi had fallen into during the avalanche. While probing through the debris roughly 30 meters below the glacier surface, Chenoweth found a broken rope end that matched the MWAF team's rope. He began to dig further, but encountered heavily compacted ice and snow debris. Due to the danger of ice fall within the crevasse, it was decided to permanently suspend the recovery efforts.
There have six climbing fatalities on Mt. McKinley this season. Since 1932, a total of 120 climbers have perished on the mountain, 12 due to avalanches. This week's four avalanche fatalities were the first to occur on the popular West Buttress route. (6.18.12)
Book on caves
For Fathers Day, my kids got me a book that I've had my eye on for awhile --- Iowa Underground: A Guide to the State's Subterranean Treasures. I first encountered it a number of years ago on Google books, and then it appeared on the shelves of a local big-box bookstore.
Written by Greg Brick, a Minnesota geology professor, the tome highlights several caves on public lands, complete with history, gear recommendations and directions. It has a few of my favorite haunts, a lot of locations I knew about but have yet to explore and even a few new caverns.
In the spirit of Fathers Day, I plan to use the book to inspire my kids to go off on adventures.
Published by Trail Books, 223 pages. (6.17.12)
Fungus found at Maquoketa (reprint)
(NOTE: Originally published June 12, 2012. Reprinted here for archival purposes.)
MAQUOKETA, Iowa – Wildlife officials have detected the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome for the first time in a cave at Maquoketa Caves State Park.
The caves recently reopened this spring after being closed for years because of concerns over the syndrome, which can be fatal in bats.
But the recent discovery apparently isn't linked to the reopening.
Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said efforts to prevent the spread of a fungus will be stepped up after a low level was detected on a hibernating big brown bat.
The detection of the fungus came from a swab taken during sampling on the hibernating bats in March, DNR officials said. This was about one month before the caves were reopened in April.
The testing is used to detect DNA that would indicate the presence of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, which has been deadly for bats particularly in the northeastern portions of the United States and Canada. The testing was done as part of a national study being conducted in an effort to stop the spread of the disease.
A total of 15 bats were swabbed at Dancehall Cave, which is one of the largest caves in the park and features a paved walkway, with the very low level of the fungus detected on only one bat.
“The level is so low it’s difficult to say what this detection means,” Daryl Howell with DNR was quoted in a news release. “It may be at a level low enough that it may not infect the bats at all or it could be just the beginning of an outbreak that we will see in the future.”
But Howell said even the small detection of the fungus changes the dynamics at Maquoketa Caves State Park.
“We now go from trying to prevent the fungus from getting into the cave to trying to prevent it from getting out,” Howell said.
To that end, the DNR will add mats with disinfection solution that people will walk across after leaving the caves to decrease the potential of spreading the fungus to other caves and bat populations. People who have recently visited other caves will also walk across the disinfection mats prior to going into Maquoketa Caves.
The DNR also will have staff available at the caves to provide information to visitors on how to prevent the spread of the fungus. After participating in the educational program, cave visitors are provided a wristband. So far this year, more than 10,000 wristbands have been given out.
“Education is probably the most effective tool we have to prevent the spread of the disease,” said Kevin Szcodronski, chief of the state parks bureau.
The park’s caves were closed for two years because of concerns about white-nose syndrome and the approximately 400 bats that hibernate there in the winter. The caves were reopened this spring because the DNR was able to have staff available to educate the public about precautions needed to prevent spreading of the disease.
Szcodronski said one of the primary messages to visitors at Maquoketa Caves is to not visit other caves with any clothing or gear that was used there. (6.14.12)
Oz, Munchkin Land discovered
I went to Carlsbad Caverns as a teenager and was totally blown away by the size of the caves. The place even has elevators. Explorers are still finding new branches in the complex, and below is the National Park Service release about a recent discovery:
Large Room and Deepest Pit Found in Lechuguilla Cave Date: June 2, 2012
In early May, a team of cave explorers, led by Derek Bristol of Colorado, climbed over 410 feet into a high dome in Lechuguilla Cave, which is a system that is part of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico.
