fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Wildlife Conservation | Under 2 Minutes
Tags: Extinction, Nature, Wenaturalists, Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation

Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting wild species and their habitats in order to maintain healthy and natural ecosystems. A 2019 biodiversity report by the UN estimates that a million species could be on the brink of extinction.

Key Statistics

Nearly 68% of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles have declined from 1970 to 2016 — considered in large part due to human activities.

94% of the biodiversity in American tropics is also reported to be lost. This is considered to be the largest reduction in any part of the world.

The Red List report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) highlighted that 27% of the more than 105,000 species (analyzed by the organization) are at risk of extinction. Which means a total of 28,338 different species. The UN reports an even higher number of threatened species — it is estimated to be at a million.

Habitat loss and degradation is considered to be the greatest threat to species.

Ecosystems are disappearing at an alarming rate. Nearly 20% of the Amazon rainforest has shrunk in 50 years, as per the 2018 report by WWF

Wetlands, on the other hand, have shrunk by 87%.

Coral reefs, too, have been halved in the last 30 years.

Overexploitation among 55% fish species and their habitats is a leading threat.

Major Threats to Wildlife include:

Unsustainable agriculture Logging Transportation Residential or commercial development Energy production Mining

Other threats to wildlife include climate change, pollution, poaching, hunting, fishing and also introducing invasive species from other parts of the world into another habitat.

Geographical Impact

Tropical regions are losing vertebrate species at an alarming rate, with South and Central America suffering an 89 % decline since 1970, followed by the Indo-Pacific (64%), Afrotropical (56%), Palearctic (31%) and Nearctic (23%).

A 2018 UN report also looked at the Species Habitat Index (SHI) which is related to distribution, extinction risk and biodiversity. The SHI for mammals has fallen by 22% overall since 1970, with the Caribbean region being at 60%. Central America, Northeast Asia and North Africa have a decline rate of more than 25%.

What Are We Doing About It?

World Wildlife Fund, Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the United Nations have been working tirelessly to educate, protect and promote the cause of wildlife conservation. They also work with the governments to protect wildlife habitats like national parks, and sanctuaries. Such organizations also work to build stronger constitutional laws to protect various species.

Government efforts include prominent conservation agreements like the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Life is always great when you are in nature.
By: Emmanuel A. Anderson
Tags: Nature, Wildlife, The Masterpiece, Birds, Environment

Life is always great when you are in nature. No wonder I have loved to live in nature after becoming of age — something I never liked as a child...
Because I Love Them
By: Lori Mccray
Tags: Nature, Winter, Photography, Wildlife, Storytelling

An arduous trek through freshly fallen snow to feed my swan friends. A story from Lori:

Firstly, there is no place to leave my car. Figuring on this, I brought my own shovel and dug out a spot a bit too close to the road, but the snow is heavy, and I was already tired by the time I parked.

Secondly, there is a field of freshly fallen snow to traverse. Of course it’s beautiful. But every footstep goes down over a foot, and it’s a very long field to cross to get to the pond in back. And as I mentioned, I’m already exhausted.

a monkey has been here before me

At the end of the field, to enter the woods, there is a bramble of NONE SHALL PASS nonsense that somehow has to be manuevered. I have been bitch slapped more than once.

The woods, very pretty, hold a marshy swamp like crossing which one has to ford, or get very wet indeed, so while you’re thinking you’re getting closer, it is NOT getting easier, lolol.

And way at the very end (which, if you’re lucky enough to live there, is most likely the beginning) is a goose. They’re so greedy, they hover like sharks to snatch the swan’s food and annoy me but have decided it isn’t nice to enjoy the swans and not the geese so have stopped my haranguing them.

And here is the moment which made the exhaustion worth it, Buzz coming across the ice to meet me.

Bella and Buzz, looking a wee bit haggard after the storm. How they sit in that water all night with the howling winds and plummeting temps is something I’ll never understand

On the way out, I plunked everything down in the snow and took a pic of the picturesque little boathouse.
มูลนิธิช่วยชีวิตสัตว์ป่าแห่งประเทศไทย เปิดรับบริจาคด้วย Bitcoin
By: Waranyu Suknantee
Tags: Cryptocurrency, Wildlife, Bitcoin, Bitkub, Donations

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Pulling Landscape Fabric, Starting a Kitchen Garden
Tags: Wildlife, Organic Gardening, Denver

Once the debris was cleared from the site, I set about pulling all the landscape fabric from the garden beds. Later that Spring, uncovered tulips, alliums and roses started to bloom. What a welcome surprise! The vinca was also incredibly green and purple after a winter under the wood chips.

I was watching gardening videos like mad during the lockdown. With a limited budget, I learned how to divide plants doing well on our site from The Elliott Homestead. This quirky guy from Suburban Homestead turned me on to seed plate propagation.

Planning a vegetable garden was fun. Ordered seeds from Botanical Interests in Broomfield, Colorado. My new kitchen garden was going to deliver! I planted Asparagus, Basil, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chives, Collards, Concord Grape, Cucumbers, Leeks, Onions, Parsley, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Romaine, Rosemary, Sage, Sunflowers, Tarragon, Tomatoes and Zucchini.

