Save the Forest, Save the Wildlife!

For many of the endangered large mammals that inhabit the North Cascades terrestrial ecosystem, such as the grizzly bears, the lynx, and several packs of wolves, their survival is dependent on the ecosystems large habitat and habitat connectivity (Groom, 2006, p. 413). Larger animals require larger areas of land to prey, reproduce, and survive on. Currently the North Cascades contains an ecosystem that provides the sufficient quantity and quality of habitat to support sustaining populations of their current and future large carnivores (USDA Forest Service, 1985).

Loss of Habitat Will Directly Effect the Ecosystem's Large Carnivore Populations

The ecosystems large carnivores that require large area of land for their resources, will experience an immediate negative effect with habitat loss (Groom, 2006, p. 413). For some of these larger carnivore populations, this direct effect could result with displacement or in complete removal from the North Cascades ecosystems, for other populations this loss could mean facing extinction as whole  

Grizzly Bears At Risk!

With just less than ten grizzlies in Washington's Cascades, and the animals extremely slow reproductive rate, the  population won't recover without an experimental introduction approach of adding individuals from other distant grizzly bear populations.

 

                                                       Photo Credit   

Recovery

A successful recovery the wide-roaming north cascades population of grizzlies depends on the ecosystems extended range of connected habitat  (Groom, 2006, p. 413). conducted by biologist who are experts in this field, confirmed that the ecosystem contains the sufficient habitat components to support a self-sustaining population of grizzly bears (USDA Forest Service, 1985). However, if habitat were to be loss through deforestation, the ecosystem may not than contain the sufficient quantity and quality it once had to support a sustaining population of grizzly bears.

 

Recovery Map. Credited: North Cascades National Park

The figure above shows the North cascades ecosystems recovery zone for grizzly bears. The purposes of this map is to show the large distribution and range of land thats needed in recovering of the North Cascade grizzly bears

Bring Back Our Native Wolves!
The survival and success of the Endangered Gray Wolf population In washington State depends on the existing North Cascades ecosystem and the connective habitat ( The U.S. Endangered Species Act, 1973).  Prior to human activities that lead to their displacement, gray wolfs were once native to Washington State, and the North Cascades. 

Photo Credit

Endangered Species Act 
Recently, the Endangered Species Act published an Environmental Impact Statement for the reintroduction of Gray Wolves back into Washington State, by natural dispersal of wolves in Canada (The U.S. Endangered Species Act, 1973). After many years of being absent, wolves have begun to return to eastern Washington and the North Cascades. However, if the wolves have any chance of returning and successfully establishing a population here, it will require that no existing habitat of the North Cascades be lost.