Upon reaching the top, lead climber James Hunter discovered a maze of previously unknown passages, pits and large rooms, which they called collectively, Oz. One large room measured 600 feet long, 100- 150 feet wide, and 75-150 feet tall was called Munchkin Land. Lechuguilla Cave is known worldwide for its large rooms, unusual minerals, massive and fragile cave formations and importance in scientific study.
Since mapping began in 1986, explorers have surveyed over 134.6 miles of cave passages in Lechuguilla Cave. Because of its delicate environment and scientific importance, only about 100 people, usually vetted explorers and scientists, are permitted to enter the cave every year. Ten cavers from Colorado, South Dakota, New Mexico, California and Arizona participated in the eight-day underground expedition that made these discoveries, the greatest amount of distance added to the survey in one day since 1989, according to the National Park Service.
Using laser distance meters, Bristol's team measured the distance from floor to the final rope anchor of the dome they climbed as 510 feet, making it the deepest pit known in the park. Stan Allison, Carlsbad Caverns National Park cave technician, explained, "to understand the sheer size of this space, imagine that a 51-story tower could fit inside."
Called the Kansas Twister, the dome was discovered in 2007 as having the potential for further exploration, but a team in 2010 failed to climb beyond 80 feet because the rock walls were too unstable.
For comparison, the Kansas Twister is about half the height of the Chrysler Building in New York City or the John Hancock Building in Chicago. Or for those who have visited the Big Room in Carlsbad Cavern, the Kansas Twister is about twice the height of the Spirit Room Dome, 255 feet high.
Most of this newly found section of Lechuguilla Cave is in a layer of rock called the Yates Formation, which is made up of deep red, orange, and yellow colored rock but has fewer stalactites and stalagmites. Other exploration teams will continue mapping this year, but the next trip to "Oz" will be in 2013.
Geologists or microbiologists may seek permits to study or sample in the uniquely pristine environment.
Large Room and Deepest Pit Found in Lechuguilla Cave Date: June 2, 2012
In early May, a team of cave explorers, led by Derek Bristol of Colorado, climbed over 410 feet into a high dome in Lechuguilla Cave, which is a system that is part of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico.
Upon reaching the top, lead climber James Hunter discovered a maze of previously unknown passages, pits and large rooms, which they called collectively, Oz. One large room measured 600 feet long, 100- 150 feet wide, and 75-150 feet tall was called Munchkin Land. Lechuguilla Cave is known worldwide for its large rooms, unusual minerals, massive and fragile cave formations and importance in scientific study.
Since mapping began in 1986, explorers have surveyed over 134.6 miles of cave passages in Lechuguilla Cave. Because of its delicate environment and scientific importance, only about 100 people, usually vetted explorers and scientists, are permitted to enter the cave every year. Ten cavers from Colorado, South Dakota, New Mexico, California and Arizona participated in the eight-day underground expedition that made these discoveries, the greatest amount of distance added to the survey in one day since 1989, according to the National Park Service.
Using laser distance meters, Bristol's team measured the distance from floor to the final rope anchor of the dome they climbed as 510 feet, making it the deepest pit known in the park. Stan Allison, Carlsbad Caverns National Park cave technician, explained, "to understand the sheer size of this space, imagine that a 51-story tower could fit inside."
Called the Kansas Twister, the dome was discovered in 2007 as having the potential for further exploration, but a team in 2010 failed to climb beyond 80 feet because the rock walls were too unstable.
For comparison, the Kansas Twister is about half the height of the Chrysler Building in New York City or the John Hancock Building in Chicago. Or for those who have visited the Big Room in Carlsbad Cavern, the Kansas Twister is about twice the height of the Spirit Room Dome, 255 feet high.
Most of this newly found section of Lechuguilla Cave is in a layer of rock called the Yates Formation, which is made up of deep red, orange, and yellow colored rock but has fewer stalactites and stalagmites. Other exploration teams will continue mapping this year, but the next trip to "Oz" will be in 2013.
Geologists or microbiologists may seek permits to study or sample in the uniquely pristine environment.
While recreational tours of Lechuguilla Cave are not allowed, a variety of cave tours, for a range of abilities, and educational programs are available to the public. For more information, visit the park's website at: www.nps.gov/cave. (6.12.12)
Bear problems in the land of Dinosaurs
At Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado, authorities had to take action against a troublesome bear after repeated trips into campgrounds to snatch people food. The bear had touched sleeping campers in the past and began helping itself to meals while campers yelled to scare it off.
