Schools have started field trips to Imperial National Wildlife Refuge again this year. The following article describing our school hikes first appeared in the Summer/Fall, 2007, issue of U.S. Fish & Wildlife News:
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Tracks in the Desert
Thanks to an industrious ATV rider, today we take it upon ourselves to become involved with maintenance rather than our usual naturalist work. We are spending the morning raking over tire tracks engraved upon the desert surface like a giant wound.
Burro Skull
Some RVers who volunteer at National Wildlife Refuges never return to the same refuge twice. Others, however, return to the refuges they enjoy year after year. We fall into the second category. This season, I am anxious to inspect the condition of the burro skull we left to the maggots last spring.
Wolves in Yellowstone
Snakes aren’t the only feared, reviled, and misunderstood animals. Wolves have their antagonists too. Recently, we visited our good friend Dr. Sue Ware in Gardiner, Montana, where she spent a week at the Heritage & Research Center examining wolf skulls.
What Good are Snakes?
“The best use for a snake is to make belts and boots!” That sentiment closely follows, “The only good snake is a dead snake!” Despite the fear and animosity toward them, snakes have a place and a purpose in the natural world.
Why People Fear Snakes
While walking at Cherry Creek State Park near Denver, Colorado, Chuck saw a man in the distance striking toward the ground with a stick. “He’s trying to kill a snake.” We hurried forward.
Snake FAQs
How do you tell a male from a female snake?
To determine sex, snakes are usually probed with a metal instrument in their cloacal opening (the opening at the base of their tail from which eggs are laid, where the snake defecates, and where copulation occurs). This is a difficult procedure and should only be done by experienced, well-trained herpetologists.