The Little Gem Romaine was delicious. Soon a rabbit made himself a home in the corner of the garden under a pile of sticks. At least I think he was a he. He really enjoyed himself. So I started calling him Romaine. Garden Designer Edwina von Gal taught me to leave piles of sticks on the property for wildlife habitat. Soon I had more friends in the garden.

For inspiration and education, visit Singing Frog Farms.

Story to be continued.
Of hawks and hope
By: High Country News
Tags: Journalism, Ecology, Hawks, Wildlife, Essay

In a climate collapse, a wildlife biologist turns from sadness to action.

Juhlin’s perspective looking into a ferruginous hawk nest. | Ellis Juhlin

No matter how many times I do this, time slows when I climb into a ferruginous hawk’s nest.

It’s a perfect morning: The temperature is mild, and there’s no wind. But I know that will change rapidly. Temperatures will rise faster than the butterflies in my stomach, so I need to be quick. I place my ladder at the base of the nest and climb up. My breath catches in my throat as my head crests over the edge of the nest’s stick wall. Four nestlings stare back at me, their mouths agape.

I am a graduate student in ecology studying the parasites of ferruginous hawk nestlings. I have worked studying birds and promoting their conservation since I graduated college in 2017. I watch the diversity of birds that migrates through Cache Valley, Utah, keeping my outdoor lights off to diminish the light pollution they struggle to navigate through. Birds are a great unifier, the most accessible wildlife we have. No matter where you are, you can almost always spot a bird nearby. But now, as someone who works with wildlife in the West, I am scared for my hawks, and the rest of the wildlife that calls this place home.

Read more: https://www.hcn.org/articles/ideas-birds-of-hawks-and-hope
Brown Bear Paint Night
By: Defenders Of Wildlife
Tags: Art, Wildlife, Alaska, Bears, Defenders In Action

It began like any other wintry day in Alaska with snow covered roads, ice and cold temperatures. The second of Defenders’ wildlife paint nights focused on the fuzzy and endearing, yet dangerous, brown bear. In Alaska, brown bears are referred to as coastal bears, and they are the body builders of the bear world. Their diet consists of nutrient-rich fatty salmon, and razor, butter and steamer clams.

Lisa Hupp/USFWS

The focus of Brown Bear Paint Night was learning how to paint a brown bear with acrylics while learning about proposed rule changes to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge trapping, baiting and hunting regulations that would impact Kenai brown bears. It may seem like there are a lot of bears (especially if you are an Alaskan, like me, who never leaves the door without bear spray in the summer), but while approximately 30,000 brown bears live in the state, populations could easily decline with climate change and undermining of protections and regulations. Kenai brown bears are unique because they are an isolated population because of the nature and shape of the Kenai Peninsula, and they are a major local and tourist attraction.

USFS

Many locals tell stories of fishing along the Russian River while these mighty beasts catch salmon 20 feet away. A fine balance and harmony exists between humans and bears. We fear that if rules changed to allow baiting with donuts, marshmallows and other tasty snacks, brown bears would associate humans with food.

Everyone had a wonderful, creative time during our educational evening. We had bears of all shades — just as in real life, no bear looks exactly the same. In these times of COVID, we are reconnecting with the incredible stress relieving powers of art and having fun with family members of all ages, as displayed by Alaska Program Director Nicole Whittington-Evans’ family paint night photo.
An easy way to finding wildlife near you
By: Henna Metz
Tags: Observing, Wildlife, Nature Photography, Photography Tips, Wildlife Photography

Last week I posted an article on My Top 5 non-photography tips for Wildlife Photography. This week I would like to dive a little deeper onto how to get started with finding some animals. Rather than spending all of your time getting obsessed with learning animal tracks and signs (something I’m currently getting into myself), there’s a much easier option.

A flock of Common Chaffinx (Fringilla coelebs). Image taken by Henna Metz

Explore your area and look for a spot that could be frequently visited by wildlife, but doesn’t have too much human traffic. You don’t have to learn tracking to be able to notice if there’s a lot of animal tracks in the ground, which would be a good indication that animals walk around there. An excellent example of a great location would be finding a water source that the animals use. Don’t worry about how fresh the water looks. Most animals are capable of drinking water that would make humans sick. Then, get comfortable, be quiet and start waiting. You could use a blind for extra camouflage, or you can wear clothes that help you blend in.

A Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius). Image taken by Henna Metz

The more time you spend at your chosen location, the better your odds are. Pay attention to everything that is happening and go with the flow. You might be hoping to catch an elusive mammal species coming in for a drink, but the birds coming in to bathe can put on quite the show as well. Besides, they can be damn fast! Keeping up with them will only improve your photography, even if birds aren’t what you want to focus on further down the line.

A female black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius). Image taken by Henna Metz

Keep going back! All of these images in this article were taken at the same location, on different occasions. I normally mostly focus on mammals, and it wasn’t until my last visit that I saw some deer and a wild swine visit the location. The deer ran by so fast that they disappeared as quickly as they showed up, but the wild swine stuck around for a brief drink of water. As I mentioned in my previous article, patience really is the key.

