The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-07-03
REDIN CTON IS
 GRATIFIED AT
 PROGRESS HERE
Wild Life Here in Good Shape, Says Chief of
 Biological Survey

Alaska's game animals and fur bearers are in good condition, there are no evidences of serious deple- tion in either. and while there are some problems of administration as we'll as regulation yet existing, they are not so serious as they were in the not far distant past, are the views of Paul Redington, Chief of the United States Bio logical Survey.
 He is here today on his first trip to Alaska since 1928 At that time he covered a large part of the Territory and studied field con- ditions very carefully. He is aiding the Senate Committee on Wild Life Conservation in it's present study of Alaska's wild life resources.
 Drouth Hits Birds
 The same degree of satisfaction with which he views conditions here does not attend his outlook on wild life in the States. Particu- larly is this true as regards mil gratory wild fowl. Drouth in cer- tain sections of the United States and in Canada's three big prairie provinces has hit them severely. Ducks are particularly affected
 "The situation with reference to migrtory wild fowl is extremely precarious," he said Breeding areas in several Western States, includ- ing Utah, Wyoming and Montana, are drying up and cutting off the annual crop of young birds. While Washington and Oregon have had sufficient rain, there is at least one section of the latter State, at Nal heur Lake, affected by lack of water.
 Call from Canada
 When he reached here, MT. Red- Iington found awaiting him a call | for aid from Game Commissioner Etter of Saskatchewan. In a tele- gram, in which he urged MT. Red ington and the Wild Life Commit tee to return through Canada for a conference, he said that Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are drought-swept and that the "situa- tion is alarming with the duck hatch seriously cut" Commission CT Etter said if the Americans could visit the provinces he would under take to arrange for a conference with the western Canadian authori- ties.
 This is matter of deep interest to us, since many of the ducks com- ing to the States breed in these affected provinces of Canada" MT. Redington said. From them come canvasback, mallard, teal, pintail and other species of ducks.
 When he visited Vancouver re- gently, he was informed by Allen Brooks, celebrated Canadian paint CT of birds, that 98 per cent of the prairie province breeding grounds are drought affected.
 Country Giving Aid
 The Government, MT. Redington said, is doing a great deal of work, spending much money, to improve the situation in the United States. It is establishing breeding and feed ing refuges in favorable localities. The great refuge at Bear River marsh is taking form steadily. By next year, an additional 46000 acres will be under water, and the refuge when completed, will have 76,000 acres where the wild bird flocks can feed and breed.
 MT. Redington expressed his pleasure at being back in the Ter ritory. He keeps in close touch with the local administration of game and fur bearers, working through the Alaska Game Commis- sion, and believes that that organ ization is making progress in it's task of preserving all varieties of wild life without curtailing it's use more than safety demands.