RaeShelle Erickson

December 8, 2015

RaeShelle16@yahoo.com

English 2100

SLCC

RaeShelle Erickson

6310 S. Deer Springs Lane

SLC, UT 84118

801-903-9178

RaeShelle16@yahoo.com

November 23, 2015

Susan DeGraffenried

Wildlife Manager

Bureau of Land Management

Dear Ms. DeGraffenried,

I am interested in a position as a wildlife manager because I believe I can help many animals and their habitats. I feel I would be good for this position because I have a lot of heart and dedication for helping our natural ecosystems. I will work hard and do my best to learn as much as I can.

Currently I am in school getting my associates in biology before obtaining my masters in wildlife biology. I am very dedicated in doing this because I believe our world deserves the best possible chance at survival.

My ultimate goal is to save at least one animal. That’s all I have ever wanted to do and I believe that working in this field will be an amazing opportunity to not only save one animal but possibly a whole herd of deer for example. I feel I would be great for your company because I will bring lots of heart and determination every day. I will respect nature and work hard to make sure every safety precaution and rule is followed for the best interest of everyone. I believe that saving a species or ecosystem our world will be a much better place.

In conclusion, I would very much enjoy working for your company. I believe I can make a change in the world for the better and I feel  could do that working with all of you at the Bureau of Land Management. I appreciate your consideration and I can’t wait to hear from you soon! I can be reached via email at RaeShelle16@yahoo.com or phone call at (801) 903-9178.

Cover Letter

Table of Contents

Technical Description: Wild Tigers

Technical Instructions: Oil Spill Animals

Wolves in Yellowstone National Park

Resume

Wild Tiger Endangerment

            This paper is on wild tigers and their endangerment. It will go through the causes of low population numbers and how many tigers we would need to be able to save them. This topic is important because there are currently less than 3,200 tigers living in the wild today. We have overall lost about 97% of our wild tigers in the last century.[i] Below I will discuss where tigers typically live, the reason for their troubles, and what could be done to help save them.

[ii] Typically tigers like to have lots of foliage around. Anything from trees to bushes to tall grass. Wild tigers prefer these areas for shade as well as camouflage reasons. Tigers in general are highly susceptible to the heat and have adapted to become agile swimmers and enjoy the water unlike other cats. They have been known to cool down and soak in water after killing prey and can successfully attack prey from the water. (Habitats of the Tiger) In addition to the areas tigers live, they need lots of water for their habits as well as to sustain their prey. If humans interfere with the numbers of tigers’ natural prey, it can seriously risk the lives of all the tigers that may be in that area.[iii]

Wild tiger populations have been struggling so badly mainly because of humans. They suffer from massive amounts of habitat loss, poaching and loss of prey due to hunting and the previously mentioned loss of habitats. The one threat to tigers that isn’t directly human related is climate changes. As the world warms up, water evaporates and prey disappears. Tigers are already sensitive to heat so if the climate gets hotter, they begin to struggle. Rising temperature causes sea levels to rise which threaten to wipe out a forested area in Sundarbans where lots of tigers live. (Tiger) In terms of habitat loss, tigers have lost 93% of their historical range due to human populations and how we’ve spread out. Humans cut down forests and populate natural tiger habitats. This is a concern because the smaller we make their territory, the closer they are to us. This forces out their prey which in turn leads to them hunting our livestock which communities depend on for their livelihood. This type of threat is called human wildlife conflict. Tigers that end up in this situation are either killed or captured. Tigers that end up here have typically ended up on the black market for sale. (Tiger)

            So what can be done to save this species? The main concern is to protect what little habitat they have left. Other ways would be helping the prey keeps their numbers up for the tigers and educating people on the real problems so that they can help work on the same issues. Organizations have set up programs to “adopt” a tiger metaphorically. Places that do this include the World Wildlife Fund, Carolina Tiger Rescue and Cleveland Zoological Society. How does symbolically adopting a tiger actually help them? Defenders of Wildlife is an organization that lets you adopt a tiger and breaks down what you are actually doing. According to their site, 96% of the money you spend goes to the programs support and services and the remaining 4% goes towards fundraising. This program takes your money and helps them work to keep tigers protected under the Endangered Species Act, CITES and other international laws and treaties.[iv] They are working to keep tigers protected until their population can be raised and maybe someday saved.

