Joe Manchin III, Governor
Frank Jezioro, Director

News Release : August 23, 2007

Hoy Murphy, Public Information Officer (304) 558-3381 hoymurphy@wvdnr.gov
Contact: Chris Ryan, Wildlife Resources Section (304) 558-2771 wildlife@wvdnr.gov

WV Bear Trapping Techniques to be Featured on History Channel’s ‘Modern Marvels’ Monday, August 27

Beginning next Monday, biologists from West Virginia’s Division of Natural Resources will be featured on an episode of The History Channel’s “Modern Marvels” cable television show. The DNR biologists humanely trap black bears for a population study in this nationally televised episode about animal and human traps.

The show will air Monday, Aug. 27, at 8 p.m. and again Tuesday, Aug. 28, at 12 a.m. A production crew from the show traveled to Elkins, W.Va., in June to work with DNR Bear Project Leader Chris Ryan and other DNR biologists to videotape modern methods of bear trapping, tagging and releasing.

The History Channel’s program description reads, “Gotcha! Traps are a device designed to capture, but they don't always harm their prey and are often necessary for the survival of a species. Watch as black bears are trapped by West Virginia Division of Natural Resources biologists for a population study. Feral cats left stranded in New Orleans after Katrina are trapped, neutered, and released. Head underwater to see how giant screw traps count salmon on the Columbia River. Man traps? See high tech versions, straight out of action movies.”

Please check your local listings for additional information. Direct TV subscribers should also check their channel listings. You may also go to this link to the History Channel Web site’s schedule page: www.history.com/schedule.do?action=daily for additional information.

**DNR**