Spruce Beetle Infestations Not to Blame for Fire
The tiny spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) has been blamed for an increase in forest fires in Colorado, but new research shows the critters aren’t necessarily at fault. As part of...
Monarch Study Shows Good Habitat May Be All in the Earth
Conservation programs looking to restore monarch butterfly habitat by planting vegetation for butterflies to lay their eggs should pay more attention to local plant varieties and quality soil, according to...
Monitoring Beaver Restoration One Dam at a Time
It’s been about four years since Pierre Bolduc invited a new squatter to live on his land, and he couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Looking out the window...
Mountain Lions Not Just a Tall Tale in Adirondacks
Less than five years ago, a large muscled cat with striking eyes rimmed with black and a tail as long as almost half its over four-foot long body, was hit...
Green Roofs Offer a Taste of Home for Birds in Cities
Apart from the usual green spaces, it appears that city birds also appreciate landscaped roofs. A recent study published in the Wildlife Society Bulletin shows how green roofs — tops...
Pacific Fishers Fare Well in Burned Forest Habitats in California
A small mammal population currently under consideration for federal protection may take advantage of foraging opportunities presented after forest fires burn dense tree areas. “Basically what we found was that...
Q&A: What Are the Risks and Challenges Associated With Tularemia?
Tularemia, a severe infectious disease humans can contract from some small mammals, has been unusually active this year in Wyoming, with 16 human cases documented by the end of September....
Invasive Plant Makes Hard Work for Small Predators
An invasive beach dune grass that provides safe harbor for rodents may be making life more difficult for small predators in some Northern California coastal ecosystems. Previous studies show that...
Wildlife Services Develops a New Toxin for Feral Swine
Feral swine are one of the most difficult invasive species to eradicate in North America. The pigs (Sus scrofa), first introduced from Europe, are intelligent enough to avoid many traps...