            So in conclusion, wild tigers are currently on the endangered species list and need our help. They suffer largely from human habits and populations as well as climate changes. There is hope to save them, however, they just need a little help from everyone. Adopt A Tiger programs help fund conservation programs and fundraising to help educate others on the issue and what can be done to save the species.

References

Image: Tiger Locations [image]. Smithsonian National Zoological Park. Retrieved on 2015, December 2 from http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/WildTigers/Explore/abouttigers.cfm

Cleaning Oil Off Animals Safely

RaeShelle Erickson

English 2100

December 8, 2015

            Everyone enjoys seeing animals out in nature but what happens when you see them in distress? Say you’re walking along the beach outside your home enjoying your day when you come across an oil spill with a helpless animal stuck in it. How are you supposed to help it? Well here’s how!

            First, determine the animal you’re working with. This could mean birds, fish, sea turtles or even dolphins depending on the area where you live. The type of animal may affect how you help clean them off. If you have any concerns about touching the wild animal or don’t have the materials to clean them remember, you can always call a local aquarium or wildlife services to come help you or take care of it for you. There is nothing wrong with being cautious of wild animals.

[i] When washing a bird, start in one tub and rinse it with soapy water. When the water becomes dirty move to another tub and do it again. Repeat this process of washing the bird in clean water until the oil in its feathers no longer dirties the tub. Remember to be very careful around sensitive areas like the eyes and head in general. You can use soft toothbrushes or cotton swabs to remove caked on oil.[ii] When working with fish, turtles and dolphins just remember to always be gentle. They have soft skin and dolphins and turtles can be susceptible to sunburns. When working with the scales on fish remember to always stroke the same direction the scales lay. Working in the opposite direction can pull up scales and in some cases rip them off.

            In conclusion, oil is a thick and sticky substance that can be hard to remove. If you choose to help the animal yourself remember to be gentle with them and that Dawn is one of the safer and most effective soaps. If you need help you can call local wildlife divisions to send a group out or your local aquarium to pick up the animals.

The Wolves of Yellowstone National Park

RaeShelle Erickson

November 5, 2014

            In 1996, Bob Beschta noticed a river in Yellowstone National Park was over-widened due to over erosion of the river’s banks. He also observed the vegetation that lined the bank had vanished completely. Around the same time, Bill Ripple and Eric Larsen noticed the disappearance of aspen trees throughout the park. Further investigation showed the loss of aspen trees was limited solely to the park. They were thriving everywhere else.  After considering climate change and fire, they decided to look within the trees themselves. By looking at the growth rings within the core, they discovered the 70-year-old trees had stopped regenerating around the 1930’s. The only major change that took place around this time was the reduction of wolves. (1) Between 1883 and 1917, more than 100,000 grey wolves were killed for bounty in Montana, Colorado and Wyoming. By 1970, wolves in general were considered an endangered species which was made official in 1974 after the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973.

            The extinction of wolves was a problem in Yellowstone for multiple reasons. Without wolves, elk populations explode. They had few predators to worry about and no longer had much reason to migrate around in the winter. When that happens, aspen, willow and cottonwood trees suffer. Elk graze on the saplings which prevents them from ever having a chance to grow and mature. This took a fairly large toll on Yellowstone Park’s beaver population as well because they used the wood from willows to help them survive in the winter.

            Beavers are important to the ecology of Yellowstone because they keep willow trees healthy and help the runoff season stay controlled by building their dams in rivers and ponds. This in turn creates cold, shaded water for fish to swim and store water for recharging the water table which means water replenishes groundwater supplies. Healthy willow tree populations provide not only shade but homes for song bird populations and protection for the river banks from erosion as well as providing food. (2)  So if all of these species were in trouble without wolves, how did they reappear in Yellowstone?

