Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Monday 27 noveMber 2017

Black bears back in eastern Nevada after 80-year absence

along the California line. empirical examples of ge-
In some cases, recent netic consequences of
generations have moved natural recolonization in
hundreds of miles to sites large-bodied mammals.”
near the Utah line, mark- Carl Lackey, a Nevada
ing a rare example of large state biologist, and Marjo-
mammals recolonizing ar- rie Matocq, a UNR scientist,
eas where they’d been co-authored the study.
wiped out. The data provides ammu-
“The recovery of large nition for advocates of in-
carnivores is relatively rare creased protection of wild-
globally,” said Jon Beck- life corridors for a number
mann, a conservation sci- of species in the basin — a
entist for the Wildlife Con- vast stretch of desert and
servation Society in Boze- mountain ranges that cov-
man, Montana, who co- ers most of Nevada, half of
authored the new study. Utah and parts of Idaho,
It concludes that bear Wyoming, Oregon and
populations originating in California.
western Nevada mountain The study says the results
ranges have the genetic are timely and relevant be-
diversity necessary to sus- cause of projected climate
tain the new subpopula- change and the effects of
tions. human population growth.
The findings are the result “As the human footprint
of a partnership between expands over time in the
A black bear searches for Kokanee salmon as it walks along Taylor Creek in South Lake Tahoe, wildlife management and region, this level of genetic
Calif. More than 500 black bears have made their way back into parts of their historic range in the geneticists based on bear connection among various
Great Basin of central and northeast Nevada where the species had disappeared about 80 years hair and blood samples mountain ranges may not
ago, scientists say. taken over 20 years, said last without conservation
(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Jason Malaney, an envi- efforts to maintain connec-
By SCOTT SONNER historic range in the Great A new study says genetic ronmental scientist at the tivity,” it says. Black bears
Associated Press Basin of Nevada where testing confirms the bears University of Nevada, Reno, were prevalent across
RENO, Nev. (AP) — More the species disappeared are making their way east who led the study. most of Nevada during the
than 500 black bears have about 80 years ago, scien- from the Sierra ranges north He wrote that the study 1800s but had been dev-
returned to parts of their tists say. and south of Lake Tahoe represents “one of the few astated in the Great Basin
by the early 1900s, primarily
Archeologists find Roman shipwrecks off Egypt’s coast due to unregulated hunt-
ing, conflicts with livestock
CAIRO (AP) — Egypt says the Supreme Council of An- crystal and three gold coins The discoveries were made ranchers, logging and
overgrazing. Over time,
archaeologists have dis- tiquities, says the discovery dating back to Rome’s first in Alexandria’s Abu Qir Bay. bears have benefited from
covered three sunken ship- was made in collaboration emperor, Augustus. Separately from the Ro- a reduction in logging,
wrecks dating back more with the European Institute Parts of large wooden man-era finds, a votive bark combined with improved
than 2,000 years to Roman of Underwater Archaeol- planks and archaeologi- of the pharaonic god Osiris land management prac-
times off the coast of the ogy. cal remains of pottery ves- was found in the nearby tices and an emphasis on
city of Alexandria. Waziri says the archeolo- sels were also found, which sunken city of Heraklion.q conservation, the study
Last week’s statement from gists also uncovered a could have been part of said.q
Mostafa Waziri, the head of head sculpture carved in the ships’ cargo.