BY MATTHEW BROWN
Associated Press
BILLINGS, MONT. — Government researchers have lost their license to a set of radio frequencies used to track more than 100 radio-collared wolves and elk at Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone biologist Doug Smith said Thursday that new licensee Northwestern Energy is letting the research work continue, allowing the park to avoid more than $450,000 in estimated costs to restart the program.
Smith says radio signals from collared wildlife experienced interference this past winter after NorthWestern acquired the frequencies, but researchers still could track the animals.
The license used by the park accidentally was allowed to expire several years ago.
Park service emails obtained by the group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility show officials were concerned the loss of monitoring data would jeopardize years of science on wolves and the elk herds they prey upon.