AR-News: FW: [fws-alaska-news] Chirikof Island Cattle Arrive on Kodiak Island

[jim robertson]

>
>For Immediate Release
>Dec. 5, 2003
>
>Contact: Greg Siekaniec 907-235-6546  or
>
>Bruce Woods 907-786-3695
>
>Twenty-three privately-owned, free-range cattle that were safely
>transported by private barge from Chirikof Island to Kodiak Island, are
>currently in holding pens, located on private land at Middle Bay, Kodiak
>Island, under the care of their owners and a local vet.  Alaska Regional
>Director, Rowan Gould, said today "We care a great deal about the treatment
>of these animals and have taken all the steps necessary to try to ensure
>that they are receiving proper treatment. There have been some allegations
>about mistreatment of these cattle presented by other sources that are,
>fortunately, not true."
>
>The privately-owned cattle are being removed from Chirikof Island, part of
>the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, to facilitate recovery of the
>island's biological diversity and ecosystem health.  The purposes of the
>refuge, as stated in the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act,
>include conserving seabird populations of national and international
>significance and does not include private sector grazing. As a result, the
>Service has worked with a private company and owner of the cattle to remove
>the livestock from the island.
>
>According to Refuge Manager, Greg Siekaniec, during the summer of 2002,
>over 600 cattle were believed to roam the island. These cattle are a
>mixture of several breeds including Siberian, Shorthorn, Longhorn, Angus,
>Jersey, and Holstein. Herefords were added more recently.  Having grazed
>for years on isolated Chirikof Island the cattle are well adapted to Alaska
>weather and are very hardy.
>
>On November 26, 2003 the cattle left Chirikof Island via private barge and
>headed to Kodiak Island.  A fuel stop was made in Old Harbor, Kodiak
>Island, where approximately a dozen were sold locally. Continuing on to the
>City of Kodiak, the animals were fed and watered on the barge until
>arrangements could be made to off-load them. All twenty-three cattle were
>removed from the barge late on December 3 and through the early hours of
>December 4, 2003 and placed in private holding pens and pasture at Middle
>Bay, Kodiak Island.
>
>For years, the island has been subject to very complicated land status
>reviews and considerations.  Early discussions of a land exchange with the
>State of Alaska ended with the State concluding that the island would not
>make an appropriate acquisition due to difficult logistics and past
>failures of ranching attempts.  However, the State is again expressing
>interest in negotiating a resolution that will preserve the Chirikof cattle
>herd.
>
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>
>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency
>responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, and
>plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
>people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge
>System, which encompasses 542 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
>wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national
>fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices, and 81 ecological services
>field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the
>Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores
>nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat
>such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation
>efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds
>of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to
>state fish and wildlife agencies.
>
>                                    - FWS
>
>       For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
>                  visit our home page at http://www.fws.gov
>
>
>

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