THE SHAME OF POINT REYES
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Death Traps and Home Ranges

7/13/2021

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2020's false hope is 2021's death trap
On July 5th, 6th, and 7th of 2021 I witnessed elk on the hills surrounding Central Pond 2 as well as down next to the "pond".  This so-called water source is nothing but a mud hole and potential death trap as evidenced by the corpses documented in this same spot last September.  
There is nothing there for these elk.  Nothing but false hope, disappointment, and potential death.  Yet they are still there. What does this tell us?
For starters it lets us know that this fantasy world some have concocted in which all the elk magically find their way to a tiny trough miles away (that they don't even know exists) is exactly that; a naive fantasy providing convenient denial.   It is also evidence of the significance of the home ranges of the sub herds, which a prior study shows that each group of elk mostly stick to areas they have apparently designated as "theirs."
Further north in the reserve (continued below)
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is "North Pond 2" which has also provided fools a sense of false "health security" for the elk because it didn't go completely bone dry in 2020 (like all the other bodies of water).   That may not be true this year.  On July 7th of 2021 North Pond 2 appears HALF the size that it did in September of 2020.  With record heat waves wrecking the state and no hope of rain for at least 5 months it is likely this stagnant cess pool will also be bone dry.
But before it goes completely dry it too will become a death trap...(continued below)
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...it is likely this so-called pond is on its way to being last year's Central Pond 2, the death trap pond.  Why wouldn't it?  The banks are already difficult to walk through and there appears to be signs of struggle where at least one elk had to drag itself away from the water's edge.  Can you imagine?  It's like one of those sick Hollywood horror films where the bad guy offers the victim a chance at escape if only they put themselves in harm's way first.  Water, albeit disgusting water, awaits these elk if they can only manage to trudge through the mud.  Unlike last year, the elk hanging out in the area stayed far from the water's edge.
Let's compare to Central Pond 2 in 2021...(continued below)
Take a moment to observe the details of central Pond 2's status as of July 7th.
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Look how deep the elk tracks go around the perimeter of Central Pond 2 in July of 2021. Also note that the holes do not fill up with water despite the depth.
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Show me the water. I made the mistake of walking too close and started sinking in mud immediately...and that was at the furthest edges. The middle must be a guaranteed death sentence.
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How CP2 looks from higher on the hill as of July 7th 2021
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It made me quite sad to see elk still frequenting this death trap, presumably hoping that water will appear where they once were accustomed to water.
Below is video footage showing the proximity of the elk to Central Pond 2 on July 7th.  In the first clip I am down in the pond, in the second I am up on the hill. 
For comparison below are images of Central Pond 2 on September 25th, 2020
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It sounds like I'm making a sick joke, but if you look next to this elk's skull you can see the available water in 2020
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Which year is worse? Keep in mind we have almost three months to go until the same time this photo was taken a year ago.
Now let's look at North Pond 2
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Matthew Polvorosa Kline in front of North Pond 2 in 2021
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Skyler Thomas in front of North Pond 2 in September of 202o
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Signs of struggle? Detail of the banks of North Pond 2 seem to indicate an elk struggling to pull away from the water's edge.
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Zooming in on the northern bank helps one understand how deep the tracks are. With no tracks next to the water's edge does this mean the elk have stopped risking getting to the water?
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It looks different, but I promise it is the same pond. The water has been diminished for so long vegetation has closed in on the borders. Where are the elk and other animals?
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Going back to 2020, elk stood in the water and around the water. Ducks and herons were also present. Today's pond has none of these.
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and we thought it was bad that year... still frame from the 2020 series 'Adequate Water'.
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Believe it or not the above and below images are the same location not even a year separated.  Which one looks good to drink from?
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Dead Elk Walking

7/10/2021

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July 7, 2021.  Location: North Pond 2 (northern end of the elk reserve)
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One relatively healthy male was amongst several unhealthy males and as the healthy male moved among the rest it provided quite the visual comparison.  The exposed ribs are obvious, but also notice the pronounced hip and shoulder blades.  The rectum is extended, inflamed, and covered in black excrement.  The hip area appears collapsed rather than filled out as in the healthy male. 
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This elk is starving even as he eats.
“I can think of no worse way to die. It is prolonged agony, where the elk are presumably hungry all of the time.” - Veterinarian Dr. Amy Allen in her testimony in the lawsuit against Point Reyes National Seashore
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Rips, hip bones, a distended rectum, and fecal matter on the backside of the elk tell the tale of internal suffering
Watch the video below to see a healthy male with a diseased male. 
Unwary tourists walked past us “happy to see wildlife” even as Mathew P. Kline and I instead observed a very different scene than what the tourists were seeing. ​
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A striking contrast of the backsides of two elk next to each other in the elk reserve
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Background: Note the sharp lines of the elk's skeleton coming into view compared to the rounded out elk in the foreground.