A Wild swine (Sus scrofa). Image taken by Henna Metz

Thank’s for reading! If you’re interested in the gear that I shoot my images with and the specific settings that I used, consider checking out my instagram. On every image I post, I also share the equipment and settings I used in the caption.
One Moment
By: Frank Larkin
Tags: Nature, Mindfulness, Poetry, Wildlife, The Junction

It’s a moment; one single moment.

A brief span in time.

A backdrop of sunlight, filtered through the trees on a hillside.

A stubborn mist hangs in the air, tiny particles float on nothing.

Then, the sight of a deer; a doe, framed in mid-jump.

Her eyes and nose pointed toward a target I can’t see.

Her thin legs extended in back, drawn tight to her ribs up front.

A faint steam of breath exhaled from her wet black nostrils.

It’s a moment; a single moment,

logged for a while in a crowded mind,

left as an essence for the memory to save,

while the deer bounds away,

quickly, and further up the hill,

where she turns and becomes lost,

in a distant tangle of trees.
In the Christmas Woodland
By: Bridget Webber
Tags: Poetry, Short Story, Christmas, Wildlife, Poem

The snowflakes fell on Christmas night

to light a glow for all to share,

while captured in the moonbeams bright,

the forest branches, thick and bare,

shed to the ground their shadow slant

wild creatures crafted as a haunt.
Small Wonders
By: Gerrishon Sirere
Tags: Animal Rights, Feeding, Animals, Wildlife

Special delivery

Most animal babies never see their parents. Many turtles, fish, and snakes simply lay their eggs and leave. The babies of these animals can survive on their own from the moment they hatch. But many other creatures couldn’t survive without their parents’ care. Some just need to be fed. Others need their parents for warmth, protection, and training.

Photo by Zdeněk Macháček | Bit o’ Bear: A tiny cub is no bigger than a hamster. But as an adult, could weigh 800 pounds!

Feeding time

All mothers provide food for their young in one way or another. Butterflies lay eggs on plants that caterpillars will eat as soon as they hatch. Baby chickens are nourished by the yolk inside their eggs. Robins pull up worms to feed their offspring. Mammals nurse their young ones, sometimes for years.
Out On a Limb
By: Frank Larkin
Tags: Squirrels, Nature, Wildlife

Out On a Limb

Photo by Federico Tasin on Unsplash

A squirrel dances on the brown pine needles that litter the side of the road.

His movements are quick, he doesn’t know how to move slow.

He darts left, he darts right, he stops so quickly that you don’t even realize he’s stopped until you see him there, perched, eyes wide, ready to dart again.

Then a car is coming down the road, slowly, but still too close.

He sees the car and begins to think in his tiny brain, deducing, considering, running down scenarios for his own survival.

The time to think is over.

He springs from the pine needles, off the edge of the road.

For a few feet, he is airborne, flying with his claws extended, his wiry hair in the wind, his tiny muscles flexed and firm.

Gripping the bark of the nearby pine, he looks back to see the car go by, its driver oblivious to his presence on the tree.

Photo by Maddie Franz from Pexels

He scoots and skitters, up and around, and out on a limb where he can sit and watch for another car to go by.

But it can’t last long, this sitting around, he has things to do: he has to dart and dance and fly through the air, he has to trim little nuts and store them in places, he may run from a dog or play tag with a cat, but it will end and he will cross the road, find his nest in the tall oak tree, he’ll slow down, at least to a crawl, then curl up in his bed, because even squirrels have to take a little rest.
Because squirrels dig me, I’m pretty sure my neighbor doesn’t.
By: Sherry Mcguinn
Tags: Animals, Wildlife, True Story, Humor, Chicago

Because squirrels dig me, I’m pretty sure my neighbor doesn’t.

Screw him and his perfect lawn. I’m going to keep feeding these critters because they need to eat, too. Especially as we launch into a frigid Chicago winter.

Now I’m pretty sure there are people here who don’t want squirrels scampering around their yards hiding nuts and other goodies dispensed by an animal-loving softy, like me, but I just can’t help myself.

Sometimes, when I’m doing dishes, I’ll look out at the yard and there will be my favorite squirrel sitting on its haunches looking at me with what I can only surmise to be affection. (I’m delusional that way.)

With a snow-white tummy and white-tipped ears, it got me at “hello.” Now technically, I know that squirrels are part of the rodent family but I prefer to think of them as “small mammals.”

Anyway, I can smell a rat.
Rainier’s Rare Wolverines
By: The Planet Magazine
Tags: Wildlife, Mountains, Cascade, Tracking, Wolverine

“We are watching the front end of the recolonization of an area, what that looks like and when are we going to get to a stable number of wolverines,” said Akins.

Akins, wolverine researcher and founder of the nonprofit Cascades Carnivore Project, began monitoring wolverines in the South Cascades in 2008. However, her team’s experience over the last five years does not mirror the federal government’s findings of successful recolonization.

Researchers activate a remote camera before attaching it to a tree trunk.

“At this stage, what looks like occurrence in the South Cascades could blink out next year,” said Akins.

Akins and her team of researchers monitor wolverine populations in places where wolverines once thrived, including Mount Rainier National Park, using remote camera traps and specialized structures called runpoles.

Akins points out the location on a distant ridge where a runpole needs to be relocated.

