Our snakes are cold blooded, dependent on Chuck’s traveling zookeeper skills for food, water, housing, and, of course, the proper temperature. Traveling with snakes in an RV requires different procedures from housing them in a stationary facility.
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Traveling with Snakes (part one)
Our collection of snakes that travels with us has opened opportunities for us at wildlife refuges and state parks that we might otherwise have missed. But few people, whether rangers, visitors, or fellow volunteers, have neutral feelings about these reptiles. Reactions range from fervor to horror.
Moonlight Stroll
One of our most popular programs at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge is the Moonlight Stroll. Once a month, since winter of 2006, we’ve led groups of 20 visitors up a remote arroyo, guided by the light of the full moon.
Burro Skull – The Rest of the Story
All summer at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, the burro skull we’d rescued from a road-kill specimen near Yuma Proving Grounds last spring roasted in the hot Yuma sun. Although most of the tissue had been devoured by fly larvae by the time we returned this fall, dried skin and ligaments adhered to the bone.
New Year’s Eve Desert Moonrise
While many view it as a barren landscape, the desert offers beauty of its own. We enjoyed a dramatic desert moonrise on New Year’s Eve.
The Weather Snake
Although not one of my favorite activities, appearing on television to promote Imperial National Wildlife Refuge and our programs has been necessary at times over the past few years. During these appearances, we include the snakes and occasionally some other critters, as well as a few skulls from our collection.
Christmas Bird Count
The 110th Christmas Bird Count takes place this year across the country. This morning we joined Henry Detwiler (birding guide), other members of the Southwest Birders, and fellow volunteers to search for and count birds along the ponds and farm fields of Imperial National Wildlife Refuge.