            After Bill Ripple and Eric Larsen noticed all the problems happening without the wolves, experts decided it was time we brought the wolves back. This sparked a lot of debate with both farmers and state and government officials who didn’t feel it was important to worry about. However, as time went on, it became more and more apparent that this special ecosystem was not going to be able to repair itself. The elk were getting out of hand, trees were suffering and large species numbers were being lost. Bird populations were disappearing without the food sources wolves helped protect, fish populations were suffering without beavers to build the dams that helped their home. So between 1995 and 1997, 41 grey wolves were brought in from Canada and Montana to try and fix the problems we created. As expected, the wolves dispersed into the park and established packs and territories. Packs in Yellowstone range from 2 to 11 wolves. It has now been roughly 19 years and the wolves have done fantastically. They have done well keeping elk and deer populations in check. Killing these animals doesn’t just benefit the wolf population. Ravens, coyotes, bears and a few other animals will often come by to get in on some dinner. Bears are commonly successful in chasing the wolves off for the kill. The other animals usually only get the scraps the wolves don’t eat.

            Wolf populations have stayed stable throughout the 19 years they have been back. Disease periodically kills off pups but not too often. The first outbreak was in 1999 followed by another in 2005. Distemper will also get to the pups every now and again but they have appeared to handle that fairly well. In 2008, food was less abundant and territorial fights broke out killing quite a few adult wolves. In 2011, the US Fish and Wildlife Services department estimated about 1,650 wolves, 244 packs and 110 breeding pairs. This same year, grey wolves were removed from the endangered species list in Wyoming and Montana. (3)

            The wolves aren’t safe yet. They are still facing tremendous pressure from farmers, hunters and other people who want them removed once again from Yellowstone. Ranchers and farmers worry about wolves killing their livestock. They don’t want to lose money due to the wolf and would prefer the wolves be gone all together. In most parts of the US and Canada, wolves are protected from open hunting however, this does not ensure their safety. Wolves in general need a lot of open space away from humans so they can raise their young and live, but rising human populations means less room for them and more conflict between the two. One major problem involved in the loss of their territory includes the amount of wilderness being lost. For the people who want to protect the wolves, we need to focus on their home as well as the animals themselves. It becomes necessary to provide what they can’t provide for themselves; a healthy, stable environment for them to live in. (4)

            Wolves are fighting for survival all over the country as states have been removing them from the endangered species list. States such as Wyoming and Montana have been considering removing them then setting up protection programs to help boost their population numbers. This isn’t such good news for ranchers and farmers who feel there are too many wolves as is. They seem to fail at realizing the importance of having these creatures in the environment and the vast role they play. They need to take a step back and look at all the good wolves do before they shoot them for the bad.

            In conclusion, wolves are essential to the survival of many species, both plant and animal, not only in Yellowstone National Park but all over the world. They keep populations in check, help plant species flourish and enchant people everywhere with their mystery and power. There are conflicts that occur and sometimes get worse as humans take over more and more of their homes but plenty of wolf advocates have appeared as well to help them out along the way. The wolf in itself is capable of maintaining the wilderness as it is they just need help from us to protect how much wilderness is left. Without the reintroduction in 1995, Yellowstone Park would likely be in critical condition by now if not completely destroyed. We owe the splendor and beauty of the park to the wolf that keeps it as beautiful and clean as it is.

Citations

1. “Wolves in Yellowstone Park” Strange Days on Planet Earth. National Geographic. 11 Oct 2014

2. “Wolf Reintroduction Changes Ecosystem.” Yellowstone Park. 1 June 2011.

3. “Wolves In Yellowstone.” Yellowstone. National Park Service.

4. "Why Are Wolves Endangered?" Wolf Country. 25 Oct. 2014.