Located high up the trunk of a tree, a runpole consists of a wood beam extending perpendicular from the tree. Attached is a half-meter tall lumber scaffold that wolverines can rest their front paws on, like the top rung of a ladder. It is built to force wolverines to climb off the forest floor and stretch upwards to reach for bait hung above. The posture exposes the unique markings on the animals’ chests and throats to remote cameras mounted on trees opposite the runpole.

Researchers hoist bait by rope into position, suspended above a runpole.

Although Akins’ team collects hair and scat for genetic analysis, visual identification from these markings is so reliable that researchers can often quickly tell individuals apart by photos alone. Akins’ team has named two of the wolverines in the Mount Rainier area — the adult male and female, Van and Joni.

Gathered at night in a trailhead parking lot after hiking out from a remote runpole, Akins’ team discusses their plans for the next day.

After a long day of hiking and setting up runpoles, Akins and her team regroup in the trailhead parking lot to look over maps and discuss the next day’s plans. Headlamps cut through the evening darkness. After a grueling 12-hour workday, Akins and her team still seem enthusiastic about the next day’s station. Even so, they decide to start at 7:30 the next morning, an hour later than normal.

“One of the big pushes for research on wolverines in the past decade is that there is just so little known about them,” Akins said. “It’s so easy for a wildlife managing agency to say ‘there’s not enough information, we can’t make a call on whether the species should be protected or not.’” Akins sees monitoring projects like hers as important to enable managing agencies to make informed decisions about protection of the species.
Pinioned
By: Lori Mccray
Tags: Poetry, Photography, Freedom, Wildlife, Love

William’s wings. Photo, of course, belongs to me.

I told my dear friend Susan I might be done with writing poems. I love words, but maybe I’m finished with the crafting and then just now, the word pinion made me weep, I don’t know why. One word, a deep reservoir of feeling. My swans, their wings, the freedom we take for granted. Grateful to have everything I need. To soar, and return home, safe and loved. Grateful to be me.

LBM 12–7–2020
Today’s Bella&Buzz
By: Lori Mccray
Tags: Photography, Birds, Nature, Wildlife

Photographer, Poet, Musician, Mother, Mystic, Gardener, friend of wild creatures, swan whisperer. Find me on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wingthing/
Soar Like an Eagle.
By: John J Mccarrick
Tags: Skills, Mother Nature, Food, Wildlife

Soar Like an Eagle.

J J McCarrick

On brightly gilded wings, the Eagle does soar.

Daring, she skims the mountains below.

Even the wind cannot hear her plaintiff roar.

Down there below her, land wild and grey.

She needs no roads to steer by, during these days. Only the swish of her wings and the sight of her prey.

Then there it is sighted, this meal on the run. And down she does plummet her wings a wired hum. Whistling through air, with the sound of a deep drum.

The air turns to fire, her speed increasing. Her eyes now like demons, never flinching.

Legs are thrown forward like steel springing.

Wings thrust out, opened up like a fan.

Then her hooked talons open for the dammed.

Only a dust cloud remains, of this lightning-fast strike[j1] . Talons gripped firmly as if fearing her prey’s flight. Up to the heavens, taking her gift, and proud of her might. A gleam in her eye that says:

“Here in my world, all is all right.”

John McCarrick

[j1]
Battered bald eagle recovers at Klamath Falls wildlife rescue after flying into a moving truck
By: Tony Cowger
Tags: News, Animals, Help, Wildlife, Hope

“A bald eagle hit by a truck on Friday, Dec. 4, is recovering at the Badger Run Wildlife Rehab in Klamath Falls and getting tons of attention from Facebook followers.

‘What a beautiful creature! Her feet are as big as my hands,’ posted one fan.

The bird, the largest eagle the nonprofit facility has treated in 15 years, has a 6.5-foot wingspan.

She was too full from gorging on roadkill, however, to fly high enough to avoid a passing truck when she suddenly flew out of a ditch, says Liz Burton, Badger Run’s founder and wildlife care coordinator who captured the feisty, battered bird with the help of the driver.

The unnamed man, a contractor, called Badger Run, which cares for injured and orphaned wildlife, and stayed until the bird was safe in a carrier and on its way to be treated by a veterinarian.

‘This is the fiercest bird [Liz Burton] has ever dealt with,’ Badger Run posted on its Facebook page. ‘She’s the first eagle that has ever actively charged Liz and tried to talon her.’

‘It’s a good sign she’s fighting back,’ a commenter posted on Facebook. “Not a good sign when they have no fight in them. I think maybe she has a nest that she’s working on she does not want to leave her nest or her mate. Nesting season is just getting underway.”

The 11-pound bird was taken to East Ridge Animal Hospital in Klamath Falls where she was anesthetized in the carrier then given X-rays and examined by Dr. Marcie Keener.

The bird does not have fractures or internal injuries, but she does have low level-lead poisoning, possibly from lead from ammunition or fishing tackle that seeped into the food chain, says Burton.”