Below are the details from the National Park Service:
Aggressive black bear killed after numerous incidents in Dinosaur’s Gates of Lodore campground Date: June 4, 2012
Dinosaur, Colo. - An aggressive black bear that was conditioned to human foods and habituated to people was shot and killed by Dinosaur National Monument staff in the park's Gates of Lodore campground on Sunday, May 27, according to National Park Service officials.
The male bear, which showed up in the campground late last summer, had demonstrated no fear of people and posed a threat to the safety of park visitors. It took food from campsites and the Green River boat launch area even as park visitors tried to scare it away. It even approached and touched campers sleeping on the sandbar near the river. The Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife made several unsuccessful attempts to trap the bear for relocation last summer and fall.
A few weeks ago, the same bear - identifiable by distinctive color markings - returned to the campground and tried to break into the ranger residence. Colorado Wildlife staff again set up a trap near the campground, and the decision was made that if the bear continued to threaten public safety, it would be destroyed. Late in the afternoon on May 27, the bear entered two campsites and stole food as campers yelled at it and tried to scare it away. After a park ranger observed the bear showing no fear of people and remaining in the area, he shot and killed the bear.
Park visitors are reminded to store food, garbage, camp coolers, and other items that can attract bears in hard-sided vehicles or bear-proof storage boxes. This helps keep bears from becoming conditioned to human foods and helps keep park visitors and their property safe.
Although visitors to Dinosaur National Monument may not think of the park as "bear country," frequent sightings confirm black bears do live in the monument. Hikers are encouraged to be alert for their presence and report bear sightings as soon as possible at a visitor center or ranger station. (6.8.12)
Below are the details from the National Park Service:
Aggressive black bear killed after numerous incidents in Dinosaur’s Gates of Lodore campground Date: June 4, 2012
Dinosaur, Colo. - An aggressive black bear that was conditioned to human foods and habituated to people was shot and killed by Dinosaur National Monument staff in the park's Gates of Lodore campground on Sunday, May 27, according to National Park Service officials.
The male bear, which showed up in the campground late last summer, had demonstrated no fear of people and posed a threat to the safety of park visitors. It took food from campsites and the Green River boat launch area even as park visitors tried to scare it away. It even approached and touched campers sleeping on the sandbar near the river. The Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife made several unsuccessful attempts to trap the bear for relocation last summer and fall.
A few weeks ago, the same bear - identifiable by distinctive color markings - returned to the campground and tried to break into the ranger residence. Colorado Wildlife staff again set up a trap near the campground, and the decision was made that if the bear continued to threaten public safety, it would be destroyed. Late in the afternoon on May 27, the bear entered two campsites and stole food as campers yelled at it and tried to scare it away. After a park ranger observed the bear showing no fear of people and remaining in the area, he shot and killed the bear.
Park visitors are reminded to store food, garbage, camp coolers, and other items that can attract bears in hard-sided vehicles or bear-proof storage boxes. This helps keep bears from becoming conditioned to human foods and helps keep park visitors and their property safe.
Although visitors to Dinosaur National Monument may not think of the park as "bear country," frequent sightings confirm black bears do live in the monument. Hikers are encouraged to be alert for their presence and report bear sightings as soon as possible at a visitor center or ranger station. (6.8.12)
Photo: Carnival
Last weekend, we took a break from the wild and hit a local festival, complete with carnival rides (Ok, we actually explored an old quarry pond in the morning and then hit the festival). Above is a ferris wheel shot with the contrast bumped up courtesy of Instagram to give it a grim appearance. (6.8.12)
Backbone hike
Last weekend, we hit Backbone State Park near Strawberry Point for some light climbing, a little hiking and a quick peek in a cave before cooling off with a good creek stomp. Above are some photos from the trip.
(6.6.12)
Friday, September 7, 2012
Syria Mosaic Thefts
Have you seen this man? INTERPOL seeks help in tracking down mosaic pieces looted from tumultuous Syria.
INTERPOL is throwing it's weight behind the search for missing mosaic pieces and warning of threats to cultural artifacts as unrest continues in Syria, which is currently the fifth season of its Arab Spring uprising.
