NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Friday, March 17, 1995

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

93-825 - Badlands (South Dakota) - Paleontological Theft Arrest

On November 19, 1993, a federal grand jury in Sioux Falls, South Dakota,
returned a 39-count indictment against a commercial fossil dealer and eight
other individuals for illegal taking and sale of fossils from private and
public property, including NPS, BLM, Forest Service, Indian and state school
lands.  The indictment charged Black Hills Institute of Geological Research
(BHI) with illegally collecting and selling fossils to museums and private
corporations.  Among them were the fossilized remains of triceratops, mosasaur,
whales, edmontosaurus, therapods, crinoids, ammonites, acanthoceras, catfish,
turtle and fishhead.  The eight individuals were indicted on a variety of
related charges, including conspiracy, theft of government property, interstate
transportation of stolen goods, making false statements, money laundering, wire
fraud, and obstruction of justice.  On March 14th, a federal jury handed down
eight felony convictions, including one against BHI for theft of the catfish
from the park - the only count stemming from a violation on NPS lands.  P.L.,
president of BHI, was convicted on two felony counts for money
violations and two misdemeanor counts for theft from public lands.  N.L.,
vice president of BHI, was convicted of misdemeanor theft from public
lands.  B.F., secretary of BHI, was convicted on two felony charges of
making false statements to Customs officials.  The jury was hung on 22 other
indictments.  The sentencing date has not yet been set.  [John Donaldson, CR,
BADL, 3/15]

95-102 - Cape Krusenstern (Alaska) - Air Crash with Fatality

A Yute Air Alaska Cessna 207 transporting mail from Kotzebue to Kivalina
crashed and burned on impact in the park 20 miles north of Kotzebue at 1 p.m.
on March 25th.  The pilot, who was the only person on board, did not survive
the crash.  Alaska state troopers employed a National Guard helicopter to
recover the body, but a storm prevented park staff, investigators and others
from getting to the crash site by snowmobile until March 28th.  Parts of the
plane were recovered and sledded back to Kotzebue.  The weather was clear with
unlimited visibility at the time of the crash.  The cause is being investigated
by representatives from FAA, NTSB and Continental Aircraft Engine Company. 
[Jon Peterson, NWAK, 3/16]

95-103 - Pecos (New Mexico) - MVA with Fatality

On the morning of March 11th, a pickup truck traveling through the park at a
high rate of speed left the roadway, went through a park fence, and flipped
four or five times.  One passenger, D.E., 18, of Rowe, New Mexico, was
ejected from the truck and killed when he hit a stone embankment; a second
passenger, C.W., 19, of Santa Fe, is in critical condition.  The juvenile
owner of the vehicle was admitted to a hospital and subsequently released. 
Charges against him are pending.  It appears that none of the occupants was
wearing a seatbelt and that alcohol was a contributing factor.  State police
are investigating.  [Gary Hartley, CR, PECO, 3/13]

95-104 - Mesa Verde (Colorado) - MVA with Multiple Injuries

On the afternoon of March 12th, a Dodge mini-van with a family of five on board
was heading out of the park near mile three on the main park road when it was
struck by two large boulders which had exfoliated from a sandstone cliff face
about 100 feet above the road.  The rocks which broke loose were about 20 feet
high and 40 to 50 feet across, and came down in pieces in various sizes up to
six by six feet.  The vehicle was struck on the driver's side in the middle and
rear, knocking it into the guard rail.  The vehicle then spun around and ended
up on its roof in the inbound lane facing in the opposite direction.  All the
occupants - two adults and three children ranging in age from nine to 17 - were
injured.  The most serious injury was to a nine-year-old girl, who received
multiple skull fractures, two broken arms and a broken leg; she was taken by
ambulance to a hospital in Cortez, then flown to Farmington, New Mexico. 
Although still in a coma and in critical condition, she is expected to recover. 
The other four were taken to the hospital in Cortez, treated and released. 
Nobody was wearing a seatbelt except the 11-year-old boy, which probably
contributed to the seriousness of the injuries.  The rockfall has been
attributed to natural weathering and this winter's heavy rainfall.  [Howard
Dimont, CR, MEVE, 3/14]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Yellowstone (Wyoming) - Wolf Reintroduction