View the whole story here: https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2020/12/battered-bald-eagle-recovers-at-klamath-falls-wildlife-rescue-after-flying-into-a-moving-truck.html
Bella&Buzz, after the snow (it doesn’t even look like it snowed, there!) Photographs mine, from this morning
By: Lori Mccray
Tags: Water, Nature, Photography, Wildlife, Birds

Bella&Buzz, after the snow (it doesn’t even look like it snowed, there!) Photographs mine, from this morning Lori McCray ·Dec 6, 2020

the pond’s beyond the tree line

Eat your oatmeal!

Buzz in the sparkle water, looking like William

It snowed all day. The plow guy banged his bucket on the road all night. I slept poorly, I worried the pond would freeze, I worried I’d have no place to pull over and safely park the car (this pond is a new one for me to learn) and there was no need to worry, both were perfectly perfect, the best parking place and no ice on the entire pond. We had a lovely visit. So grateful.
Ranthambore camera traps find wire noose around tiger’s neck
Tags: Nature, News, Wildlife

Ranthambore camera traps find wire noose around tiger’s neck

State forest department officials said the tiger was tranquilised and the wire removed on Saturday.

A STATEWIDE alert against poaching has been issued after camera traps in and around the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve captured images of a tiger with a hunting snare-like wire noose coiled around its neck.

State forest department officials said the tiger, T-108, was tranquilised and the wire removed on Saturday. The department has ordered an inquiry into the issue.

“Two images from separate camera traps were seen yesterday — one was of Friday morning while the other was from the night before — which showed the tiger, T-108, with a wire tangled around its neck. It was a matter of concern. The field director contacted us to seek permission for tranquilising the tiger,” said Arijit Banerjee, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Forest Protection) and officiating Chief Wildlife Warden, Rajasthan.

Banerjee said permission was sought from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to tranquilise the animal.

“I asked the Ranthambore field director to follow all the standard operating procedures… After tranquilisation, the wire was safely removed this morning, and the tiger has been released in the forest. We didn’t find any physical injuries on the animal. We have ordered an inquiry into the matter and have issued a statewide red alert against poaching, directing all territorial and wildlife divisions to work in congruence, patrol inside and outside of protected forest areas. All leaves have been cancelled except for emergencies,” he said.

Tikam Chand Verma, Chief Conservator of Forest and Field Director, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, said the noose was made of galvanised iron (GI) wire, around 2 mm thick.

“According to preliminary findings, it appears that it is a loose noose, probably set for animals like boars or nilgais outside the forest. But even if it was meant for other animals, it is still hunting, which is illegal. More details will emerge after the inquiry. We will inquire if there was any laxity in monitoring,” said Banerjee.

“A collaborative team of TigerWatch and the forest department found the image, which is from near Devpura area, Phalodi. It seems to be a hunting snare, even if it may not be meant for tigers but for smaller animals. The government should ensure proper monitoring,” said Dharmendra Khandal, conservation biologist, TigerWatch.

Credit: Indian Express
Pirate and Palm YouTube Channel Trailer — Worldwide Adventure Has Begun!!
By: Pirate
Tags: Nature, Wildlife, Ocean, Nature Documentary, Fishing

In our show reel you will see some of our best surfing, shark, wildlife, tattoo, art, painting, fighting, adventure and wildlife clips. All the clips in our reel were taken from our short films. If you like what you see here subscribe, as we will be launching new films twice a month. https://youtu.be/zInES-PEEgo
An uninvited Possum.
By: Ian Miller
Tags: Australia, Animals, Wildlife

An uninvited Possum.

The brushtail possum is an Australian marsupial with doe-eyes at one end, a soft fury tail at the other, and an arsenal of surgically lacerating weapons stored covertly in between.

Oh, and they poop bullets….like a cluster barrel Gatling gun.

My partner Kelly and I have been at war with one particular possum for several months now. She took up residence in the rafters of our garage. Up in the supporting lattice where we store all the stuff we really should throw out and a few of the things we shouldn’t..but that has now been up there for so long… look like we should.

Lengths of lumbar. Some old doors. Crumbling boxes of things somewhat forgotten. An old laptop. Christmas decorations. A guitar case.

The first thing we noticed was the poop. Small black banana shaped pellets on the garage floor. Pellets that at first seemed disproportionately small to have come from a possum. I thought we had rats.

As I was soon to learn, what possum crap lacks in calibre it more than makes up for in magazine size.

It was everywhere.

On top of the car.

All over the tins of our emergency pandemic (or zombie apocalypse) food stash.

Among the toolboxes and paint tins and plastic storage containers.

It looked like the aftermath of a faecal firefight.

And something else. Urine.

The entire garage stunk of stale ammonia, and we could see dried urine stains running down the sides of our car.

One evening we saw her sneaking out on our security camera. A hop, and she was up onto the front gate post. She did this sort of Rumba across the length of the fence and disappeared like a ninja up into the neighbours fruit tree.

How totally cute I said.

No Ian, we shall call her Bitchclaw. Corrected Kelly.

Demonising your enemies is one of the first strategies in war.

A war that was not going well for the allegedly superior species.

To date Bitchclaw had completely mocked all our Google inspired attempts at possum eradication.

We blocked off all the external entry points we could find.

We cladded the wooden pillars of the garage in slippery tin sheeting.

We added plastic spikes to stop her getting over the top of the roller-door.

We threw hand fulls of pungent naphthaline balls up where we thought she was sleeping.

