NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, May 2, 1995

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS


94-638 - Glen Canyon (Utah/Arizona) - Follow-up on Drowning

On November 12, 1994, B.L. was inspecting the hull of a houseboat
moored at the Wahweap Marina with another diver when he told his companion that
he was going to dive down and "touch the bottom of the lake", not realizing
that the water is over 200 feet deep at that location.  B.L. never
resurfaced.  On April 19th, his body was found by a small, remotely-operated
submersible on loan from a private foundation and was raised to a depth where
divers could safely retrieve it.  Investigation into this incident continues
and will be aided by recovery of the B.L.'s body and his diving equipment. 
[Tomie Lee, CR, GLCA, 5/1]

95-188 - New River Gorge (West Virginia) - Poaching Arrests

On April 26th, the opening day of spring turkey season, four rangers and five
West Virginia conservation officers working in plain clothes arrested two local
residents for hunting over baited sites.  Arrested were L.N., 50, and
E.F., 62, both of True, West Virginia.  The investigation began 15
months ago with the discovery of baited blinds within the boundaries of the
Bluestone National Scenic River, where hunting is allowed.  Some sites had pens
for live birds, and all blinds were heavily constructed with slab siding and
shooting lanes cut through the woods.  Surveillance teams videotaped hunters
spreading bait and entering their blinds.  This interagency task force
demonstrated both the negatives and positives of such joint work.  Although
another dozen illegally-baited turkey blinds were discovered, the operation was
apparently compromised.  Another surveillance team saw over 30 hunters entering
a nearby area by walking directly over baited shooting lanes, but not one
entered the associated hunting blinds, all of which were being watched.  [Rick
Brown, Acting CR, NERI, 5/1]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Badlands (South Dakota) - Update on Black-Footed Ferret Reintroduction

On April 24th, twelve black-footed ferret nest boxes arrived at the park from
Sybille Wildlife, Research and Conservation Education Center in Wyoming, the
largest captive breeding facility for North America's most endangered mammal. 
These four- to five-year old female ferrets had lived in outdoor pens since
February, where they were conditioned to prairie dog burrow systems and were
given opportunities to confront and kill their preferred prey.  The ferrets
were backpacked into the park's wilderness and allowed to leave their boxes the
night after their arrival.  Two-thirds of the animals left their artificial
homes the first night; the remained emerged within 24 hours.  Since the females
shared their pens at Sybille with males, it's hoped that some may be carrying
young.  Kits raised in the wild by these females would significantly augment
the earlier release of 32 juvenile and four adult black-footed ferrets last
fall.  Spotlight surveys last December detected eight of these animals, which
suggests that at least a quarter of the group survived, a close parallel to
what is known about survivorship for wild juvenile ferrets.  Snow tracking
during the winter showed at least five of them were still alive, but the figure
may be larger as only a small portion of the 42,000-acre reintroduction site
could be checked.  Another 35 to 40 adult ferrets may be released early this
summer, and a similar sized group of juveniles will be released in early fall. 
[Bruce Bessken, BADL]
OPERATIONAL NOTES

No notes.

MEMORANDA

No memoranda.

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming weeks
on matters pertaining to the National Park Service.  If you would like further
information on any of these hearings or bills, please contact WASO Legislation
at 202-208-3636.

May 17

Senate Appropriations' Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies (Gorton):
NPS FY96 budget.

OBSERVATIONS

This is one in a series of observations about the National Park Service that
have been made by notable women and men.  It will appear intermittently at the
end of the Morning Report.

 "There is nothing so American as our national parks.  The scenery and
wildlife are native.  The fundamental idea behind the parks is native. 
It is, in brief, that the country belongs to the people, that it is in
process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us.  The
parks stand as the outward symbol of this great human principle."

                                                 Franklin D. Roosevelt

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

Telephone: 202-208-4874
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