"INTERPOL calls on the particular vigilance of its 190 member countries as to the risk of illicit trafficking in cultural goods from Syria and neighbouring countries," officials with the international police agency said in a release this week (yes, they had the "U" in neighbouring).
"Roman ruins, archaeological sites, historic premises and places of worship are particularly vulnerable to destruction, damages, theft and looting during this period of turmoil," the release continued.
INTERPOL's general secretariat drew particular attention to mosaics stolen from the ruins of Afamya in the city of Hama, and said the agency will include information about stolen artworks and cultural goods in its database.
Another Denali death
Here's another National Park
Service release on a death at Denali, this time it was a skier. This is the
second death at the park in recent weeks.
Mountaineer Dies in Ski Descent of Mount McKinleyDate: May 24, 2012
TALKEETNA, Alaska: A 36-year-old Finnish mountaineer died from injuries incurred in a fall while descending Mt. McKinley the afternoon of Wednesday, May 23. Ilkka Uusitalo of Oulu, Finland was skiing down the 40- to 45-degree slope known as the 'Orient Express' with two teammates when he fell from an elevation of 17,800 feet and was unable to self-arrest. Uusitalo tumbled through snow, ice, and rocks, coming to a stop in a crevasse at 15,850 feet.
While one of his teammates continued down to the NPS ranger camp at 14,200 feet for rescue assistance, Uusitalo's other teammate rappelled into the crevasse with the help of a nearby team. They determined that Uusitalo was likely deceased.
An NPS response team arrived on scene approximately one hour later, and Ranger Tucker Chenoweth was lowered 60 feet into the crevasse by his team of 3 volunteer rangers. After confirming that Uusitalo was deceased, the NPS patrol members hauled both Chenoweth and the victim out to the glacier surface. Soon after, Uusitalo's body was evacuated via a long line operation by the park's A-Star B3 helicopter to the Kahiltna Basecamp, then on to Talkeetna.
This accident is the second fatal fall on Mt. McKinley this climbing season. Since 1972, 16 fatalities have occurred during descents of the Orient Express. (5.30.12)
Mountaineer Dies in Ski Descent of Mount McKinleyDate: May 24, 2012
TALKEETNA, Alaska: A 36-year-old Finnish mountaineer died from injuries incurred in a fall while descending Mt. McKinley the afternoon of Wednesday, May 23. Ilkka Uusitalo of Oulu, Finland was skiing down the 40- to 45-degree slope known as the 'Orient Express' with two teammates when he fell from an elevation of 17,800 feet and was unable to self-arrest. Uusitalo tumbled through snow, ice, and rocks, coming to a stop in a crevasse at 15,850 feet.
While one of his teammates continued down to the NPS ranger camp at 14,200 feet for rescue assistance, Uusitalo's other teammate rappelled into the crevasse with the help of a nearby team. They determined that Uusitalo was likely deceased.
An NPS response team arrived on scene approximately one hour later, and Ranger Tucker Chenoweth was lowered 60 feet into the crevasse by his team of 3 volunteer rangers. After confirming that Uusitalo was deceased, the NPS patrol members hauled both Chenoweth and the victim out to the glacier surface. Soon after, Uusitalo's body was evacuated via a long line operation by the park's A-Star B3 helicopter to the Kahiltna Basecamp, then on to Talkeetna.
This accident is the second fatal fall on Mt. McKinley this climbing season. Since 1972, 16 fatalities have occurred during descents of the Orient Express. (5.30.12)
Easy Caving
Last weekend, while people were busy getting trapped at Maquoketa Caves, we took an easier route to explore the underworld.
Temporarily forsaking the mud and claustrophobia of wild caves, we sought a tour of Crystal Lake Cave in Dubuque. It came complete with steps, lighted passages and a level floor. There were even mats to get us over the occasional spot of standing water.
The kids loved it. It was our 5-year-old daughter's first time in a cave, and she shined her flashlight in everybody's eyes and got to see a real bat. Our 9-year-old son took pictures of everything that dripped.
Above are some of my shots.
Temporarily forsaking the mud and claustrophobia of wild caves, we sought a tour of Crystal Lake Cave in Dubuque. It came complete with steps, lighted passages and a level floor. There were even mats to get us over the occasional spot of standing water.