I made Kelly spend the day in the garage singing a Mariah Carey medley over and over (don’t tell the RSPCA).

Nothing worked.

Bitchclaw came and went as she pleased. She crapped. She urinated.

She redecorated the garage just the way a possum would like it. She even collected all the naphthaline balls and arranged them into a V for Victory sculpture atop a tiny plinth of poops.

OK. Perhaps I imagined that last bit.

Garage fortification fail.

Exasperated, we finally called a professional possum wrangler. For a not-insignificant fee he would trap Bitchclaw and then release her elsewhere.

That’s fantastic! Problem solved. I’m thinking somewhere deep in the Tasmanian wilderness would be good. Or maybe the Galápagos.

Sorry mate, I have to release her within 50 metres of the trapping point. It’s the law.

Fifty metres. Seriously*.
Nurdles: Hurdles for Turtles (And How YOU Can Help)
By: Defenders Of Wildlife
Tags: Wildlife, Oceans, Defenders In Action, Volunteering, Environment

Sea turtles have always fascinated me. These beautiful creatures are so majestic and graceful as they swim through the ocean water. Unfortunately, all seven species found throughout the world are threatened by negative human interactions. Most notably, marine debris and oil spills. A less visible threat, microplastics known as nurdles cause significant issues for turtles.

Andy Collins/NOAA

So, what exactly are nurdles? A nurdle is a little bead or pellet of plastic, about the size of a lentil, that manufacturers melt down to create larger plastic structures such as water bottles, toys and more. Since plastic materials are so abundant, tiny pieces of plastic are making their way into the wild. Nurdle spills are making headlines around the world, with the most recent happening on August 2, 2020, when a shipping container full of nurdles fell off of a cargo ship in New Orleans.

© Mark Dixon

The task of cleaning up these spills is daunting. Fortunately, organizations like Defenders of Wildlife are addressing this problem while making cleanup a fun project for families and friends. We partnered with the University of Texas Marine Science Institute this year on their Nurdle Patrol, a community-science project sponsored by the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve Volunteers who perform 10-minute surveys along shorelines to collect nurdles and report locations for their central database. Through this data, the Nurdle Patrol can identify high concentrations of nurdle spills, which can ultimately lead to the source of the pollution.

© Barbara Agnew

Defenders is spreading the word about this project by gathering volunteers, hosting trainings and providing volunteers with Nurdle Patrol kits that include the equipment to perform the surveys. Volunteers also receive swag like official Nurdle Patrol T-shirts, stickers and face coverings to keep everyone safe. Priority areas located on the coast of Texas, include Padre Island National Seashore, Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. On the North Carolina coast, they include Currituck National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Cape Lookout National Seashore.
Lonely Otters in England Find Love Through Online Dating
By: Tony Cowger
Tags: News, Animals, Dating, Wildlife, Love

“In late September, following the untimely death of his life partner, an Asian short-clawed otter named Harris was ‘absolutely lost.’ Though he tried experimenting with a ‘bachelor lifestyle’ at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, his caretakers quickly noticed he was clearly missing companionship, prompting them to make him his own online-dating website. It wasn’t long before he got a hit from another aquarium in the U.K., SEA LIFE Scarborough, whose otter Pumpkin was also ‘extremely lonely’ following the death of her mate. The sanctuaries knew they were taking a risk, but Pumpkin and Harris seemed a match made in heaven; the last we heard, Harris was making the 400-mile-long journey across England to meet Pumpkin.

It is with great excitement that we bring you a wonderful update to this love story: The Cut has received word from SEA LIFE Scarborough that the two widowed otters found the strength to open their hearts to love once more, and that things are going ‘swimmingly.’ In videos sent to the Cut, Pumpkin and Harris can be seen waddling about the sanctuary, emitting tiny squeaks as they attempt to squeeze between narrow pathways and climb up ramps, side by side. The couple has also enjoyed a series of ‘dates,’ according to the sanctuary, including a particularly romantic one pictured below, in which one otter gingerly laid a kiss on the other.”

View the whole story here: https://www.thecut.com/2020/12/lonely-otters-in-england-find-love-through-online-dating.html
一起來聊聊負責任的旅行
By: Winnie Chung
Tags: Animals, WWF, Wildlife, Africa, Travel

(This blog is under construction.) Website: winnie-chung.com /// Get in touch at contact.winniechung@gmail.com
Nature Untouched
By: Siddhanth P. Rao
Tags: Nature, Wildlife, Poem, Life, Peace

The warm feeling of the sun rays on your skin

Makes you humble and just want to grin

The wind so calm and tranquil

Makes everyone feel so thankful

The rain so fearsome and roaring

Makes everything around so dull and boring

The flamboyant display of vibrant colour all over

Makes you want to stop, slow down and look over

The unaware brilliant creatures, so bristle

Makes you want to be a lot more polite and civil

The design of nature is the greatest gift to mankind

It is a force that we cannot begin to understand
When the weather outside is frightful
By: U.S. Fish, Wildlife Service Northeast Region
Tags: Winter, Northeast, Weather, Wildlife

For many birds, the cold is just too much to bear. Like many of us in the winter, migrating birds including the piping plover, leave their homes on the chilly northern coast and take a vacation down south to the warmer shorelines and sandy beaches. Most piping plover are already in their vacation nests by mid-September and come back to work (and mate) by mid-April. Bird migrations vary in length, but some range from hundreds to thousands of miles each year.

