Andean Gull photographed at Limpiopungo Lagoon in Cotopaxi National Park
There really are a lot of different gull species out there aren’t there?
My days of just calling every gull I see a “sea gull” are long gone, but they’re still fairly boring looking birds to me, plus I’ve never forgiven that one that once pooped on my lip when I was a kid.
This one at least had some nice colouring, a distinct black head and white body, somewhat streamlined and elegant compared to the noisy squawkers back at home by Lake Ontario.
This Andean Gull photo was taken at Limpiopungo Lagoon in Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador. These gulls tend to stick to mountain lakes and rivers all along the Andes, from Chile in the south to Colombia in the north.
They’re not endangered at all, due to their widespread habitat.
Two tasty-looking sheep hanging out on a hill in New Zealand
When it comes to posting wildlife and animal photos, I pretty much always try to post the specific species / subspecies name. After all a bear isn’t always just a bear, and my photographed wolf may be different than the wolf species you saw.
So, when I was in New Zealand I took a few pictures of sheep. I imagine everyone who visits Kiwi-land does so. People still jokes that there are 60 million sheep in New Zealand but far fewer people. 30 sheep for every person.
Ok, but what type of sheep are they?
Another mystery sheep on the South Island of New Zealand
Turns out there are at least 28 different sheep species in New Zealand! What? Seriously who knew there were so many types of sheep? I’m not making this up, this information is straight from Beef + Lamb New Zealand, and the New Zealand Sheepbreeders Association.
Even wit ha helpful graphic they provide of different sheep looks and which island they’re found on – I was still confused as to whether these are Polwarth sheep, Corriedale sheep, Borderdale sheep, Perendale sheep or Cheviot sheep.
So, I’m just calling them sheep. What I do know, is that they look pretty damn tasty. Who wants some unknown species of lamb for lunch?
Today, March 3rd 2014, happens to be the inaugural “World Wildlife Day” as decided by the UN as a way to celebrate the great animal and plant species of our planet.
I’ve seen many exotic and endangered animals on my travels, so this black bear may not seem so exciting to some people who may prefer a picture of a polar bear or sloth bear. But I wanted to keep it close to home for this World Wildlife Day, as a way to remind everyone that there is great wildlife in your backyard, virtually wherever you live.
I’ve been lucky to spot black bears on many occasions in parks in Ontario and Quebec, Canada as well as parts of the US, including Yellowstone National Park. Unlike some other bear species the American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) is not listed as endangered, threatened or vulnerable. It is widespread and has a healthy population.
But, with that said it is also an animal that few of my friends or family members have ever seen in the wild. As with far too many things, wildlife often pays the price with an out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach. Too often, action and conservation don’t take place until someone sees a tiger or panda bear blazened on a logo and heralded as in dire trouble in magazines and on TV.
My solution is simple. Go out and visit your national parks, state parks, provincial parks and wildlife refuges. Take a vacation at a marine reserve or go camping in your local conservation area. Spend some money in these places, so that animals such as the Black Bear can maintain their healthy, stable status in the wild.
Here at home, in the great expanses of Ontario, cutbacks have closed a number of provincial parks because attendance numbers have been low and didn’t justify the cost of maintenance and staffing. If the trend continues towards fewer parks, the remaining ones will all be more crowded, causing more stress and strain on the natural environment, including wildlife.
My best Black Bear encounters have all been at smaller, less-used parks. They’re further north, perhaps a 7-10 hour drive from most major cities, but they’re all worth it – places like Wakami Lake and Lake Superior Provincial Parks in Ontario. Some other provinces in Canada face similar issues and strains on their park systems, so wherever you may live – consider a visit to a less popular park destination.
Sure, I’ve also seen Black Bears walking around campsites in search of food at busy Ontario Parks likely Killarney Provincial Park, but we all know that isn’t natural behaviour, and can only lead to problems down the road.
So next time you take a family road trip or camping adventure, try somewhere new, venture a little further and help keep more of Canada a safe, protected and wild place. Happy World Wildlife Day!
This Ruddy Mongoose was seen one morning during breakfast, looking for it’s own meal in a field near the hotel I was staying at. The farmed area around the hotel created an ideal habitat for living and hunting for this mongoose.
Most mongoose are more common in foothills, fields and farmed lands, but this mongoose species generally prefers more forested and secluded areas. Along with the Indian Gray Mongoose and Striped-Neck Mongoose it is one of the most common species in Sri Lanka. What makes this one stand out as a different species is that the tip of it’s tail is black!
Endemic to Sri Lanka and India, the Ruddy Mongoose (full scientific name: Herpestes smithii zeylanicus), as with all other species, is carnivorous. It hunts mice, rats, snakes, scorpions, lizards, eggs and just about any other small creatures it comes across.
While not endangered, this mongoose is generally considered a pest animal in Sri Lanka, but tolerated as it helps control the population of unwanted rodents.
My first wild Polar Bear sighting, off the coast of Greenland
There are places in the world where Polar Bears are commonly seen, but they are few and far between.
Churchill, Manitoba during the right season in Canada, plus Wrangel Island in Russia and Svalbard, Norway are all known as terrific places for spotting Polar Bears. Still, a close-up encounter is rarely guaranteed, and sometimes not desired!
Polar Bears are smart, ambush hunters. The Inuit people I travelled with in the Arctic found it crazy that us southerners always wanted to get closer and closer to these powerful, dangerous animals. There are too many stories of Polar Bear attacks and “close calls” from the Inuit – they respect the bears and give them their space. I also learned from the Inuit that a healthy Polar bear will have a slightly yellow coloured fur, not white. So it was good to know this was a healthy bear.
With all that said, many people visit the Arctic without seeing a Polar Bear. Or, with a bit of luck you’ll get an encounter like this, with the bear at a safe distance. Called the “Ice bear” by some, Polar Bears are great swimmers, able to swim hundreds of km. It was a pleasure to spot this one in the Davis Strait after exploring the coast of Greenland for a few days.
