[ODFW-News] ODFW announces Rocky Mountain Goat reintroduction plan for Columbia River Gorge Public meetings to be held on proposal

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 	
Contacts: Information and Education 503-947-6002	

Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us  Fax: (503) 657-2050
	

For Immediate Release	Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005

ODFW announces Rocky Mountain Goat reintroduction plan for Columbia
River Gorge Public meetings to be held on proposal

CLACKAMAS - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing to
reintroduce Rocky Mountain goats to the Columbia River Gorge with the
hope of sustaining a population there for the first time in nearly 200
years. 

The Lewis and Clark Expedition first reported the presence of mountain
goats in journals during its return trip back up the Columbia River.
While camped near the present-day Bonneville Dam, Meriwether Lewis wrote
about the abundant goats found by the tribal people among the cliffs of
the mountains on the Oregon side of the river. Between the time of the
Lewis and Clark expedition and the arrival of settlers through the area
in the 1840s, the goats disappeared from the gorge area and no records
have been found in settlers' journals. However, historic scientific
documents between 1813 and 1820 reported the presence of goats in the
area.

ODFW proposes to trap 15-20 Rocky Mountain goats from a healthy
population in the Elkhorn Mountains near Baker City and release them in
the Herman Creek Basin near Cascade Locks. During July 2005, goats would
be baited with salt and captured using a drop net. The goats then would
be transported to the release site and turned loose during daylight
hours. 

ODFW, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service Columbia Gorge
National Scenic Area, will hold two public meetings this month to
discuss the reintroduction proposal and gain public input. The
reintroduction plan must be approved by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife
Commission before the transplant can occur.

The public meetings will be held 7-9 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 26, at the
ODFW Screen Shop, 3561 Klindt Drive, The Dalles; and 7-9 p.m., Thursday,
Jan. 27, at the Mt. Hood National Forest Headquarters, 16400 Champion
Way, Sandy.

ODFW made previous attempts to re-establish mountain goats in the gorge
from 1969 through 1980. However, inability of male goats to survive, too
few animals released and the use of multiple release sites likely led to
the failed reintroductions.

More information about the meetings and the proposed release can be
obtained from Keith Kohl, ODFW wildlife biologist in The Dalles,
541-296-4628, or Don VandeBergh, ODFW wildlife biologist at Sauvie
Island, 503-621-3488.

###