The first week we were in the Tetons for the Photography at the Summit Workshop. This is one of the Rich Clarkson series of Workshops. Rich brings in a number of top photo pros and its a busy week of wildlife shooting, classes and critiques. We spend most of our time working with Nikon (who is a sponsor) and taking groups of students out to shoot. The second week we spent with friends shooting in Yellowstone.
Now to the point...We've made at least 2 visits a year, for the last 10 or more years, to this area and I'm amazed how in the last few years, the amount of wildlife seems to have decreased dramatically. We are seeing far fewer bears, moose, elk and other animals than we did just four or five years ago. This is particularly noticeable in the Fall. I'm not sure of the reason for this but there seems to be several theories.
First and most reasonable is that in the last couple of years there has been a dramatic increase in visitors to these parks. This sharp increase in visitors has sort of "freaked-out the animals" and they have retreated to more remote areas of the parks.
Another theory proposes that these parks have become "over-managed" by the park service. The park service's desire to keep visitors and wildlife separated is working too well. This was the first year I actually saw an area of the Tetons park closed because there were bears in the area.
Weather could be a third factor. In years past there would be a foot or more of snow on the ground by the second week of October but in the last couple of years the daytime temperature, this time of the year, has been as high as the 70's. The animals, who have grown in their winter coats, are too hot and therefore inactive. Anybody who thinks global warming is a myth is just engaging in "magical thinking" pretending that if they say it doesn't exist it won't. Global warming here and its obvious.
Whatever the reason for this dearth of wildlife I hope it temporary. In the meantime we're off to Alaska.
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