It is the Warble Fly that drives caribou movement across the Arctic Coastal Plain of the 1002.

I believe the emergence of Warble Fly larvae to be the primary event (the resultant panic and herd disruption) that triggers the mass caribou departure from the calving grounds. Prior to these panic flights, entire groups of caribou remained clam, relaxed and localized with the area of feed and isolation. The abrupt behavioral expressions that began the week of June 10 can be attributed to no change in weather or ground conditions, no change in feeding conditions, no change in external insect or predator activity. I have witnessed and documented post calving aggregation to be a continuation of herd movement in search of cool, fly free environs (see "Urgent News Concerning ...." in listed topics).

Early spring caribou movements are effected by snow depth and conditions in the mountains. While calves can be delivered outside or nearby the traditional calving grounds, (depending upon snow cover), critical nutritional recovery and development requires that the new calves and nursing cows have undisturbed access to adequate feed and relief from heat stress and the Warble Fly. Caribou that have access to feed but suffer heat stress and the constant movement pressed of Warble Fly attacks, recover poorly relative to a stress free, pest free environment of relaxed and tranquil grazing. The area designated "1002" is a sanctuary of critical habitat that affords such relief.

Caribou of the 1002 do not have a latitude of movement that affords development related disruption or displacement from critical habitat. The mountains of the eastern arctic region lay only 15 to 45 miles miles south of the coastline. As the intercontinental warming influences of spring follow northward to the mountains, it is the physical barrier of the Brooks Range that extends the northern reach of warm spring air. At the same time, this east-west traverse of mountains conversely serves as a southern barrier limiting the southward extent of cold polar influences. It is the close proximity of the Brooks Range as a thermal barrier that opens the near foothills, yet confines the 1002 to a narrow band of cool-polar climate. This restricted thermal zone that is the 1002 becomes a behavioral oasis, a principal area of caribou ecology: critical habitat that sustains the herds of both the Porcupine and Central Arctic.

It is my theory that the entire migration of these animals into and out of the 1002 coastal region is but a highly evolved mechanism employed to avoid Warble Fly infestation. While the 1002 affords graze, more importantly it offers relief from heat stress and Warble Fly infestation. The cool polar climate of the 1002 can in some years nearly suppress the emergence of the adult Warble Fly. In other years it is the access to immediate coastline and pack ice that provides sanctuary. I believe that this explains why the Porcupine Herd traditionally vacates the coastal plain of the 1002 by mid-July. Prior to the onset of significant adult fly activity, the caribou vacate the entire region in which the adult Warble Fly will emerge and become active. This mass migratory route is not an option to the Central Arctic Herd, they remain on the coast, seeking undisturbed refuge of the coolest, most effective regions of Warble Fly relief.

If displaced by development and forced to search-out alternative habitat, it is likely, given the small and geographically limited range of the 1002 area, that the caribou herds of the 1002 will have little choice but to vacate this coastal region in favor of undisturbed wilderness.

Questions that demand to be answered:

1. Why have there been no entomologists (insect biologists) involved in the study of the 1002?

2. Why has there been no link of the 1002 to the excellent Warble Fly research that is being conducted in Norway?

3. Why is there no study of the impact of climate change upon the insect populations and probable behavioral changes that will take place in the 1002?

4. Why is there no accounting of the true biology of caribou/parasite interactions in assessment of development plans?

5. Why is the public being fed misleading information?

6. Why is there only silence on this matter?

Imagine Phoenix, Arizona in the heat of summer, 115ºF. Imagine taking away any and all air-conditioning. Imagine adding an insect that thrived in that heat and that invaded the human body with its' larvae: grubs to grow and feed for the following year. Now imagine pregnant mothers and mothers with newborns to be the most susceptible.

Imagine creating obstacles and barriers hindering the path of those people in seek of relief. Imagine denying them relief.

Imagine an enclosed, air-conditioned sports stadium capable of sheltering all that sought relief: sanctuary. Wait a minute, the stadium is only .001% of the area of the city, oil is beneath that stadium.

Sanctuary? What sanctuary?

What possible difference could there be in giving up a mere .001% of the city?

Such a foolish question can only be posed of complete and total ignorance ... yet the analogous question is raised in support of developing the 1002.

While the 1002 Sanctuary, and smaller yet, the coastal super sanctuaries represent but a fraction of the total refuge, the territory is critical habitat. Statements minimizing or questioning why not give up that small piece of land, are statements born of ignorance and corruption.

As witnessed by the world, today's (10/28/2005) indictments in Washington are but at the surface of the lies and disinformation that have been employed to control and manipulate the public ...

... NO MORE LIES