From Yellowstone to Yosemite: My Top Ten Wildlife Encounters of 2011

Beth Pratt — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:58:13 +0000

As a child who grew up reading Ranger Rick and watching Wild Kingdom, I cherish any wildlife I encounter. I’ve been lucky enough to live in Yellowstone, where I viewed charismatic mega-fauna on a daily basis, and now live near Yosemite, where the critters aren’t as big but still really cool, but I also love seeing the tiny tadpoles swim in my backyard frog pond. This year has been filled with wonderful encounters, so as a way of saying Happy New Year, I share with you my 2011 top ten wildlife moments.

1. The remarkable life of Yellowstone wolf 495M: A friend of mine sponsored a radio collar in my name for 495M. When I lived in Yellowstone, I followed his adventures as the alpha male of Mollie’s Pack. He died this year, but had a remarkable life and got to live and die like a true wolf. Read the full story here >>

495M while tranquilized for research (Photo: Yellowstone Wolf Project)

2. Zisa, the late bison calf in Yellowstone: Most bison give birth in late April through May, but this little guy came into the world in late fall—and faced many challenges in surviving the winter so young. He hung out near my home in Yellowstone and we all rooted for him and named him Zisa, the Lakota word for orange. Against all odds he survived the winter, but once he changed color to the traditional brown he was tough to track. NWF is working to restore bison to the Great Plains of Montana-read more about this great project.

Late bison calf "Zisa" in Yellowstone (photo by Beth Pratt)

3. Pika running over my foot: On a hike to Gaylor Lakes in Yosemite, I was standing at the shore of the lake and suddenly felt something scurry over my boot. I looked down and to my delight saw a pika hurrying away over the rocks. Very cool!

The pika who ran over my foot poses for a photo. (Photo by Beth Pratt)

4. Two bald eagles in one day: I had never seen a bald eagle in the Sierra. So imagine my surprise when I encountered two in one day this winter—one perched along the bank of the Merced River and the other soaring over Tioga Pass in Yosemite.

Two bald eagles in one day in the Sierra (photo by Beth Pratt)

5. Dancing penguins on Hollywood Blvd: Although Hollywood is known for its ‘anything goes attitude,’ it’s not often you see penguins dancing in the streets. During the premiere of Happy Feet 2, I had fun dancing with colorful penguins. The National Wildlife Federation teamed up with the movie to encourage people of all ages to take the steps necessary to protect amazing wildlife species such as penguins and wild places such as Antarctica.

The joy of dancing penquins (photo by Beth Pratt)

6. Bighorn sheep in Anza-Borrego State Park: After a mere fifteen minutes upon entering Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, my friend Michelle started pointing and uttered something incomprehensible in her excitement. Finally, I made out the word “sheep” and pulled off the road as soon I could. To our delight, a herd of ewes and young lambs leapt up the rocks and gazed back at us as we stood watching their movements. Desert bighorn are rare to spot, and although the animals were once in abundance, the population in the park has decreased to less than 300.

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

7. Black bear in Tuolumne Meadows:The road to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite opened very late this year because of what seemed like a never-ending winter. During my first trip to Tuolumne in June, this black bear wandered out of the forest. I think he was hoping the long winter would end as well.

Black bear in Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite (photo by Beth Pratt)

8. My backyard frog pond: My proudest accomplishment is being a mother to hundreds of tadpoles each year in my backyard frog pond (and in my NWF Certified Wildlife Habitatof course). I love watching the tiny frogs take their first steps out of the pond.

The life of a frog in my backyard pond (Photos by Beth Pratt)

9. Misguided frog mating in Yosemite: During a spring hike in the Gaylor Lake Basin, I spent an hour listening to the music of pacific chorus frogs and watching some “misguided” mating attempts—see the video below for the full story.

Click here to view the embedded video.

10. Ranger Rick at the Ahwahnee Hotel: During the first meeting of NWF’s California Advisory Council, we had a special visitor—Ranger Rick came to Yosemite! Also in the photo, council member Jack Laws, the talented naturalist and author of The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada.

Ranger Rick in Yosemite! With myself and Jack Laws.

California Leading the Fight on Global Warming

Robyn Carmichael — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:06:53 +0000

Global Warming Could Drive California's American Pika Extinct

Wednesday’s decision by California’s Supreme Court to allow the state to go ahead with a cap-and-trade program was an important step in the effort to limit and dramatically reduce the global warming pollution that threatens people and wildlife across the state.

The cap-and-trade system is a key piece of California’s groundbreaking Global Warming Solutions Act, which passed in 2006 and sets California apart as a leader in our country’s clean energy future. The law holds polluters like power plants and refineries accountable, requiring them to reduce their emissions over time–while spurring innovative green technologies and jobs.

Last year, two Texas oil companies desperately tried to roll back the Global Warming Solutions Act by pouring millions into a campaign to pass Prop 23, which would have suspended the landmark law. But a broad coalition came together to fight Big Oil in this epic battle, including the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Action Fund–mobilizing more than 100,000 NWF members in the state and funding voter outreach efforts.

In the end, Prop 23 lost by 61% to 39%–a resounding defeat demonstrating that California voters see the global warming law as paving the way to a new clean energy economy.

Californians are already feeling the impacts of climate change on temperature, drought, and snowpack. Hotter, drier summers continue to fuel wildfires across the state–the number and severity of which are expected to increase if global warming is not curbed. And warmer temperatures could contribute to a 70-90 percent decline in spring snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, a natural reservoir that provides up to half the state’s water supply during spring and summer.

Rising temperatures are also taking a toll on wildlife in the Golden State–leading to habitat destruction and ecosystem loss, and forcing species to shift their ranges. One of the most dramatic examples may be the American pika, one of the first mammals in North America that may become extinct due to global warming. Higher temperatures have led to widespread losses of pika populations in recent decades as they are pushed farther and farther upslope, beyond the altitudes that offer the rock formations and plants they need to survive.

Climate change and the ecological responses are not a far-off notion. It is happening now. California’s Supreme Court decision strengthens the state’s leadership in a nation that is failing to find the political will to enact solutions to the growing climate crisis. I hope Washington is listening.

TAKE ACTION: Help protect the American pika from global warming pollution by sending a message to the Environmental Protection Agency, urging them to reduce air pollution from power plants and refineries.

Wildlife Promise » American Pika

From Yellowstone to Yosemite: My Top Ten Wildlife Encounters of 2011

California Leading the Fight on Global Warming