For my last installment of this theme, I’m going to tell you more about the bat work that we are doing in Yellowstone. There is more than the acoustic project in the Maple Fire and Buffalo Fire burn areas. Day and night, there is bat work to be done — from summer acoustic stations to bat capture! Continue reading “Vampires and Daywalkers”
Tag: Yellowstone Wildlife Health Program
The Cute and Cuddly
With time running out, I’m pressed to tell you more about my work in Yellowstone. In this post, I’m going to talk about cute and cuddly small mammals — well, kind of. You see, they are those fuzzy little creatures that we love to adore. However, some of them may carry something deadly. The Wildlife Health Program monitors certain small mammal species for disease that can affect animal populations and people visiting the park. I’ll tell you more about the program’s efforts and my experience with this project. Continue reading “The Cute and Cuddly”
As Summer Ends
Less than a month remains of my summer in Yellowstone, about three weeks. I’ve been thinking about this summer quite often. Surely more so, I’ve been thinking ahead. I’m pondering what I will do next. Continue reading “As Summer Ends”
Bats and Fire
Bats and fire, what an interesting combination. I recall being excited when hearing of this project back in May. Our mission was to set up some acoustic stations in and around areas burned by wildfire with the intention of discovering how bats are using these altered landscapes. In this post, I’m going to stick with the current theme and tell you more about my work in Yellowstone and my involvement in this project. Continue reading “Bats and Fire”
Looking for Trouble
After publishing my last post, some of you inquired about what happened to the amphibians at that pond in Canyon. I was sad to report on the demise of this cohort; however, I was pleased to hear of the concern for these wonderful yet vulnerable animals. They often do not get the attention or the funding that they deserve. In this post, I’ll tell you about my amphibian work with the Wildlife Health Program and present my hypothesis on what caused the amphibian die-off. Continue reading “Looking for Trouble”
A Grizzly Encounter
The day began like many others… Continue reading “A Grizzly Encounter”
Bat Capture at Buffalo Ranch
The sun goes down and the net comes up at Buffalo Ranch. This past Wednesday, we did a roost capture in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone. In this picture, we are waiting to deploy the triple high net. Once the they emerged, we captured sixty of the nearly three hundred female little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) that are using the attic as a roost. Associates and visitors of Buffalo Ranch expressed their curiosity as we caught and extracted the bats from the net. I was delighted to see such interest from non-scientists.
Townsend’s big-eared bat
On Wednesday night, I was reminded of the reason that I came to Yellowstone. We caught a Townsend’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii), a rare species to be found in the park and the first encounter for me.
Dorm Life
Down past the hoodoos, across from the travertine terraces, within the borders of Yellowstone National Park, my home away from home is Mammoth, Wyoming. In this post, I’m going to show you where I live and give you my perspective on my living conditions. I’m going to take you into the world of Dorm Life. Continue reading “Dorm Life”
The Plains Spadefoot Toad
I have the pleasure of working with the plains spadefoot toad (Spea bombifrons). A breeding population was recently confirmed in 2014. This video presents the bulbous tadpoles swimming in the shallow, ephemeral margins of a meadow pond. Take a closer look to see them in various stages of metamorphosis. In the Wildlife Health Program, we monitor Yellowstone’s amphibians for the presence of Chytrid fungus and Ranavirus — two deleterious diseases that have the potential to decimate populations.