MSU Research roundup-Bobcats everywhere-Helping the homeless-Battling blue tongue-Old man winter

Bobcats everywhere

MSU is the official home of the Bobcats. But wild bobcats can be found all across Montana in a variety of terrains, says Brian Giddings, state furbearer coordinator. They live in the mountains. They slink through sagebrush, grasslands, foothills and timber. Montana now has an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 bobcats. They generally live six to eight years, and the adults weigh 20 to 35 pounds. Bobcats are "crepuscular," which means they’re most active at twilight or just before sunrise. Wildlife researchers, including those at MSU, conducted several bobcat studies during the 1980s. However, lynx are one of today’s hot topics in the Northern Rockies, says biologist Lynn Irby of MSU.

Helping the homeless

Two Native American students are helping design transitional housing for 20 homeless tribal members on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, says Daniel Glenn of the MSU School of Architecture. A descendent of the Crow tribe, Glenn started designing the project last spring with an entire class. Continuing to work with him are Brian Still Smoking, a fifth-year architect student from Browning, and Wendy Red Star, a junior in fine arts from the Pryor area. They hope construction can start in the summer, Glenn said. Singles and families alike will be able to live there for up to two years. The design portion of the project is funded with a Scholarship and Creativity Grant from MSU.

Battling blue tongue

Last year Montana had an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in whitetail deer. The disease is similar to blue tongue in cattle, and both diseases are spread by biting midges. What puzzles MSU entomologist Greg Johnson is that Montana has far more EHD in deer than it has blue tongue in cattle. Why the difference when both diseases are transmitted by the same insect? To get answers, Johnson is studying the midges, particularly their ability to acquire and then transmit viruses. Currently Montana is considered at "moderate risk" for spreading blue tongue in cattle, so Canada limits the number of animals it accepts for its feedlots. Better data on the disease might help lift the partial ban on Montana cattle, Johnson said. The research, funded by the USDA, could help the deer, too.

Old man winter

Winter power bills can be a shocker, even for families with new, well-built homes. But if you own an older home, a mobile home, or one that hasn’t been properly weatherized, your power bill could go through the roof during a long, cold winter. The MSU Extension Service offers a number of weatherization programs. Some are offered statewide while others are customized for local needs, such as the Montana Senior Energy Project. That program coordinates volunteers who help senior citizens with home energy projects. To find out more, contact housing specialist Mike Vogel at 994 3451 or [email protected].

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