Bitterroot Valley resident tracks growing deformities by examining road kill-
New West has a story today about the likely effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on deer. Bitterroot Rebel With a Cause. Genetic, Genital Damage in Montana Wildlife? (bad link is now fixed). By Joan Melcher. New West.
Almost half of the bucks had structural abnormalities.
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project and the creator of The Wildlife News.
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Ralph, link appears to be bad….
Thanks! I fixed it. RM
Very interesting. Goes to show all it takes to be a good scientist is a curious intellect, basic research tools and a healthy dose of scepticism. I liked one of the comments on the bottom:
“”The study, however, is important, if only because it is not politically driven nor has it ever been. The researcher is not an academic looking for a grant to serve his or her own situation. It is from the curious mind of someone who is intent of assembling and categorizing data, and that data will be important to further understanding the evolution of wild animals in an agrarian countryside. Puzzles have many pieces, and you need them all to see the big picture. Kudos to Judy Hoy for adding to knowledge.””
Pesticides are nasty, nasty stuff. Anyone who thinks you can “spray and forget” is sadly mistaken. Our testing technology is dwarfed by our ability to make things, which results in stories like this. Most pesticides should be made illegal.
First, all the amphibians and reptiles were the species showing signs of sex disruption, and now we see it moving up the food chain. Just think what all the prescription drugs and antibacterial agents being flushed into the water systems will be doing to us in the coming years.
There was a GREAT article in the Sunday NYTimes on water pollution and how we have slipped backwards in our enforcement, and how much damage has been done. A great deal of the piece is concerned with coal and effects on folks in West Virginia, but can’t see why some of these same effects wouldn’t be of concern in Wyoming, for example.
Even worse, there appears to be no good way to get these prescription drugs and excessive antibacterials out of the water system; it appears as if only reverse osmosis has any promise. $$$$$$$