The Teshekpuk Caribou Herd uses calving grounds within the Western Arctic, primarily on currently protected land around Teshekpuk Lake. The North Pole is not a competitor for the Northernmost Point under U.S. control because there are no facilities there, research or otherwise. Then theres oil pollution. [8], In July 2007, a study reported that the disappearance of sea ice near Teshekpuk Lake has been causing rapid erosion in the marshy, wildlife-rich area. Range for the Teshekpuk Herd - University of Alaska system Teshekpuk and Central Arctic Herd Database. In northern Alaska, 4 herds of barren-ground caribou (R. t. granti) have been identified. In 2020, the Fish and Wildlife Service denied the petition; we sued the agency, and in 2022 a Montana court restored interim protections to wolverines while the government reconsiders a permanent listing. BPs Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 was particularly disastrous, killing one-fifth of the whales entire population. These projects are a prelude to a potential spider-web of infrastructure creating lasting cumulative effects throughout the Reserve. EASTERNMOST POINT. Teshekpuk Lake has been recognized by the National Audubon Society and Birdlife International program as an Important Bird Area for shorebirds, as it hosts the highest density of shorebirds in the circumpolar Arctic. Teshekpuk Lake: A Wildlife Safe Haven | Audubon Alaska Your support will power our science, education, advocacy and on-the-ground conservation efforts. In addition to a general store, a one-room schoolhouse and the police station, you will see a sign that tells you that youre at the Top of the Nation. Thats it. Some scientists have pointed out that climate change could reduce lichens and increase the amount of ice covering the snow, making it more difficult for caribou to dig beneath the snow. EIN 94-1730465. The Easternmost Point in the contiguous 48 states is West Quoddy Head in the small town of Lubec, Maine. We respect your privacy. Keep up with Audubon Alaska's conservation work. Your contribution is tax-deductible. The actual Southernmost Point is supposedly a few blocks on the other side of that fence on Navy property, right? Thousands of oil leaks pollute the Gulf each year. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I prefer a boat over a plane if possible. [7] In 2007, the observatory was reestablished with research projects funded by National Science Foundation, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, European Space Agency, and European Union. PDF Calving and Post- calving Habitat Selection by the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd By removing our dependence on carbon-emitting, nonrenewable oil and gas, we can protect the diverse range of species and ecosystems like these that make our planet habitable. The Westernmost Point in the contiguous 48 states is Cape Alava, in the State of Washington. Willow would also impact Alaska Native communities who have maintained a subsistence lifestyle in the North Slope for thousands of years. 3.65 million acres; largest lake in Arctic Alaska; third largest in Alaska. Winter is construction season for oil companies in the central Arctic. Kernel density was calculated for individual years and the results were summed to capture annual variability in caribou habitat use. Sixteen bulls and 66 cows were collared. Achieving a representative sample of marked animals: A spatial approach to evaluating post-capture randomization Abstract The oil company also recently proposed a big new master plan, called Willow, which will more than double the current footprint in the NPR-A. Though aggressive when cornered, wolverines can be social and playful. Now, despite vocal opposition from environmental and Alaska Native groups, the Biden administration has approved a new version of Willow. ConocoPhillips Willow project would significantly expand its extensive oil and gas extraction operation in the Arctic, and would include a new oil and gas processing facility, massive satellite drill pads with up to fifty wells on each pad, a spider web of roads, a new airstrip, pipelines, and two gravel mines within a protected river setback. PDF Distribution and Movements of the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd 1990-2005 Located in the northeast corner of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, Teshekpuk Lake the largest lake in Arctic Alaska and the third largest in the entire state lies at the heart of one of the most productive and unique wetland complexes in the circumpolar Arctic. Among its many inhabitants is the 62,000-strong Teshekpuk Caribou Herd. Earthjustice is challenging that assessment in court, and has separately urged the government to protect the whales from seismic air guns. The former publisher is a treasurer of