Lost and Imperiled Species Panel

Sea otters in an intimate moment.\Photo by Fritz Wilhelm.

Species that are no longer with us, and species that are at risk of disappearing, will be the theme of a panel discussion offered by Oregon Wild, "Lost and Imperiled Species of the Oregon Coast: An Exploration of Oregon's Iconic, Recovering, and Threatened Wildlife."  It takes place Thursday, Aug. 16, 5:30 p.m., in the Yachats Commons (441 Hwy 101 in the middle of Yachats).  The event is free and open to the public.

Oregon Shores board member Bob Bailey, who represents us on the Elakha Alliance, will speak on sea otters—their extinction in Oregon, and their possible return.  The alliance of several conservation groups and Native American tribes, which Oregon Shores helped to found, works toward researching the possibilities for reintroducing sea otters to the Oregon coastal environment.

The panel also includes Cindy Burns of the Siuslaw National Forest; Paul Engelmeyer of Portland Audubon; Wayne Hoffman of the MidCoast Watershed Council; and Danielle Moser, Oregon Wild’s wildlife coordinator.  In addition to sea otters, the other species that will be the primary focal points of the discussion are marbled murrelets, martens, and California condors. The panle will discuss the history and ecological role of threatened native species, and the challenges to protecting or recovering them.  After each panelist speaks, the moderator will ask some scripted questions, which will be followed by an audience Q&A.

For more information, contact Danielle Moser, Wildlife Coordinator for Oregon Wild: dm@oregonwild.org.