An American black bear in a tree. Courtney Celley/USFWS

If long distance migration isn’t your thing, why not just sleep through winter like the American black bear? Bears aren’t true hibernators, but they can doze for up to 100 days at a time by slowing their metabolism and dropping their core temperature. Bears usually put on fifteen pounds a week during the fall to prepare for their long nap and stretch without food.

As Andrew King took this shot, an Indiana bat flew beneath a large hibernating cluster of Indiana bats on the ceiling of Ray’s Cave, IN (taken pre-white nose syndrome.)

The Indiana bat, a true hibernator, accumulates layers of fat and spends months tucked away in its hibernaculum, like a cave or mine. Throughout winter, bats periodically rouse to move between hibernacula, before their heart rate and body temperature is dramatically lowered to conserve energy. Sadly, white-nose syndrome is plaguing bat hibernacula and causing populations of bats to plummet. Learn more about white-nose syndrome here.

A ruffed grouse in the snow by Head Harbor Lightstation/ Creative Commons

Ruffed grouse are non-migratory birds. They stick out the winters in their usual homes in a protected thicket or burrowed in the snow. In the late fall, feathers begin to grow on their legs to protect from the cold and help conserve body heat. Pectinations (fleshy comb-like projections along their toes) help them walk on soft snow, roost and burrow. Down feathers allow birds to trap air against their body to stay warm, and many birds will even cuddle together to keep warm.

Swallows cuddle together on a branch for warmth. Keith Williams/Creative Commons

We can learn a thing or two from wildlife this winter. Cuddling, sleeping, or vacationing through winter doesn’t sound half bad, especially if you’re not a fan of winter weather!
Bella&Buzz before the snow
By: Lori Mccray
Tags: Photography, Birds, Nature, Wildlife

Photographer, Poet, Musician, Mother, Mystic, Gardener, friend of wild creatures, swan whisperer. Find me on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wingthing/
This Wolf
By: Darrin Atkins
Tags: Adventure, Nature, Animals, Wildlife, Wolves

writer and novelist. traveler and adventurer. looking for fun in the sun. chasing the dream. can't stop the feeling that time is going faster.
Trip to Kaiso on Link Bus
By: Inno Orikiiriza
Tags: Innovation, Linkbuses, Wildlife, Travel, Kacyber

I planned my trip to Kaiso, a place I had always wished to travel to because of its beautiful features like the game reserve and the view of lake Albert that my friends had been telling me about. I woke up so early the next morning, excited about my trip, got myself ready in the shortest time, and moved out of the house.

A Link bus exits the terminal at Kisenyi park in Kampala — Photo courtesy of Ugabus.com

I headed to the Kisenyi Link Bus terminal by 8:00 am. On reaching the gate, I was at tension for fear of the COVID19, mere glancing at the setup and arrangement of the terminal, with link staff smart in cream and green uniforms and the buses which were more than 20 looking new, the clean park, it rubbed off the fear. At the gate, I found a security guard who checked my temperature, sanitized me, and made sure my mask was on thus observing the SOPs. I was then given directions to the booking office.

At the booking office, the booking clerk told me the price, captured my details, and issued my ticket. It was a printed ticket, this surprised me because I was used to receiving manual tickets. I was so curious to know how this operates. Link Company stepped out of analog and went digital, the clerk encouraged me to download the app on my phone (KaCyber Go), open it, and then follow the booking procedures on my phone. It was interesting that when I put Kampala to Kaiso, the system showed Link bus and the cost of the journey. I can do my next booking without me coming to the terminal, I can prebook, it’s very safe and convenient. Big ups to you KaCyber for the wonderful innovation.

On entering the bus, I felt home away from home, the seat was comfortable. The television, dustbins, air conditioner, the USB port which was what l was most interested in since my phone’s battery was low. All passengers had followed the SOPs by keeping social distance and everyone’s mask on. Few minutes after sitting the conductor led us through a short prayer for our Journey and we set off.

We had a 10mins stopover in Bukomero for some eats and refreshments. Arrived in Hoima city, known as the oil city at 1:00 pm, and proceeded to Kaiso. On our way to Kaiso, we passed by the Kabwoya Game reserve. This is a hidden game of Albertine rift valley, it is a very interesting place with cool temperatures, beautiful view with many wildlife species like Uganda kob, buffalos, and chimpanzees, baboons, and monkeys. My eyes were entertained. We reached Kaiso at 3:00 pm and I asked a friend to tour me around the Kaiso landing Site. It was a good experience traveling by Link Bus, very swift.

My appreciation goes to Link Bus Company for the good services provided to passengers and for making our travel easier by partnering with KaCyber Technologies.