useless (but fascinating) facts and needless (yet interesting) information. One concern arising from development in the Western Arctic is that infrastructure could push the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd into less optimal calving grounds. The sound wave travels hundreds of miles, assaulting whales who rely on echolocation to communicate, locate food, and mate. Or, in the winter, when the lake freezes over, you can drive across the ice if you want to risk that. Brownsville is located at Latitude 25/90. South Point, on the south tip of Hawaiis Big Island, is now the official Southernmost Point in all of the 50 states. But if the buoy were placed over there, very few tourists would be able to go there and get their photo taken. Reindeer distribution - Wikipedia The lake is surrounded by vast wetlands that comprise one of the Arctic's most ecologically important habitats home to polar bear dens, hundreds of thousands of migrating birds and the Teshekpuk caribou herd, upon which half a dozen villages depend. Will the birds survive? Teshekpuk Caribou Herd Database The red and yellow lines show where planned and proposed infrastructure will reach deeper into their usual wintering areas. Development and roads can also impact caribou herd movement and subsistence opportunities. The Teshekpuk Lake Special Area would be protected by no surface occupancy (NSO) stipulations and timing limitations mitigating impacts on caribou calving and important bird habitats. View Revisions Back to dataset Range for the Teshekpuk Herd The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) maintains radio collar and satellite telemetry data for the Western Arctic, Teshekpuk, and Central Arctic herds. Ending our dependence on fossil fuels must be key to that strategy. WHERE THE HECK IS THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT. By popular demand, baked daily. UAA is an EEO/AA employer and educational institution. [citation needed] The decision stipulated that no surface drilling would be allowed on land considered crucial for molting geese or caribou, and a maximum of 2,100 acres (8.5km2) in seven different zones could be permanently disturbed on the surface. At every stage of their lifecycle, fossil fuels directly contribute to biodiversity loss by causing pollution, planet-warming carbon emissions, and the destruction of critical habitats. Learn how your comment data is processed. Caribou, waterfowl, loons, eiders, shorebirds, polar bears, wolves, muskox, brown bears, foxes and more. Shrinking their habitat thus jeopardizes their genetic diversity, lowering their resilience against diseases and environmental changes. When are newly collared caribou representative of the herd? Email Us, Board of Fisheries and Game: Actions & Activities, Threatened, Endangered, and Diversity Program, Alaska Resources Library and Information Services (ARLIS), About the Division of Commercial Fisheries, Western Alaska Salmon Stock Identification Program (WASSIP), Online General Season & Registration Permits, Subsistence and Personal Use Fishing Permits, CSIS Community Subsistence Information System, The Technical Papers and Special Publications Series. We take on many of the biggest environmental and health challenges of our time and stick with them. Wolverines are 40 pounds of cunning, furry energy: they quickly scale cliffs and tall trees, speed across open tundra at 30 miles per hour, and thieve carcasses from bears, wolves, and cougars. [citation needed] Prior to the decision, led by a coalition of environmental organizations and Alaskan Natives, U.S. citizens sent over 300,000 comments to the Secretary of Interior and the CEO of ConocoPhillips. The areas north and east of Teshekpuk Lake provide ideal conditions for molting geese and other vulnerable birds: a remote location thats free of development, large lakes where birds can escape from predators, and tender sedges to fuel their high energy demands. Of course, you can avoid the drive through Canada by crossing the lake by boat or plane. Interior Supports Responsible Development of America's Energy Resources We are proud to bepart of the 1% for the Planet network. [1][3] It is also known as Lake Teshekpuk,Tasekpuk Lake,Tasirkpuk Lake,Tasyukpun and Tasiqpak. Did you know that there is a U.S, government research complex at the geographic South Pole, the Southernmost Point on Earth? [8] It studies impacts of climate change on the arctic environment, permafrost dynamics and thermokarst, lake ice systems, coastal and lake shoreline erosion, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, near-surface geophysics, and paleoecological studies. The ranges of northern Alaska Caribou herds, from west to east (into Canada): Western Arctic Herd (WAH), Teshekpuk Caribou Herd (TCH), Central Arctic Herd (CAH), and Porcupine