Field season and the associated exhaustion have left this blog sadly without update. My apologies.
But I had to pop in and share a rather triumphant bit of news, should anyone actually read it.
If you followed the stories about the plight of the grey wolf, I am ridiculously overjoyed to tell you that the court ruled, and rightfully so, that the delisting actions taken by the US Fish & Wildlife Service in regards to the wolf populations in the Northern Rockies were UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
All packs are now returned to full endangered status. And all small-minded misinformed trigger-happy jerks can crawl back under whatever rock they emerged from and LEAVE THE WOLVES ALONE!
Thank you, NRDC, DOW, and all others who fought the good fight and who refused to let might triumph over right. Carry on, carry on.
I know, I told you I would have posts for you and they have yet to materialize. They are in my head, I swear!
I have found it hard to write this blog -- because I care about the subject matter so much. I spend all day living and breathing this topic at work and the hugeness of the problems facing the natural world leave me often overwhelmed such that I have to flip the off switch when I walk out the office door. It's a self-preservation thing.
Then when I begin writing posts, I find I want to explain EVERYTHING carefully so it is clear and I want to make sure subjects are appropriately placed in context. The result is an entry so long, I don't think anyone would read it and I give up, daunted again.
But I still believe in the project and I hope I have not lost all of you as I try to figure this out! There is so much going on that I want to write about. There are also things going on that I won't write about. I'm not even going to try to elaborate much on the giant oil plumes spewing about the Gulf of Mexico at the moment because I have no words for either my anger or my lack of surprise.
As the eagle was killed by the arrow winged with his own feather, so the hand of the world is wounded by its own skill. -Helen Keller
Speaking of feathers...
I will share with you today though, some simply exquisite pieces of wildlife art that I covet with the depths of my soul. I am quite sure that I could not even afford half of one, but that does not stop me from drooling over them. Each is painted on a feather by Idaho artist Deb Otterstein. She has somehow captured the magic of these wild animals on a medium that is so fitting in its delicacy and grace. If you ever want to just buy me a present, you know, cause who wouldn't buy an extravagent present for a random internet person, you are free to mail me one of these!!
There is a special little bird that I can hear outside my office window right now, so today, the little creature that never fails to make me smile just by appearing gets to be the center of WWWT attention.
You've probably seen the unfailingly charming eastern bluebird and even heard its distinctive song without knowing it. Its cheerful burble is hard to miss once you know it and these dapper little birds are often found perching on fence and power lines at dusk, watching for the perfect moment to swoop out and grab an insect meal.
They are dedicated parents, spending as many as 20 days carefully raising their chicks after hatching. Bluebirds also exhibit what is called philopatry, where one chick may remain with the parents after fledging and help to raise the next brood of chicks in an admirable show of sibling support.
In the late 70's, these little gems were declared a rare species; their populations were demolished by a combination of several harsh winters, pesticide use to curtail fire ants, and competition from invasive species. Bluebirds require a cavity to nest in; given that they are not a woodpecker, they cannot excavate their own and thus must rely on the available holes in their territory. Non-native invaders like house sparrows and starlings will fight and even kill a bluebird to steal away a lucrative nest site and as a result, our azure native's reproductive success plummeted.
Campaigns to encourage the installation of bluebird boxes across this animal's range have resulted in a population rebound throughout much of its former habitat. Bring a smile to your backyard today by hanging one in YOUR habitat. You can build your own or order from many sources, including this deluxe edition from Amazon.com (OH! I WANT it!). Here are some great directions on how to install it for maximum benefit to the birds.
I have been remiss, wanderers, but I have not forgotten you. However, spring is here and with it comes the increased demands of field work. I shall be back with more posts for you, I promise, but in the meantime, several action items to keep you busy:
Sign the petition asking Discovery Networks not to run a travesty of a show called "Sarah Palin's Alaska." Defenders of Wildlife is only 9,000 signatures away from its goal of 200,000. Nothing about Palin's death wish for wildlife belongs on a channel that is SUPPOSED to educate the public about conservation and the miracle of the natural world. Her Alaska would be one devoid of native ecosystems and covered in oil wells -- no place I'd like to visit!
Do not spend a single dollar of your money at the major outdoor retailer, Cabela's. They have decided to be a corporate sponsor for grey wolf-killing derbies in the northern Rockies. No company that supports misinformed and propaganda-fueled slaughter should be allowed to profit. You can read past posts on wolves and their plight and their role as scapegoats of the west here.
Friday Fun Fact! I am deeply sorry I missed your fun fact last week, but I was stricken, nay pounded down by a horrid flu virus. But this week, I bring you things which make you go, "OMFG, that's huge!"
The Atlantic Giant Squid's eye can be as large as 15.75 inches wide. All the better to watch you with, my dear.
The largest flying animal was the pterosaur which lived 70 million years ago. This reptile had a wing span of 39 feet and weighed 190-250 pounds. That's like a flying black bear!
The tentacles of the giant Arctic jellyfish can reach 120 feet in length. There is no cookie shelf too high for baked goods safety!
In a full grown rye plant, the total length of fine root hairs may reach 6600 miles. That would cross the US. Twice.
The world's largest amphibian is the giant Japanese salamander (left). It can grow up to 5 ft. in length. A salamander that can eat your leg is just...cool.
