Among the wildflowers: spring blossoms in the Merced River Canyon

Poppy and beetle in the Merced River Canyon (photo by Beth Pratt)

The spring rainbow of wildflowers is always a welcome sight, and in California a pot of gold always accompanies the rainbow: the spectacular blossoms of poppies. On a recent walk in the Merced River Canyon near Briceburg, I encountered just about every color in the spectrum of flowers-along with some of their pollinators as well. Did you know that beetles help pollinate the California poppy? See my slide show below for more flowers--and for more pollinators in action.

 

Some of you may remember the once-in-a-lifetime poppy bloom we experienced in 2009 in the Merced River Canyon. Here is a video I took that captured the hillsides on fire with flowers.

Above Yosemite and Mono Lake

Yosemite's east side and Mono Lake from an airplane 03/19/12(photo by Beth Pratt)

Although I fly often for work, I don't always get lucky with my timing for scenery gazing. This past week made up for a year's worth of red eyes and cloud covered skies--I flew over Yosemite twice--and both days had amazing views.

My first flight on Monday yielded some great photos of my favorite place on earth, right after the Sunday storm that had blanketed the region. From my window seat, I smiled in delight as I saw Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Tuolumne Meadows, Mt. Dana, Mt Conness and Mono Lake pass slowly underneath me. My feet have wandered on those landscapes for countless hours, yet it was a gift to be released for a few minutes from my usually grounded perspective and be able to view the world of Yosemite from the air.

 Half Dome-center of photo 03/19/12 (photo by Beth Pratt)Kuna Crest and Tuolumne Meadows 03/19/12 (photo by Beth Pratt)Mono Lake 03/19/12 (photo by Beth Pratt)Mono Lake 03/23/12 (photo by Beth Pratt)

Happy National Wildlife Week! Celebrating California’s Extra-Ordinary Wildlife

California is a land of extremes, containing both the highest and lowest points in the continental United States, with a landscape in between of 100 million acres that boast a unique geologic history. This translates into an unparalled diversity of life. The Golden State is home to the highest number of both total species and endemic species—overall 2,500 animals and plants.

National Wildlife Week, March 19-25, this year features 45 extra-ordinary wildlife species and their amazing talents. To celebrate the extra-ordinary wildlife that live in the extra-ordinary state of California, here are some of the featured animals that call California home.

Wildlife with Innovative Defenses

Walking stick: The California walking stick subspecies has a wider body and shorter legs than its relatives. Aside from its camouflage, the walking stick employs a skunk-like defense mechanism: spraying foul smelling chemicals at their predators.

Walking stick in my backyard (photo by Beth Pratt)

California Toad: The ubiquitious California toad can be found from the coast to high mountains of the Sierra. He keeps predators away by producing a milky liquid in some of his warts that is both bad-tasting and poisonous.

California toad in my frog pond (photo by Beth Pratt)

Wildlife that Survive in Unusual Habitats

Bighorn sheep: These intrepid animals live in some of the harshest environments in the state: the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada and the blazing heat of the Mojave Desert.

Desert bighorn in Anza Borrego State Park (photo by Beth Pratt)

Vernal pool fairy shrimp: These tiny creatures live in ephemeral vernal pools and have a short life span of about two months. After the pool dries up in the summer, eggs remain in the soil. When water returns to the vernal pool the next winter a new generation hatches.

Wildlife with Special Adaptations

Long-jawed, org weaving spider in my backyard (photo by Beth Pratt)Garden spider: I spotted this long-jawed, orb-weaving spider on a plant in my frog pond. These artistic engineers of the spider world build spiral webs with beautiful patterns to catch their prey.

American Dipper:  On contrast to his ordinary appearance, this unusual bird makes his home in mountain streams and hunts underwater—no easy task in swift running waters.

Wildlife that are Record Breakers

Blue whale: The magnificent blue whale is the largest living animal on earth. The marine mammal can stretch to lengths of over 100 feet—its head alone accounts for ¼ of its body length! On average the blue whale weighs 100-150 tons.

Pronghorn: As the fastest land mammal in North America, these fleet-footed creatures can sprint across a grassy steppe at speeds of up to 60 mph.; even a newborn fawn a couple of days after its birth can run faster than a human.

Pronghorn running at full speed (photo by Beth Pratt)

Great horned owl (photo by Beth Pratt)Wildlife with Super Senses

Rattlesnake: Rattlesnakes sense their prey through special heat-sensing organs located near their eyes. Rattlesnakes are California’s only native venomous snake and the state contains seven species.

Great horned owl: These owls are skilled hunters with a well-developed sense of hearing-they can hear the footsteps of a moose from 75 feet away!

Mission Desert Tortoise

A smile (or a yawn) from Desert tortoise "Lucy" at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Center (photo by Beth Pratt)Going wildlife watching for an animal that spends 98% of their time in a burrow might seem like a futile endeavor, but followers of my blog will also recall I have shivered outside in 40 below weather in Yellowstone scanning the frigid landscape for wolves. It’s much easier to be patient in the warm sunshine.

