Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Elk, once a prominent component of the hoofed browser suite of wildlife in the northern sections of South Carolina were extirpated in 1737, part of the eventual extinction of Elk east of the Mississippi River via habitat destruction and over hunting .............. Elk were reintroduced into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in 2001 with an estimated population of 150,,,,,,,,,,A Male Elk wandered south out of the Smokies into Pickens County S.C. last Friday, October 21..............Like prospecting male Pumas out of the Dakotas who wander East, without females to mate with, it is unlikely that this "lone wolf" will stick around long, perhaps turning around to make an attempt to return to more "fertile" home ground..............At some point, an adventuress female Elk might also make the trek to South Carolina and if this occurs and a breeding population is created, the Elk have a chance of growing their numbers as they are protected by South Carolina State Law

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https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj1wMG5lPrPAhUDeCYK...

Everything is connected and on this Planet for a reason--optimization of life!---Across the USA in our rivers and streams, nitrogen levels have been increasing for years, due largely to the increased use of fertilizer since World War 2"...... "When nitrates travel from watersheds into estuaries, they trigger algal blooms that lead to dead zones, fish kills, and the degradation of marine habitats"..........BEAVERS TO THE RESCUE!--------"Beaver ponds create ideal conditions for nitrogen removal, or denitrification"............... "The organic matter that builds up behind a beaver dam plays a key role".............. "That’s where bacteria transform nitrates into nitrogen gas, which dissipates into the air".............. "Some nitrogen is also absorbed by aquatic plants and becomes stored in the sediments when the plants die".............. "None of this would happen without the beaver dam because for substantial denitrification to occur, the water must remain somewhat still and in place for days or weeks at a time"

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https://northernwoodlands.org/discoveries/knocking-down-nitrogen Knocking Down NitrogenKnocking Down Nitroge KNOCKING DOWN NITROGEN...
Monday, October 24, 2016

Regardless of the species(including man), there are now proven tenets regarding cooperation versus being a "lone wolf" as it relates to "members of a tribe, pack, club or organization sharing information or going it alone in their pursuit of some"prize"................"The lone wolf search strategy is most attractive when the time to find prey and the time taken to consume prey are both short"................. "Cooperation, though, is a better strategy when it takes longer to find and consume prey"......................"The findings are potentially relevant for ecological conservation work but also anywhere there is a limited resource and a group of consumers(humans or other animals) wanting access whether it be oil and gas deposits, fishing grounds or packs of Elk"

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/sciencedaily/plants_animals/~3/3vkZ_FJcOXs/161020143025.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email Pr...
Sunday, October 23, 2016

The nose smelling system of Coyotes, Wolves and Domestic Dogs is akin to the taste sensations that our human tongues elicits"........."All canids almost 'lick' the air to pick up a scent that we humans would not be able to detect at all".............In fact, Coyotes, Wolves and Dogs sense of smell is a hundred to millions of times more sensitive than our human sense of smell"

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https://coyoteyipps.com/2010/06/16/strong-sense-of-smell/ Strong Sense of Smell Recently I’ve observed two incidents of a coyote us...

"While the urge to reproduce is the primary driver of spring migration, there are many factors that dictate when songbirds migrate south"........... "One of them is diet".......... "Many species of flycatchers and warblers are insectivores – they generally leave first, because the bug population dwindles as summer ends".......... "Sparrows and other omnivores that eat fruits and seeds as well as bugs have more dietary choices, so they have the option to stick around well into the fall".............And a third group of birds actually changes their diet from insects to fruits so as to stay north longer(Phoebes, hermit Thrush, Yellow Rumped Warbler, Red-Eyed Vireo), putting on more weight and upping their chances of surviving their migration south

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http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001vcRrYhMyNuznY1vWwZtmFHmznrDbdnGtSJYcnyxaCUDa8_S6KJ8wHRn1mD-OVeGPBkky25pQi59Xeax6tIqqCD8suupHGi_cYcNPJ5HwHkj7O...
Friday, October 21, 2016

Using its wide paws to glide over deep persistent snow and be the superior hunter in this type terrain over its sympatric cousin, the Bobcat, the endangered Lynx once again is a resident of Maine and Northern New Hampshire and Vermont.............For there to be a Lynx sighting in southern Vermont near the New York State border is indeed a rarity in these warming weather times..............But in fact in June of this year, Londonderry, Vermont(see map below) got a taste of what likely a common sight during the Little Ice Age period (AD1400-1850) in New England, a Lynx on the move through forest and field...............“This was very exciting news for Vermont,” said Chris Bernier, a wildlife biologist for the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department who is in charge of lynx conservation".........While likely a transient male and not part of a breeding population this far south, “the fact that this animal chose to travel such a long distance demonstrates why it is vitally important to maintain healthy and well-connected habitat in Vermont".......... "We were thrilled to see the animal using a wildlife underpass that was created for the express purpose of allowing animals to pass safely under the road"

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http://newfanenews.com/outdoors/lynx-spotted-londonderry/ Lynx spotted in back yard of Londonderry home October 19, 2016 LONDONDERRY...
Thursday, October 20, 2016

Just like the Wildlife Overpass being considered in Los Angeles traversing the eight-lanes of Highway 101 in Agoura Hills(connecting the Santa Monica Mountains and the Santa Susana Mountains), Caltrans and other state and environmental organizations in Northern California's Santa Cruz Mountains are hoping funding for two new wildlife tunnels will be secured —one near Lexington Reservoir in Santa Clara County, the other near Laurel Curve in Santa Cruz County. If built, they will provide much-needed links in an area where home construction and asphalt have fragmented once-continuous habitat, connecting two major wilderness areas where animals roam for food, mates and new territory

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https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/10/15/new-tunnels-in-santa-cruz-mountains-will-provide-co...