A raccoon tiptoeing near our campfire the other night surprised and delighted all of the volunteers gathered for a hot dog roast at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge. For years we’ve seen raccoon tracks, and occasionally we catch a glimpse of one. But, unlike other raccoons on the Refuge, this animal lingered, obviously not shy around people.
Betty
The Owl and the Scorpion, Part 3
Two weeks ago we learned that the great horned owl that had been stung by a giant hairy scorpion had been transferred from raptor rehabilitator Dr. George Montopoli, professor of mathematics with Arizona Western College (AWC) in Yuma, to Dr. Cecilia Vigil, doctor of veterinary medicine and biology professor also at AWC. Recently we met with Dr. Vigil at the college to be briefed on the owl’s progress.
Great Horned Owl (the Owl and the Scorpion), Part 2
Not long ago, a great horned owl was brought to Imperial National Wildlife Refuge’s visitor center suffering from what Refuge biologist Joe Barnett thought might have been a sting from a giant hairy scorpion. Today we visited with George Montopoli, the rehabilitator who took in and nursed the owl.
The Owl and the Scorpion
An owl sitting in the middle of the road is not natural. So when someone reported a great horned owl on the road leading toward Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, biologist Joe Barnett investigated.
To Prepare for a Fieldtrip — or Not
“Is it better to bring the students on a tour of the zoo before we study the unit, or is it better to prepare them first?” a teacher friend once asked me when Chuck and I were docents leading school tours at the Denver Zoo.
From the Desert to the Tetons
After spending winter months hiking through the desert, we’ve learned to watch for critters that lurk unseen, ready to strike or sting unwary visitors. With this in mind, even though unnecessary, I found myself constantly on guard while tramping through brush and tall grasses at the National Elk Refuge over the summer.
Naturalist Work on the deck of the National Elk Refuge
Volunteering as naturalists on the deck of the visitor center at the National Elk Refuge with our skulls and snakes, we meet people from all over the country and the world. Some encounters are educational, some are merely social, and some are comical.