|
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Tuesday, October 4, 2011 INCIDENTS Grand Canyon NP Visitors Die In Motor Home Fire Around 7:30 a.m. yesterday morning, an employee in the park's South Entrance Station called dispatch and reported a motor home with smoke issuing from the cab near the park sign just south of the entrance. When firefighters arrived, they found the RV fully engulfed in flames and extinguished the blaze. Further investigation revealed that the RV had been occupied and that people had died in the fire. At the time of the report yesterday evening, rangers were awaiting the arrival of the Coconino County medical examiner, who will be assisting them in determining the number of fatalities. [Shannan Marcak, Public Affairs Specialist] Yellowstone NP Grizzly Linked To Hiker Deaths Euthanized A grizzly bear sow and two cubs captured by Yellowstone National Park staff have been linked to the scene of the recent mauling death of a hiker in the Hayden Valley. Results from DNA tests obtained from bear hair and scat samples indicate the 250-pound, six- to seven-year-old sow was present at the scene on the Mary Mountain Trail where hiker J.W.'s body was recovered on August 26th. This is the same bear that was responsible for the death of hiker Brian Matayoshi during a defensive attack on July 6th on the Wapiti Lake Trail. Rangers and an interagency board of review determined Matayoshi's death near Canyon Village on the Wapiti Lake Trail resulted from a defensive attack by the sow protecting her cubs. “We will more than likely never know what role, if any, the sow might have played in Mr. J.W.'s death due to the lack of witnesses and presence of multiple bears at the incident scene,” said Dan Wenk, the park's superintendent. “But because the DNA analysis indicates the same bear was present at the scene of both fatalities, we euthanized her to eliminate the risk of future interaction with Yellowstone visitors and staff.” The adult female grizzly was captured on Wednesday, September 28th; her two cubs were captured the next day and placed in the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. The sow was euthanized on Sunday morning. Grizzly bear cubs typically adapt successfully to captivity. Adult bears that are removed from the wild do not adapt well to captivity. In the J.W. incident, Yellowstone officials determined that at least nine grizzly bears were feeding on two bison carcasses in the area, including one carcass which was located 150 yards from where J.W. was hiking alone on the Mary Mountain Trail. Seventeen bear “daybeds” were also found in the same vicinity. Capture operations, reconnaissance flights, and DNA sampling and testing will continue through the fall. Any future management decisions will be made on a case by case basis for any additional bears that are captured and provide a DNA link to the scene. Hikers are encouraged to travel in groups of three or more, make noise on the trail, and carry bear spray. Visitors are reminded that park regulations require people to stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and at least 25 yards away from all other large animals. [Public Affairs, Yellowstone NP] Glen Canyon NRA Rangers Join Local Officers In Managing Music Festival Between September 23rd and 25th, more than 60 bands on eight stages played in the Page and Lake Powell Area during the second annual Powellapalooza Music Festival. One of the concert venues was situated at Antelope Point Marina, which lies within Glen Canyon NRA. This portion of the event was managed under a special use permit issued by the park. The event attracted an estimated 3,500 people, many of whom visited the park and utilized it for recreational boating purposes in conjunction with the music festival. The event was managed under ICS with a unified command that included the Coconino County Sheriff's Office, Navajo Nation Police Department, Arizona Game & Fish Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Page Fire Department, and the Big Water Fire Department. Staff from Organ Pipe Cactus - including a dog and handler - also assisted. A total of 45 officers and rangers were committed to the event, which resulted in 200 case incidents, including seven emergency medical calls, seven arrests, 17 drug cases, and 58 boating safety contacts. Lance Mattson, the park's operations supervisor, served as NPS IC; the ops chief for the event was ranger Joe Florko. [Max King, Public Affairs Specialist] OTHER NEWS The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS. To see the full text, including images, NPS employees should go to the InsideNPS home page ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index). Non-NPS employees can see most of them on the NPS Digest page ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/): Colorado NM - In honor of the 100th anniversary of Colorado National Monument, the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra dedicated its September 24th performance, “A Monumental Celebration,” to the park. Visitor and Resource Protection - Applications for the third National Parks Institute Executive Leadership Seminar are due this Friday. The seminar, which focuses on leadership, innovation, and organizational renewal, will be held in April. Photo. Historic Preservation Training Center - As of yesterday, the 72 employees of the Historic Preservation Training Center had worked for over 600 days without a major injury. Photo. Denver Service Center - Nancy Shock has been selected as the center's new foundation coordinator. Photo * * * * The Morning Report is a publication of the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, produced with the support of the Office of the Assistant Director for Information Resources and the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov). --- ### --- |