Animals take advantage of trails in winter
When the snow becomes deep enough, we bring out our skis, snowshoes and snowmobiles to travel around. Even with snowshoes, slogging through knee-deep powdery snow…
Category: Mammals
Some animals capable of growing new appendages
Lizards are one of the more well-known animals to regrow their tail after shedding it to evade predators. Last week, I wrote about autotomy (the…
Animals utilize self-amputation for numerous reasons
Northern alligator lizards and western blue-tailed skinks possess two unique abilities in the animal world–they can self-amputate their tail and grow it back. The process…
Research project identifying grizzly bears in Selkirks
Curiosity grew as we followed the flagging to the research site above Cow Creek. Did grizzly bears visit the site during the last month or…
Young cougars on the move this time of year
In the recent weeks, several cougars have been spotted in Bonners Ferry. Normally cougars are secretive and shy away from humans. However, in the fall…
Flying squirrels glide with ease between trees
A small head poked out of a bird house and it wasn’t a bird or a red squirrel–the large eyes belonged to a flying squirrel.…
Pikas make hay a different way
On top of a ridge in the Selkirks, I noticed a quick movement among the rocks. At first I thought it was a golden-mantled ground…
Columbian ground squirrels hibernate early
Standing bolt upright on a prominent rock, a Columbian ground squirrel chirps every now and then as I watch from Shorty Peak lookout. The chirps…
Be prepared for a bear encounter or attack
Seeing bear tracks in the trail provides a heads-up that a bear is in the area. However, surprise encounters can happen if the bear can’t…
Learn to recognize bear sign
Seeing grizzly bear tracks in the snow on the trail always heightens my awareness, especially relatively fresh tracks where the claw marks can still be…
Bushy-tailed woodrats more commonly known as packrats
After crossing one of the bridges on the Copper Creek Falls trail this spring, I came across a small dead animal that I didn’t recognize.…
Mink: the semiaquatic weasel
When I see a small mammal swimming in the water, there are only a few choices– at least I thought. One animal had me stumped.…
Some animals capable of growing new appendages
Lizards are one of the more well-known animals to regrow their tail after shedding it to evade predators. Last week, I wrote about autotomy (the…
Animals utilize self-amputation for numerous reasons
Northern alligator lizards and western blue-tailed skinks possess two unique abilities in the animal world–they can self-amputate their tail and grow it back. The process…
Research project identifying grizzly bears in Selkirks
Curiosity grew as we followed the flagging to the research site above Cow Creek. Did grizzly bears visit the site during the last month or…
Young cougars on the move this time of year
In the recent weeks, several cougars have been spotted in Bonners Ferry. Normally cougars are secretive and shy away from humans. However, in the fall…
Flying squirrels glide with ease between trees
A small head poked out of a bird house and it wasn’t a bird or a red squirrel–the large eyes belonged to a flying squirrel.…
Pikas make hay a different way
On top of a ridge in the Selkirks, I noticed a quick movement among the rocks. At first I thought it was a golden-mantled ground…
Columbian ground squirrels hibernate early
Standing bolt upright on a prominent rock, a Columbian ground squirrel chirps every now and then as I watch from Shorty Peak lookout. The chirps…
Be prepared for a bear encounter or attack
Seeing bear tracks in the trail provides a heads-up that a bear is in the area. However, surprise encounters can happen if the bear can’t…
Learn to recognize bear sign
Seeing grizzly bear tracks in the snow on the trail always heightens my awareness, especially relatively fresh tracks where the claw marks can still be…
Bushy-tailed woodrats more commonly known as packrats
After crossing one of the bridges on the Copper Creek Falls trail this spring, I came across a small dead animal that I didn’t recognize.…
Mink: the semiaquatic weasel
When I see a small mammal swimming in the water, there are only a few choices– at least I thought. One animal had me stumped.…