The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-08-18
fires AND DROUGHT
TAKE HUGE TOLL OF
Wild LIFE ANDFISH
American Game Protective As
ISOLATION Report Tells Of
Great Losses This Summer

-
New York, Aug. 18-Drought and
forest fires have taken an enormous
toll of wild life and fish throughout
the United States, according to re-
ports reaching the American Game
Protective association with national
headquarters here. The depletion of
game and fish, 1t is believed, will be
felt for years.
Birds and beasts, fish and fowl have
suffered alike from both causes. The
large number of forest fires destroyed
countless number Of wild folk. Ashes
and burned timber falling into lakes,
streams and swamps formed q dead
~ kind Of I've and poisoned fish life.
The drought lowered water levels Of
streams and lakes, in. many cases
drying them up. leaving, the fish
dead on the hard baked bottoms.
The finny tribes have already
been decimated and destroyed to q
degree that Is incalculable," an an
nouncement Of the United States
Bureau Of Fisheries at Washington
declares. "And the seekers of fish
for sport and food will be ruefully
aware Of the losses for many seasons
to come.
"All Of the cold water game fish,
such as trout, began to show signs
Of the stress weeks ago" Mr.. Lewis
Radcliffe, deputy commissioner of
the Bureau, said. GAS the tempera-
ture Of their brooks and streams ran
up, there were wholesale endeavors to
rescue these fish and place them in
streams where they might live.
"The actual dropping Of water
levels in lakes and rivers everywhere
has played havoc with other fish
tribes" Mr.. Radcliffe said.
Black bass, an essentially warm
water fish, and many other species
died in water thought to be deprived
by the excessive heat of its normal
content of oxygen. Motor boats were
kept going in many lakes throughout
the country to keep the water stirred
up. thus creating more oxygen. Their
propellers were rugged half out Of
water so that the revolving blades
thrust oxygen Of the air into the
water. Millions of fish, 1t is reported,
could be seen gasping for breath on
the surface of lakes. The warmer
water, too, advanced the rapid growth
Of algae, which requires a high con-
tent of oxygen, thus taking an in
creased amount Of oxygen from the
water.
Although the dry nesting and brood
ing seasons Of early spring and sum-
mer favored most wild life, the con-
tinued drought is causing distress and
death among many species, it is re-
ported. The lack of water and the
excessive heat killed many Of the
babies of the wilds.
These conditions obtained III nearly
every state in the union. 1t will be
some time before state game COM
missioners, the United States Bureau
If Biological Survy, and the United
States Bureau Of Fisheries Can deter
nine an approximate toll taken of
Wild life and fish. Indications are it
5 stupendous.
Because Of these events, it is all
the more imperative for all of us to
devote every effort to conserve the
decimated ranks and schools CT our
wild life and fish," Carlos Avery, pres
ident Of the American Game Protec-
tive association, said. alarming as
the situation u.s." MI. Avery continued,
I'VE can not only conserve what we
have left, but we can restore the
losses if the public will turn to and
help their state game and fish COM
missions.
Tie up your dogs, pen up your
house cats: for both take enormous
toll daily Of wild life, and then ask
your commission to tell you what to
do to help restore the wild folk.
Everyone's help is needed; you can
practice environmental control. or
artificial propagation or both, and
help in many other ways. Now is the
time to stay well within all bag and
creel limits. Give the Wild folks q
chance" he concluded,