ANWR is an Arctic desert. I've been there. Mountains barren of trees sloping down to the Arctic Ocean. Oil seeps in many of the ponds and lakes gurgling up from down below. Passing herds of caribou - migratory animals that NEVER stay in one place longer than two weeks.
The buildings in the North Slope oilfields are built on pilings 5-6 feet above the surface to prevent snow drifts during the wild winds of Winter. I worked there for 26 years. The caribou used to stay under the buildings during the summer to avoid the insects. The musk ox used to rub on the plastic fluorescent road markers to scratch temselves because that was the tallest thing around.
THAT is EXACTLY how much development "upset" the animals. Unlike lieberals and demoncrats, animals are adaptive.
I once knew the supervisor of the drill rig that poked a hole in ANWR by directional drilling from the Inupiat village of Kaktovik. When asked what that "tight hole" discovered all he would say was: "If I were a betting man, I'd put a dollar on the oil there and I could retire."
I saw a special w Sect'y Gayle Norton a couple of years ago where she flew into ANWR. Your description reminds me of that and adds some addtional info - -it is very descriptive - Thanks!