Caribou Herd (PCH). Collar location data points were extracted from the entire annual cycle from 2004 to 2013 for the Teshekpuk Herd and 2004 to 2014 for the Western Arctic and Central Arctic herds. In areas where oil companies are searching for oil reservoirs, giant seismic vehicles roll across the frozen ground, blasting sound waves deep into the earth to map out underground geology. The truth is often gray. A wolverine photographed in the wild using a camera trap in Western Montana. The result is a bustling network of trucks hauling materials, drill rigs, and people back and forth across the tundra. The Teshekpuk Lake Special Area also provides high-value habitat areas and the calving grounds for the Teshekpuk Lake caribou herd. With relatively few predators, protection from mosquitoes, and lush vegetation, Teshekpuk Lake is a critical breeding and calf-rearing area for this unique herd. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The Teshekpuk Caribou Herd (TCH) is an important subsistence resource for several villages on the north slope of Alaska. Caribou travel thousands of kilometers over the course of a year and arrive on their calving grounds just in time to give birth. The Turks Cap flower attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Most caribou leave the Arctic Coastal Plain in the winter, migrating south to find less frigid wintering habitat. Has anyone got any information that they would share in regards to caribou hunting with an airboat on any of the rivers other than the Sag or Ivishak? The point at which we know for sure that new roads definitely hurt caribou may come too late to make a better decision. Kernel utilization distribution (50%, 75%, and 99%) of caribou from the Every aspect of offshore oil drilling is harmful to whales. [citation needed], On September 25, 2006, the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska issued a decision that removed the wildlife habitat around Teshekpuk Lake from an oil and gas lease sale that was held on September 27. In any event, the Westernmost Point in all U.S. territories is the Pacific island of Guam. One of the top tourist attractions on the island. From a tourism standpoint, that location is not only more inaccessible than the Truman Annex location, it is only above water at low tide. Brownsville (/ b r a n z v l /) is a city in and the county seat of Cameron County in the U.S. state of Texas.It is on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the border with Matamoros, Mexico.The city covers 145.2 sq mi (376.066 km 2), and had a population of 186,738 at the 2020 census. PDF Teshekpuk Caribou Herd Movement through Narrow Corridors BROWNSVILLE ECHS | Herff Jones Join us as we fight to protect this vitally important safe haven for birds and other wildlife. Exciting as this news was, scientists also concluded that it is one of the worlds most endangered whales, with likely fewer than 50 individuals remaining. The island is being advertised for sale on the internet for a mere $15.8 million. Interchange and Overlap Among Four Adjacent Arctic Caribou Herds The Teshekpuk Caribou Herd uses calving grounds within the Western Arctic, primarily on currently protected land around Teshekpuk Lake. Both GMT2 and Willow will bring infrastructure into the Teshekpuk Caribou Herds calving grounds (see map). Though the administration claimed to have exempted Teshekpuk Lake from Willows destruction, one of the approved drill sites has been quietly extended into the herds range, placing them at risk. We are also going after the source: offshore oil leasing in the Gulf. For each day, the location point closest to noon was selected, with no more than one location every six days per individual. Its not. And through our Fossil Fuels Program we continue to push the government to end new federal fossil fuel leasing by slowing and eventually stopping new leases and withdrawing sensitive areas from availability. Oil and gas development will increasingly overlap with wintering habitat for the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd. We found within-individual variation in movement behavior and wintering area use by the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd, adding caribou to the growing list of ungulates that can exhibit migratory plasticity. A confluence of currents makes swimming extremely dangerous. Design your high school class ring or browse our graduation products for BROWNSVILLE ECHS If you take a look at the map below, you will see the Teshekpuk caribou movements, in grey-green areas, as they mill around the Arctic during the fall. Its a place called Northwest Angle, located at the top of Minnesota but not connected to the state by land. Though climate change is one factor driving the biodiversity crises, it is not the only threat. After over a century of trapping and habitat loss, no more than 300 wolverines remain in the lower 48 states. A big new Master Development Plan is slated to receive fast-tracked environmental review. Sundrum herd ( R.t. tarandus ). The Western Arctic caribou herd is Alaska's largest caribou herd. The majority of animals in three of these herdsthe Western Arctic herd (WAH), the Central Arctic herd (CAH), and the Porcupine caribou herd (PCH)winter south of the North Slope, while most of the Teshekpuk caribou herd (TCH) remains on the Arctic coastal plain (i.e . Teshekpuk Lake is the largest lake in Arctic Alaska, the largest thermokarst lake in the world. 