The author at the Desert Tortoise Natural Area (photo by Michelle Hansen)And these critters are worth the effort. Desert tortoises are simply remarkable animals and have existed unchanged for about 18 million years.  As a Californian, I am proud of our intrepid little Mojave desert tortoise(Gopherus agassizii) who manages to survive in the driest desert in North America. They dig burrows that stretch for over twenty feet and can hand them down to multiple generations. Their bladder allows them to store up to 40% of their body weight in water in order to access it during the dry season. Since the Mojave receives only 5 inches of rain a year, and mostly in the winter season, this storage capacity is a vital adaptation for survival.

My friend Michelle accompanied me on the search and also acted as chief researcher. Our first stop: the Desert Tortoise Natural Area outside of California City, CA. You have to be a dedicated tortoise person to find this preserve, located down a long dirt road and tucked away among the sandy brush scrub landscape. Yet to wander around the nature trails was a delight, and the walk included splendid views of the Sierra Nevada and El Paso Mountains. Alas, we did not sight any tortoises, but we both agreed we had found a wonderful place to explore again.

Next stop: Mojave National Preserve. The scenery alone made the drive through the preserve worth the trip, and the surrounding mountains, twisted Joshua Tree woodlands, serene desert dunes, and scrub bush lowlands combined to create a magnificent symphony of nature. When we arrived at the Nipton Hotel for the night (great place to stay when visiting the Mojave), I gazed across the Ivanpah Valley and thought how much it resembled a seascape. The dark lowlands gave the impression of the ocean surface in motion, perhaps the desert’s memory of its once watery origins. Alas, we saw no desert tortoises again that day, but as we sipped wine and gazed at the stars, we both agreed it didn’t matter (well, maybe it mattered a little).

The remarkable desert tortoise (photo by Beth Pratt)Our final chance (at least for this trip) was at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. When we first arrived at the viewing area at the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center, much to our dismay none of the tortoises had emerged from their burrows. So instead we wandered into the Mojave Max education area. Mojave Max is the official spokestortoise for the Clark County Desert Conservation Program. We also toured the exhibits at the center—and I rate it one of the best visitor centers I have experienced—really fun and well designed.

Then our moment arrived! We had returned to the tortoise viewing area to find Lucy emerging from her den. We remained captivated by her every purposeful step as she traveled a few feet, her oversized legs moving in slow motion. She stopped—as I am sure even three feet is a marathon distance for a tortoise—and browsed contentedly on some vegetation. I watched Lucy for about two hours—and was well rewarded with a tortoise smile (in truth probably a yawn) before I left.

Desert tortoises are to be celebrated, as they are just cool critters. Yet they are also threatened animals. Both the California and the Federal Endangered Species Acts list the Mojave population as threatened, the result of habitat loss and fragmentation, disease, over-predation, human poaching, and invasive species. Renewable energy siting issues have the potential to impact the future of the tortoise. Climate change—combined with the other challenges—also poses a grave threat for this animal, as the increased temperatures may render an already extreme habitat uninhabitable and push the animal to extinction.

How can you help? You can symbolically adopt a desert tortoisethrough the National Wildlife Federation or donate to help support our important work in wildlife conservation.

But most importantly, your mission—should you choose to accept it—is to embark on your own fun search to see a desert tortoise.

Some cool desert tortoise resources:

Desert tortoise mobile ap

Desert Tortoise Information and Collaboration Website

Tortoises: Through the Lens, A Visual Exploration of a Mojave Desert Icon (book)

MojaveMax.com

Mission Desert Tortoise Accomplished! (photo by Michelle Hansen)

Happy 140th Birthday Yellowstone National Park!

Roosevelt Arch in Yellowstone National Park (photo by Beth Pratt)“The headwaters of the Yellowstone River…is hereby reserved and withdrawn from settlement, occupancy, or sale…and dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.”

With this pronouncement by the United States Congress on March 1, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law the Yellowstone Park Protection Act. Yellowstone became the world’s first national park and “America’s Best Idea” was born.

National Parks have been an integral part of my life—from my father taking me to see whales on Cape Cod National Seashore, to spending college summers hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, to providing inspiration for my writing, space for my joyful wanderings, and an impetus for my career as an environmental leader. The tranquility I experience while hiking in places like Tuolumne Meadows or Hayden Valley feeds my soul with sustenance as essential to my existence as food or water. I have been lucky enough to work in two of the largest parks, Yosemite and Yellowstone, and currently make my home outside of Yosemite.

So take time today to celebrate the birthday of Yellowstone—and of all our national parks. And if you are looking for a good birthday present for Yellowstone, consider donating to the National Parks and Conservation Association—a great non-profit that helps safeguard our parks for future generations.