Conservation of Rare Carnivores in the North Cascades Ecosystem, Western North America

The North Cascades Ecosystem of Washington (USA) and British Columbia (Canada) still supports a community of large mammalian carnivores, although some species may be seriously threatened with extirpation. This paper provides a summary of information on the numbers of grizzly bear (Ursus arctos Merri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Natural areas journal 2000-10, Vol.20 (4), p.366-375
Main Authors: Gaines, William L., Singleton, Peter, Gold, Andrea L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bears
Canada, British Columbia
Canis lupus
Carnivores
CONSERVATION ISSUES
Forest habitats
Grizzly bears
Gulo gulo
Habitat conservation
Lynx
Lynx canadensis
Ursus arctos
USA, Washington
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife ecology
Wildlife management
Wolves
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Summary:The North Cascades Ecosystem of Washington (USA) and British Columbia (Canada) still supports a community of large mammalian carnivores, although some species may be seriously threatened with extirpation. This paper provides a summary of information on the numbers of grizzly bear (Ursus arctos Merriam), gray wolf (Canis lupus Hall and Kelson), Canadian lynx (Lynx canadensis Kurten and Rausch), and wolverine (Gulo gulo Kurten and Rausch), and an overview of current conservation efforts in the North Cascades Ecosystem. Basic research on population status, distribution, habitat needs, and limiting factors is needed for many of these species, because limited field investigations have been conducted in the region. It may be appropriate to approach some research tasks, such as basic surveys and evaluation of habitat connectivity, using a multi-species approach. In addition, a multi-species approach may be appropriate to address conservation issues such as monitoring, human access, and prey species management. By raising the awareness of managers, scientists, and the public about these issues, we hope to recognize the opportunity to recover a full complement of native carnivores and a functioning ecosystem in the North Cascades Ecosystem. This is an opportunity that is becoming extremely limited on a global scale.
ISSN:0885-8608
2162-4399