As of February 24th, all 14 of Yellowstone's wolves were faring well.  At first
this seems like a rather mundane fact, yet it isn't. Wild wolves have seldom
been held in captivity, so some concern was warranted.  Captivity took getting
used to, as all three groups of wolves were confused by the fence and initially
tried to get out.  They paced the fences, dug at the bottom, bit the chain
links, and jumped high trying to escape.  Eventually all groups adjusted to
their temporary captivity; they have ceased fighting the fence and seem to be
tolerating their temporary captive existence.  Park biologists have tried to
make the captivity as stress-free as possible for the wolves.  This includes
very limited access to the pens; brief, twice weekly feedings of road-killed
ungulates (elk, deer, bison, or moose); and security rangers operating at a
distance.  A pleasant, unexpected behavior of the wolves has been their
howling.  Most biologists doubted that the wolves would be comfortable enough
to howl in the pens, but all groups have.  According to coyote researchers in
the Lamar Valley, the local coyotes have been howling more since the wolves
showed up; maybe in response, the wolves were motivated to advertise their
presence.  Security rangers report hearing each group howl six or seven times,
commencing approximately one week after each group was placed in its respective
pen.  The decision on when to release Yellowstone's wolves from their pens is
being considered on a day-to-day basis.  At this time, the wolves continue to
feed well and are making few attempts to dig or climb out of their holding
pens.  Project biologists continue to monitor their health and behavior, and
see no signs of serious injury to the animals.  However, if aggressive
intraspecific activity is observed that might seriously injure one or more
animals, a decision could be made to release the wolves immediately.  Another
concern is the potential for human and wolf safety as bears begin to emerge
from their dens; adult male grizzlies in Yellowstone are consistently observed
to emerge in mid-to late-March.  Ultimately, the behavior of the wolves will
determine when they are released.  The incident command team has outlined plans
to manage the human aspects of the wolf release.  Although the immediate post-
release period will be a period of the highest uncertainty for the wolves (and
their watchers), in general, very few human use restrictions are expected to be
necessary during wolf restoration.  The only specific human use restriction
likely to be used on a recurring basis, as outlined in the plan and EIS for
restoration of wolves to central Idaho and Yellowstone, is a limit on human
access within approximately one mile of den sites between April 1st and June
30th, if intrusive human activity would put the den and pups at risk.  It
remains to be seen whether, once released, any of the groups of wolves penned
this winter in the Lamar Valley will stay and establish territories in or near
the park.  ["The Wolf Tracker", March, 1995]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Wildland Firefighting Boots - At the request of the Servicewide uniform
program manager, a team comprised of wildfire management specialists and headed
by PNRO FMO Mark Forbes has been reviewing the suitability of the Georgia boot
introduced into the uniform program last year for use by wildland firefighters. 
Although the boot has proven to be a satisfactory work boot and meets the
minimum standards set for wildland fire personal protective equipment, it did
not hold up well when subjected to the conditions experienced on fires last
season.   The group has been asked to find a boot which will meet both the
needs of maintenance employees and wildland firefighters and make a
recommendation to management.  The boots under consideration will receive
extensive field testing, particularly on wildland fires, before a selection is
made.  It's expected that the field test could take up to 18 months to ensure
that the boot selected will withstand the rigors associated with wildland fire
duties.  Based on comments received and the outcome of the tests, it may be
necessary to identify two boots, one for maintenance and one for fire.  In the
meantime, firefighters are encouraged to purchase boots on the open market, and
utilize the $75 available through FIREPRO (contingent on adequate funding) to
help defray the cost of the boots.  The Georgia boot should not be used on any
fire assignment.  Employees who would like to have input in the selection
process should contact Mark Forbes via cc:Mail.

MEMORANDA

No memoranda.

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

Telephone: 202-208-4874
Telefax:   202-208-6756
cc:Mail:   WASO Ranger Activities
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