As the cold of Arctic winter releases its' grip upon life within the northern slope of Alaska, snow and ice recede revealing the expanse of tundra comprising the Arctic Coastal Plain. This region is a level to gently rolling landscape that originates at the foothills of the Brooks Range, stretching northward to meet the Beaufort Sea. (The photograph above is taken within one mile of the coastline, looking southward thirty five miles to the Sadlerochit Mountains of the Brooks Range).

With an abundance of fresh water and the slowly rising temperatures of spring, the coastal tundra flourishes with the new season's growth of grass, sedges and lichen. The entire region becomes lush with grazing opportunity for caribou.

Shortly following the event of calving, coinciding with the opening of the tundra, vast numbers of caribou scattered across the plain come together forming closely associated herds. These large groups of caribou migrate across the coastal plain, joining yet still with other newly formed herds. This season long procession of bulls, yearlings, open females and cows with newly born calves streaming in massive numbers across the Arctic Coastal Plain, is called the "post-calving aggregation". Extreme sensitivity to disturbance and foreign structure becomes a significant intensification in caribou behavior expressed during the post-calving aggregation.

While often characterized as a random and inexplicable wandering across the Arctic Coastal Plain, however chaotic and repetitive the appearance, the post-calving aggregation movements are deliberate, specific and represent the essential survival of these animals.

Unfortunately for the caribou of the Porcupine and Central Arctic herds, the late spring-summer season also brings forth an abundance of insects, specifically of which, the Warble Fly is a most egregious offender. It is this insect, the Warble Fly, Hypoderma tarandi, whose larvae burrow within the flesh of the caribou, feeding upon and depleting the caribou's health. It is this insect that is responsible for the behavior and movement of caribou: the forced advance of tens of thousands of animals driven to a sole mission: escape being infested. Areas of environmental conditions that suppress or defeat the Warble Fly's ability to infest caribou, I am denoting as "sanctuary". Absent suitable access to sanctuary (relief), infestation of larvae within the caribou can reach the thousands, introducing significant probability of host mortality. It is specifically the environmental conditions unique to the 1002 region of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that affords the caribou this sanctuary, (a range where relief from the invading Warble Fly, is possible). This sanctuary enables the caribou to mitigate levels of Warble Fly infestation to numbers below that of life threatening. It is specifically the risk of development, the disruption of free and unimpeded access to areas of sanctuary that would likely result in the life-threatening infestation of the Warble Fly within the caribou.

It is my contention that caribou do not come north to drop their calves, but that in due course of their travel, they simply do so along the way. Caribou come north to the 1002 region of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for only one reason: survival. The 1002 region is a unique and crucial environment facilitating the necessary movement for the tens of thousands of caribou grouped in their post-calving aggregation. They must feed and gain condition to endure the harshness of the coming Arctic winter, they must escape the infestation of Warble Flies to remain healthy enough to live.

The post-calving aggregation is but the manifestation of this instinctive mandate; the "1002 Sanctuary" is the only environment in which this is possible.

There is only one geographical region free of development (tolerable to the sensitive nature of caribou throughout the post calving aggregation) that offers the caribou both graze and Warble Fly relief: the 1002 Sanctuary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. There is no alternative, the caribou have no other region of sanctuary to access. If the 1002 Sanctuary Region is lost to development, as locations of Warble Fly relief become inaccessible to the caribou, the very existence of caribou within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, becomes jeopardized.

In the following pages I will present the extensive documentation and details fully illustrating the interactive dynamics of the Caribou-Warble Fly-Environmental Interdependencies. Scientific research in support of observed and documented behavior, has been obtained and will be presented. There is more than sufficient basis and data to conclude that this position is in fact a factual and comprehensive exposé of why it is imperative not to develop the 1002 Sanctuary of the National Wildlife Refuge. To date, within the 1002 Sanctuary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, there has been no research conducted of this issue, nor is any being planned or considered. If the unfortunate pressure for development yet continues, I believe it to be only reasonable and prudent to demand an independent and credible study of these dynamics prior to any disruption of the region. Any plan upon which development is initiated absent this research, stands in willful disregard of life, the pursuit of truth and the future of our species.