Alaska — It was near the end of a six-hour bus tour of Denali National Park that we got a good, long look at a bear eating his way through a field of berries.Elsewhere in Alaska, my husband, two sons and I had watched whales spouting near Juneau, eagles along the Chilkat River, and waterways in Ketchikan and Skagway so full of salmon they could barely move.But we'd headed to Denali knowing that the park's 9,400 square miles are home to just 350 brown bears. We hoped to see them, but we were prepared for the possibility that we might not.And therein lies an important point to keep in mind if you're planning a trip to Alaska this summer. There are no guarantees you'll see wildlife, but you can improve your chances if you're patient and if you put yourself in the right place at the right time."People go to Alaska to see wildlife for a reason, but you see it in many ways and in many circumstances," said Holland America Line spokesman Erik Elvejord. "Don't expect a line-up of bears when y
All eight SAARC nations -- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka -- have pledged to enhance cooperation in curbing wildlife trade in the region. According to an Environmental News Network (ENN) report, wildlife trade officials from SAARC countries met here last week and defined a series of joint actions under the new South Asia Wildlife Trade Initiative (SAWTI). The direction for the initiative was given by SAARC ministers at the Tenth Meeting of Governing Council for the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) last year. South Asia is home to rare and prized wildlife species such as tigers, Asiatic lions, snow leopards, Asian elephants and one-horned rhinoceroses. International organized wildlife crime networks are often known to target these animals. “The agreement reached on SAWTI puts in place the foundations for a cooperative effort to crack down on illegal trade and to improve the management of wild animals and pl
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition is an international showcase for the very best photography featuring natural subjects. The competition is owned by two UK institutions that pride themselves on revealing and championing the diversity of life on Earth - the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine.Being accepted into this competition is something that wildlife photographers, worldwide, aspire to. Professionals win many of the prizes, but amateurs succeed, too. And that's because achieving the perfect picture is down to a mixture of skill, vision, originality, knowledge of nature and luck.Each year thousands of entries are received and judged by a specially selected expert panel. The winners are announced at an awards ceremony that takes place each October at the Natural History Museum, London.Enter the competitionThe search for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2008 has begun. All the information about the 2008 competition can be found here.If you have broadb
The 2008 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition, which is now on its 44th year, is the most prestigious and successful event of its kind in the world.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition is an international showcase for the very best photography featuring natural subjects. The competition is owned by two UK institutions that [...]
This is my third and final post today on the idiocy of New Hampshire lawmakers. I have to say that my blood is beginning to boil. It was so nice having our legislators on recess, but now they have come back with a fury and are looking to make up for lost time.
The point of [...]
Tapping the ‘greenThere has been a spurt of media reports on tourism promotion in the country. Wildlife reserves and areas of outstanding natural beauty would be the obvious attractions. Though this enthusiasm is encouraging, certain issues have to be taken note of or else unregulated tourism will be another serious threat to the list of problems to our wildlife and their habitats.In India, tourism to wildlife destinations in the garb of “eco-tourism” is already a popular concept. However, the term is by and large misused. In practice, it is used as just another “eco-sell” marketing tool. Wldlife tourism is carried out in an unsystematic and unscientific manner with no clearly laid out policies. For instance, carrying capacity is undefined for most of our protected areas, neither have there been scientific rules defined on visitor discipline. Enforcement of existing regulations has been very frail. Many of our natural wonders are seen as ideal locations to be unruly, play lou
Shah Rukh Khan will be seen in a wildlife conservation awareness campaign shortly. Sanskara Development Trust, along with the Asian Conservation Awareness Programme (ACAP) / WildAid, will launch a national educational awareness campaign on wildlife conservation. The campaign is a multi–media education and awareness campaign that aims to protect the future of the world's endangered wildlife by drastically reducing consumer demand for endangered species parts and products. With the support of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), the campaign will run on leading television networks like Doordarshan, National Geographic, Discovery/Animal Planet, CNN IBN, NDTV, India TV, among others. The Airports Authority of India (AAI), Ministry of Civil Aviation, and Parliamentarians in India have also supported the campaign that will start with the broadcast of superstar Shah Rukh Khan's message across all international and domestic airports. Shah Rukh highlights the challenges faced by forest
From the Atlantic Ocean on Virginia's eastern border, to the towering Mt. Rogers at its southwest corner, the Commonwealth includes every bird and animal habitat that occurs naturally between Maine and Florida. The state also offers a long history, rich culture, and tradition of warm hospitality to welcome visitors.Within Virginia's 43,000 square miles of diverse natural habitat, you can find some 400 species of birds, 250 species of fish, 150 species of terrestrial and marine animals, 150 species of amphibians and reptiles, and a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates. The Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail celebrates this diversity. In fact, it is the first statewide program of its kind in the United States. In Virginia, three phases of the trail link wildlife viewing sites throughout the state.The Coastal Area was the first to be developed. It features untouched barrier islands, cypress swamps, great stands of pine forest, and bayside salt marshes. There are 18 loo
It's official... WE are now a CERTIFIED WILDLIFE HABITAThttp://www.nwf.org/backyard/My Backyard provides the four basic elements to sustain wildlife: food, water, cover, and places to raise young.^ Robin enjoying a solar powered bird bathPLEASE SEE MORE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHS >>View ALL Photo Albums >>
On October 18, 2006, a workshop was held in Vancouver, WA, with the title "Managing for wildlife habitat in Westside production
forests." The purpose of the workshop was to provide prescriptions and guidelines for people who manage Westside forests (those
west of the Cascade Mountains' crest) primarily for wood production, but because of mandate or personal preference, want to
integrate wildlife values. The audience included over 150 professionals from forest industry, consulting firms, and public and
tribal forest and wildlife management agencies. This proceedings includes ten papers based on oral presentations at the workshop
plus a synthesis paper summarizing workshop themes, discussions, and related information. Topics include a history of wildlife
management research in the Pacific Northwest, elements of habitat and how to manage for them, the challenges of appropriately
implementing ecosystem management, and economic implications to private forestland owners.
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