The kids loved it. It was our 5-year-old daughter's first time in a cave, and she shined her flashlight in everybody's eyes and got to see a real bat. Our 9-year-old son took pictures of everything that dripped.
Above are some of my shots.
Discovered on farmland in 1868 during the lead mining craze, Crystal Lake Cave is a private show cave near the banks of the Mississippi River. If you go, be sure to catch the great views at the Mines of Spain park and the Julien Dubuque monument (also pictured above).
(5.27.12)
Death in Denali
From the
National Park Service:
Mt. McKinley Climbing Fatality Identified
Date: May 21, 2012
TALKEETNA, Alaska: The mountaineer who died in a climbing fall on Friday, May 18 on Mt. McKinley's West Buttress is identified as Steffen Machulka of Halle, Germany. Machulka, age 49, fell from 16,200-feet after ascending the 'headwall' or 'fixed lines' section of the West Buttress route. Machulka, who was not roped to his two climbing partners, fell 1,100 feet down the north face of the buttress to an elevation of 15,100 feet on the Peters Glacier. A witness to the event indicated the climber fell while attempting to recover his backpack which had started to slide downhill.
Soon after the fall was reported, Denali National Park's A-Star B3 helicopter pilot and two NPS ranger-paramedics flew to the victim and confirmed that Machulka had died of injuries sustained in the fall. Machulka's body was recovered and flown back to Talkeetna that evening.
At the time of the fall, an NPS mountaineering patrol was ascending the fixed lines shortly behind the 3-member team. The patrol quickly arrived at the fall site and immediately contacted fellow NPS rangers via radio to initiate a helicopter response. At 5:15 pm, Denali National Park's A-Star B3 helicopter launched from Talkeetna in clear, calm weather conditions. With two ranger-paramedics on board, the helicopter flew to the location of the victim. NPS rangers confirmed that the climber had died of injuries sustained in the fall. The body was recovered and flown back to Talkeetna.
There are currently 336 mountaineers attempting routes on Mt. McKinley. Four climbers have reached the summit this season. This fatal fall is the first serious incident on Mt. McKinley of the 2012 mountaineering season.
(5.25.12)
Date: May 21, 2012
TALKEETNA, Alaska: The mountaineer who died in a climbing fall on Friday, May 18 on Mt. McKinley's West Buttress is identified as Steffen Machulka of Halle, Germany. Machulka, age 49, fell from 16,200-feet after ascending the 'headwall' or 'fixed lines' section of the West Buttress route. Machulka, who was not roped to his two climbing partners, fell 1,100 feet down the north face of the buttress to an elevation of 15,100 feet on the Peters Glacier. A witness to the event indicated the climber fell while attempting to recover his backpack which had started to slide downhill.
Soon after the fall was reported, Denali National Park's A-Star B3 helicopter pilot and two NPS ranger-paramedics flew to the victim and confirmed that Machulka had died of injuries sustained in the fall. Machulka's body was recovered and flown back to Talkeetna that evening.
At the time of the fall, an NPS mountaineering patrol was ascending the fixed lines shortly behind the 3-member team. The patrol quickly arrived at the fall site and immediately contacted fellow NPS rangers via radio to initiate a helicopter response. At 5:15 pm, Denali National Park's A-Star B3 helicopter launched from Talkeetna in clear, calm weather conditions. With two ranger-paramedics on board, the helicopter flew to the location of the victim. NPS rangers confirmed that the climber had died of injuries sustained in the fall. The body was recovered and flown back to Talkeetna.
There are currently 336 mountaineers attempting routes on Mt. McKinley. Four climbers have reached the summit this season. This fatal fall is the first serious incident on Mt. McKinley of the 2012 mountaineering season.
(5.25.12)
Trapped
At the entrance to Wye Cave (circa 2001) demonstrating the first rule of cave exploration: Dress like you are going to have a vat of mud dumped on you. ((c) J.S.Reinitz)
In junior high, one of the works we read was an account of Floyd Collins' journey into Sand Cave. For those who aren't familiar with the tale, Collins was a spelunking pioneer in Kentucky and is credited with discovering holes around the Mammoth Cave area. In 1925, he followed some mist coming from the ground and apparently stumbled across a large cavern, but in the way out, his leg became pinned.