2017 Alaska Center for Conservation Science, a non-profit research organization within the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). If on a map you draw a line on Latitude 25/90 from Brownsville across the Gulf of Mexico, the line will cross Florida somewhere in North Miami. Teshekpuk Lake - Wikipedia Help secure the future for birds at risk from climate change, habitat loss and other threats. She is based in San Francisco. But over half of the caribou from the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd remain near the Coastal Plain and tough it out during the cold Arctic winter. If you own a business, please consider joining 1% for the Planet to support Audubon Alaskas conservation efforts. The resulting set of points served as the input for kernel density calculations. Teshekpuk Lake and its surrounding lands and waters have been important to the Native people of Alaskas North Slope for thousands of years, and today Alaska Wilderness League works with the residents of Ataqasuk, Utqiavik and Nuiqsut who are speaking up to highlight their long running subsistence traditions. [4] Fish species include broad whitefish (Coregonus nasus), Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus), Burbot (Lota lota), Arctic cisco (Coregonus autumnalis), lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta). Recent (2008-2011) estimates of abundance of these herds were 55,000 for the Teshekpuk . So, accessibility and sea level explains the municipal decision back in history to locate the Southernmost Point monument at the end of Whitehead Street as well as the decision to ignore the challenge to advertise the attraction as The Southernmost Point in the Contiguous 48 States That is Not Only Accessible, but is Also Continuously Above Water. Monitoring the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd - The North Slope Borough (NOAA). Caribou are the only member of the deer family (Cervidae) in which both sexes grow antlers. On top of all these new developments, the Department of the Interior has now announced it will redo the entire land management plan for the NPR-A, potentially throwing out long-standing protections for caribou habitat in favor of oil and gas. The calving range of the Porcupine Herd was digitized from the 1983 to 2001 calving range reported in Griffith et al. But over half of the caribou from the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd remain near the Coastal Plain and tough it out during the cold Arctic winter. DOWNLOAD Teshekpuk Lake Herd animation (2.14Mb) -Shows satellite collar movements on 59 adult females between 1990 and 2005. Alaska Natives Accuse Feds of Using Pandemic to Silence Public Keeping caribou calving grounds protected is just one of our concerns as the administration rolls out plans for more oil and gas in the Western Arctic. Policy Director. Policy Director. Caribou graze near fossil fuel pipelines in Alaskas Western Arctic in the Lake Teshekpuk area. The residents of the nearby city of Barrow (population 4000) brag as much about being the Land of the Midnight Sun as they do about being the northernmost city in all of the United States and territories. Caribou Species Profile, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Policy Director. Alison tells the stories of the earth: the systems that govern it, the ripple effects of those systems, and the people who are fighting to change them to protect our planet and all its inhabitants. This herd is an important subsistence resource to residents of the North Slope, especially in Barrow, Atqasuk, Wainwright and Nuiqsut, with harvest levels ranging between 5-10%. The problem with shifting calving grounds is that caribou could be pushed onto poorer quality habitat. Audubon protects birds and the places they need now and in the future. We Dont Have Enough Power Lines. However, a few hardy species stay in the north, including most of the caribou from the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd. The Teshekpuk Caribou Herd is a crucial subsistence hunting resource for nearby communities. Few tourists make the effort to visit South Point in Hawaii.

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