Words from the Pacific Sun article that investigated the necropsies of deceased elk in the reserve came to mind as we watched.

“Three of the necropsied elk were found alive, unable to stand or lift their heads; they expired within hours or were euthanized by gunshot. Before he passed, one young male, a “spike,” was “observed laying down, kicking and unable to right itself.” As with the other emaciated elk, the spike’s muscle, fat and bone marrow were severely atrophied; his body was eating itself. He perished foaming at the mouth and nose. His abdomen was swollen with excess fluid, and he suffered from hepatitis and liver abscesses. Worms were devouring the linings of his lungs, trachea and intestines. He died from starvation and maladies tied to mineral deficiencies and eating poisonous plants.”
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A relatively healthy elk walks in front of a suffering elk in Point Reyes National Seashore
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A third male also showing signs of disease. The frame looks more like a coat hanger than a heavily muscled individual.
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The head, neck, and antlers look so heavy on an unhealthy body
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The neck, head, and antlers suddenly look so heavy when connected to a dying body
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A tear wells in my eye as I imagine the agonizing chaos taking place inside of an animal that has a bloated stomach while also showing ribs of starvation.
"His abdomen was swollen with excess fluid, and he suffered from hepatitis and liver abscesses. Worms were devouring the linings of his lungs, trachea and intestines." - Necropsy report
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Comparison: This was the only relatively healthy male seen around the "pond" with the other males
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It is hard not to think of the black waters of the disgusting puddle the elk are forced to drink from as I also look at their blackened backsides, proclaiming the presence of disease the elk may very well have gotten from the water. 
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North Pond 2. The best of what is left. Naive, calloused, or just pro-ranching, many people will insist this water is all that is required to support all the wildlife in the elk reserve. Sadly the park service is amongst these people.
#nationalparks #tulelek #starvation #dehydration #poison #disease #elkreserve #pointreyes #pointreyesnationalseashore #deathbydesign #animalabuse #intentionaldeath #pacificsun #inverness #melaniegunn #davepress #craigkenkel
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  • Blog
  • The Film
  • Donate
  • Truth isn't Easy
    • MALT Considerations
    • The Families (Overview Page) >
      • Mendoza
    • Morning Cup of Cow Shit
    • Adequate Water
    • Regenerative Ranching Debunked
    • An Ecologist's Tour of Point Reyes
    • Wildlife Biologist 1
    • Ignoring the Public
    • Ranching Association
    • All Bonus Video Material
    • 50 Minutes of Destruction
    • 45 Minutes of Marin Destruction
    • Debunking Propaganda
    • Calf Reality
    • Cruelty: Standard Practice
    • Plant Ecology Crash Course
  • Take Action
    • Local Voices Project
    • Contacting Officials and Papers
    • Newsletter signup
    • Contact the Filmmaker
    • Social Media
    • Contact PRNS
    • Plan a screening
    • CBD Action Page
    • Public Comment
  • Resources
    • Regenerative Bullshit
    • Fire
    • Documents >
      • An Administrative History
      • Plants and Cattle
      • Water Waivers
      • Leases
      • Point Blue Study - Ranching Harms Native Birds
      • Ranching and Ravens - Audobon Study
      • Responsive Management Survey
      • FOIA / Rancher Violations
      • PRNS Coastal Watershed Assessment
      • Top Crappy Places
      • An Administrative History of PRNS
      • Original Legislation
      • Ranchers Fighting Against the Seashore
      • The Dynastic Wealth of Point Reyes Ranch Families
    • 'This Land' - The Uncomfortable Truth
    • Bruce Keegan History
    • The New Threat
    • Plan F
    • Facts VS. Myths
    • By The Numbers
    • For Elk
    • Nature in National Parks
  • Sign Up