"..... I want to make sure that the caribou will return to their area ..."
"... caribou herd has grown six fold ...."
"... drilling there since the seventies and the animals are fine..."
The 1002 Sanctuary is the single greatest factor in affording the success of the Central Arctic Herd (the herd to which she refers) . The caribou cannot return to "their area" (Kaktovik and caribou share 1002) when it is that specific area that will be turned into an oil field. How can she possibly propose to drill the 1002 but yet have it remain a sanctuary? The animals are "fine" because of their access to 1002 Sanctuary. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting's sponsor of this interviewer's shameless pass of the "fine" comment severely discredits any impartiality and fairness to which they owe the American public.
"... a very small farm ..."
"... permission to explore and produce on 2,000 acres ..."
In complete contradiction to the expert geologist that spoke to the Kaktovik audience, "the oil is where it is", that the location and extent of development could not be limited; in complete contradiction to Rep. Young's introduction of HR39 which proposes the lease of 200,000 acres; in complete contradiction to a fact finding mission that passed over and dismissed facts presented; in complete contradiction to her participation on a panel that would not rule out offshore drilling, the 2,000 acre figure is designed to mislead and defraud the public. (See report on Alpine Field, fact vs. the promises.)
Most press generally dealing with the hype of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, to the exclusion of significant information, focuses specifically upon the Porcupine Caribou Herd. The significance of the Central Arctic Caribou Herd's utilization of the 1002 Sanctuary, is little publicized. Through the 2004 summer period of post-calving aggregation, the Central Arctic Herd made nearly exclusive use of the 1002 Sanctuary region for access to graze and relief from Warble Fly infestation. According to biologists' numbers, the Central Arctic Herd within the 1002 Sanctuary was estimated to be 20,000 animals.
The utilization of the 1002 Sanctuary by the Central Arctic Herd is not a new event; the documentation and presentation of these facts to the public, are.
The myth perpetrated via oil company propaganda makes claim that the recent trend in the increased numbers of the Central Arctic Herd is due to a positive influence of pipeline and Prudhoe Bay oil development upon the northern slope ecology.
If the extent of the Central Arctic Herd's range was fully disclosed and documented, the resulting overlap with the western range of the Porcupine Herd would reflect the truth of why the Central Arctic Herd numbers have increased: sanctuary offered of the 1002 and population commingling and exchange with members of the Porcupine Herd.
It is exactly the presence of oil development that has resulted in the displacement of the Central Arctic Herd. It is exactly the existence of the 1002 Sanctuary that has afforded the displaced Central Arctic Herd its' post-calving aggregation refuge.
To compromise the 1002 Sanctuary will not only further displace the Central Arctic Herd, but directly introduce the first immediate disruption of the Porcupine Herd. Whereas the displacement of the Central Arctic Herd to the 1002 Sanctuary has largely gone unnoticed, this is due to the success of the caribou: their access to refuge. If and when the 1002 is lost to development, the last holding of refuge disappears. In the loss of the 1002, more than 140,000 caribou will be forced to relocate; this will not go unnoticed. Displacement of the Central and Porcupine herds will become an ecological disaster. There are no alternative regions of refuge for the caribou to access, (as afforded the Central Arctic Herd to the 1002) .
In a recent example of further unpublished caribou herd displacement, a group of several hundred caribou from the Teshekpuk Lake region, found its' way east to take refuge within the 1002 region. The late fall 2003 arrival of this herd to the 1002 region has gone unstudied and ignored as any event related to oil development: as any evidence of oil development's negative impact to the region and the caribou. To review the map, the establishment and sprawl of oil development infrastructure, it becomes self evident to contrast the loss of undisturbed habitat to the proximity of the 1002 Sanctuary. It becomes valid to question the issue of development pressure and its' resultant displacement of caribou herds from their traditional range.
1. Why are our politicians silent on the true facts of the caribou in this region? Why are they silent concerning the critical nature of the unique 1002 region?
2. Why do the politicians and oil interests promote lies and misinformation to support their interests?
3. Why is the critical issue of Polar Bear denning (cubs being born), not in the public debate? Fact: nearly half of all onshore Polar Bear dens that occur on Alaska's North Slope, exist within the 1002 Sanctuary. Winter oil activity presents an immediate threat to these dens.
