Date: 10/24/06
Contact: Aaron Meier
Phone: (775) 688-1998

NEVADA BEAR ENCOUNTERS FEATURED IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TELEVISION PROGRAM

It may be time for Nevada Department of Wildlife Biologist Carl Lackey to start buying an upscale dog food for his dogs Rooster and Stryker; after all they are television stars.

National Geographic will launch a 13-part series titled “Animal Extractors” slated to air on the National Geographic Channel on Monday, October 30th at 10:00 p.m.

“They had a camera crew follow us around from the middle of June through September. It was actually scheduled to be for three or four weeks, but they liked the bear encounters so much, they just stayed,” said Lackey.

National Geographic describes the show as a weekly series that highlights what happens when the boundaries between cities and natural habitats blur, and creatures of all kinds find their way into populated areas looking for food and new places to shelter.

Lackey reports that the film crew was very impressed with Rooster and Stryker, Karelian Bear Dogs. At one point the crew mounted cameras on his truck to get a different view of the dogs in pursuit of a bear.

“It will be interesting to see what they use. We are talking about three and a half months of filming these encounters. The associate producer said that the Nevada bear stories will be included in at least the first six episodes,” he added.

The second episode of the series set to air the following Monday on November 6, follows Lackey after he receives a call about a bear that has broken into the bedroom of an eight-year-old boy.

Specially trained Karelian Bear Dogs, such as Rooster and Stryker, are used in combination with aversive conditioning tools and structured learning situations to teach bears to recognize and avoid human territory. The research that Lackey has been involved in since 1997, in cooperation with Dr. Jon Beckmann of the Wildlife Conservation Society, will be the subject of at least one future episode.

Human-bear conflicts are of growing concern as bear populations occupy habitat that is being encroached upon by human development. In Nevada until 1987 there were no major issues regarding black bears nor significant human-bear interactions. A severe drought in 1987 caused bears to begin frequenting urbanized areas in search of food.

The result has created three problems. All aspects of black bear ecology have been altered by human food-conditioning, such as how long bears spend in their dens and where they live throughout the year. Additionally, reports of human/bear conflicts have risen dramatically. The final problem is the necessity of NDOW to deal with these immediate problems, and the lack of adequate, dedicated funding.

NDOW is working on a bear management plan, which will include human dimensions research. Human dimensions will gauge people’s opinions, perceptions, desires, and willingness to participate in actions pivotal in managing bears.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.