Blog by Monica Ahereza, a Mukiga that has moved cities in one country haha.
Uncovered Medical Herbs in the wild forest of Borneo..
By: U. Ajg
Tags: Wildlife, Natural, Treatment, Herbal Remedies, Forest

I am a novice Blogger who want to improve my writing and thinking while staying intact at home under lockdown for the year 2020. Retrenched , eat sleep pray
Bella&Buzz
By: Lori Mccray
Tags: Nature, Photography, Wildlife, Love, Birds

Photographer, Poet, Musician, Mother, Mystic, Gardener, friend of wild creatures, swan whisperer. Find me on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wingthing/
Forest Feature: Wildlife Sightings With Red Earth Tadoba Resort
By: Redearth Pnjxn
Tags: Redearth, Redearthtadoba, Tiger Safari, Wildlife

Every day at Red Earth Tadoba, the isolation of our property and the proximity to the Zari Kolas gate give us wildlife sightings that are nothing short of breathtaking. With such unhindered access to the true wild, it made sense to us that these stories deserve sharing. With that in mind, we decided to start a series called Forest Feature!
Invocation perseverance; prolific Griz 399; errant GPS
By: High Country News
Tags: Humor, Wildlife

Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.

WYOMING

If there’s a grizzly with star appeal in the Lower 48 states — one with her own social media presence — it’s 24-year-old Grizzly 399, who usually wanders through Grand Teton National Park with her several cubs. A grandmother many times over, she produced another litter — four cubs! — this year. So in late October, when she appeared on highways and dirt roads near Wilson, Wyoming, people stopped their cars, grabbed phones and cameras and just about went nuts. Photographer Maureen Matsen told Gaia GPS’ Out and Back podcast that whenever she sees this happen, she thinks she should “just start filming these photographers because of the joy on their faces.” Wildlife photographer Thomas Mangelsen, who has been documenting Griz 399’s life for 15 years, says this mother bear is special because she appeals to human emotion. When one of her cubs was killed by a car one summer, Mangelsen says he saw “Griz 399 sobbing on the roadside near the body of her cub, grieving much like a human mother would.” Yet you don’t want to mess with this mama bear: In 2007, a tourist walking near Jackson Lake Lodge blundered into her space and was attacked by Griz 399 and her yearling cubs. “They’re just going to eat me,” Dennis Van Denbos recalled thinking. “There’s nothing I could do. There’s no way I could fight off four grizzlies.” He suffered several bites but was glad that wildlife officials spared the bears. Montana writer Todd Wilkinson says the decision to let Griz 399 live has been important for grizzly recovery in the Yellowstone area. A prolific mother, Griz 399 has produced seven litters, including three sets of triplets, plus this year’s quadruplets: “Now she’s long in the tooth, her fans are wondering how long she’ll live.”

Sienna Gonzales/High Country News

See four more little stories here: https://www.hcn.org/issues/52.12/humor-invocation-perseverance-prolific-griz-399-errant-gps
Perched Within the Pines
By: Gayle Kurtzer-Meyers
Tags: Nature, Poetry, Wildlife, Owls, Poetry On Medium

Swaying in the breeze

from little cones, pines grow

towering the woods

My eyes glazed in awe

glancing up toward the sky

stoic owl staring down

Binocular sight

Solitary nocturnal

Barn, Snowy, Eagle

Broad chest bird of prey

Squawks, whose woods are these tonight?

Wise one of the pines.
A Love Note to the Salmon River Mountains
By: National Wildlife Federation, Our Public Lands
Tags: Outdoors, Salmon River, Wildlife, Hunting, Idaho

A Love Note to the Salmon River Mountains

Trace your finger over a map of Idaho, north to south, and eventually you’ll graze over the Salmon River.

She runs cold, clear, and undammed for her 425-mile entirety, carving out the edge of the Salmon River Mountains. When I close my eyes and think of home, this river and these mountains are painted in my mind.

Like many a love story, this one was not blessed with immediate affection. My midwestern roots struggled to take hold in the dry earth of central Idaho. The valleys were so wide, the air so thin, the nights so cold and quiet. I felt an outsider peering into another world. But instead of turning to go, carrying on until I found somewhere easier to love, I stayed.

I got to know my neighbors — a loquacious pair of sandhill cranes who came and went with the seasons and a timid herd of elk. I sat with songbirds in the vast lodgepole forests. I found myself on windswept ridgelines at dawn, watching the cold morning sun brighten the high east-facing rock while willing dexterity from my fingers. I hunkered down beneath the boughs of a Douglas fir during early autumn snow squalls, resurfacing to a world of stories told through tracks. I walked gently and quietly. I watched, smelled, listened. And eventually I purchased a rifle, finding another way to carve out a small place for myself in the great hum of this land.

I did not intend to become a hunter. But like many a person on many a journey, there came a turning point and I chose the path that led to more: more questions, more connection, more love, and more understanding of the creatures I shared my home with.

No mule deer, no elk, and no ridge-dwelling blue grouse will ever ask to be hunted. But they are woven into the fabric of these mountains that I love, and love, just like life, is complicated.

So, for as long as I walk my body into these Salmon River Mountains with a gun in my hands, it is love that will guide me.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

So many of our country’s parks and public lands written about in these love notes would not exist but for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). This important conservation program was permanently funded when Congress passed the Great American Outdoors Act earlier this summer. You can learn more about the Land and Water Conservation Fund here.

Would you like to write about public lands that you cherish? Please email Mary Jo Brooks at brooksm@nwf.org for guidelines.