He was the subject of a large rescue effort that involved tunneling down parallel to the cave over a number of days.
In English class, we took turns reading pages aloud, stumbling over the big words while learning about cave exploration. This was where I first heard about the wedging needed to work through the narrow passages, sliding into tight holes headfirst with arms at the side, not really crawling so much as inching along propelled only by toes, mostly in complete darkness and not really knowing what's ahead. And if the tunnel is a dead end, having to back out the same way because there is no room to turn around.
It was a feeling I soon became familiar with while squeezing into caves around the Midwest.
So it was with interest and a great deal of sympathy that I read about an Illinois man who became trapped in one of the caves at the recently re-opened Maquoketa Caves State Park this weekend. He was exploring the Wye Cave, which is one of the more elaborate tunnels in the park. Sure, the park has a few lighted caves, complete with steps and paved walkways and handrails. But for a genuine get-muddy, scrape-across-rock, bump-your-head, feel-the-earth-closing-in-around-you experience, the Wye Cave is the place to go.
On our last trip there, years ago, Wye wasn't listed on the photocopied map handed out at the park. It's located away from the main valley that houses the majority of caverns, and it starts with a short climb straight down that empties into a large cavern. Poking around turns up a tunnel at the back that goes deeper into the ground. There are a few good squeezes, and a few smaller rooms before it forks. Both the left and right branches didn't seem to go too far, but by that point, I wasn't too eager to go much further.
Getting back to this weekend, rescue crews pulled the Illinois man out after about a day underground. Floyd Collins wasn't so fortunate back in 1925. Tunnelers reached him a few days to late.
Below is the Iowa Department of Natural Resources release on this weekend's rescue.
Illinois Man Freed at Maquoketa State ParkPosted: 05/19/2012
MAQUOKETA – An Illinois man was rescued from
a cave at Maquoketa Caves State Park after being stuck for more than 20
hours.
The 20-year-old man, of Port Byron, Ill., was freed from the cave at approximately 3:30 p.m. Saturday after being stuck in a narrow passage of the cave since approximately 6:45 p.m. Friday night.
A companion, a 20-year-old woman, also of Port Byron, Ill., had also been stuck, but she was freed at approximately 11:40 p.m. Friday. She was treated at the scene and released.
Rescue workers from a number of different agencies throughout northeast Iowa worked continuously to free the man, including chiseling rock to widen the passage. He was given oxygen and IV’s while in the cave to prevent dehydration.
He was taken by ambulance to Jackson County Regional Health Center.
Other park visitors discovered two people lodged in Wye Cave Friday night around 8 p.m. They became stuck while crawling through a narrow part of the cave.
The state park, four miles northwest of Maquoketa in Jackson County, features a variety of caves on its premises. Park goers are allowed to explore them, based on their ability and comfort level. Wye (pronounced Y) cave is about mid-distance between the popular Dance Hall Cave and the park campground.
The 20-year-old man, of Port Byron, Ill., was freed from the cave at approximately 3:30 p.m. Saturday after being stuck in a narrow passage of the cave since approximately 6:45 p.m. Friday night.
A companion, a 20-year-old woman, also of Port Byron, Ill., had also been stuck, but she was freed at approximately 11:40 p.m. Friday. She was treated at the scene and released.
Rescue workers from a number of different agencies throughout northeast Iowa worked continuously to free the man, including chiseling rock to widen the passage. He was given oxygen and IV’s while in the cave to prevent dehydration.
He was taken by ambulance to Jackson County Regional Health Center.
Other park visitors discovered two people lodged in Wye Cave Friday night around 8 p.m. They became stuck while crawling through a narrow part of the cave.
The state park, four miles northwest of Maquoketa in Jackson County, features a variety of caves on its premises. Park goers are allowed to explore them, based on their ability and comfort level. Wye (pronounced Y) cave is about mid-distance between the popular Dance Hall Cave and the park campground.
(5.23.12)
Photo: Bridge Sunset
The other day, I took a bike ride to the store and on the way back I snapped this shot of the sun setting on the Cedar River. I tweeked the photo with Instagram. Look for our other Instagram photos under the Skulldiggers handle. (5.21.12)
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