The mountains of Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada during the winter season.

A weekly walkthrough of what has been going on and a look at what is coming up!

"Let us permit nature to have her way. She understands her business better than we do." —Michel de Montaigne

Banff National Park

Wildlife

Having visited the park in June of last year and having so many amazing wildlife experiences there, I was really excited to get to go during the winter. Understandably there was less wildlife activity, but the snow covered landscape made the sightings magical. Pictured below are two coyotes (Canis latrans) making their way across a frozen lake in Canmore, a small town just outside the park. These coyotes were kind enough to take interest in the photographer they clocked moving in the tree line. Some of the other wildlife I was lucky to have encounters with we the famous bighorn sheep and even a lynx! I would definitely recommend visiting in the Spring/Summer if you are going specifically for the wildlife, but there is something special about this mountainous landscape in the winter.

Landscape

Although most of the mountains maintain some sort of snow cover all year, the rest of the landscape in the winter is filled with amazing blankets of a frozen wonderland. Cloudy and hazy days with snow falling may seem dreary to some, but for those who have been to the Canadian Rockies know that there is magic and beauty in days like this.

Southern California Mountain Lion Project

Private Land Connectivity

The newest initiative for my Southern California Mountain Lion Project is meeting and connecting with landowners throughout the region to further the reach of tracking and monitoring these amazing cats. Friday, February 23 was the first official site visit in Valley Center. A homeowner with 10 acres of untouched landscape has given me access to the property to explore and monitor wildlife activity. Among the initial findings were tracks, bobcat scat and scrapes, and most notably was a scrape that measured to be a little large for a bobcat. The size could indicate that a mountain lion has moved through the area, but until there is definitive data to substantiate these claims, we will not know for sure. I placed a total of three cameras in the area of a steady water source that presented the most amount of signs of activity in the immediate area. Excited to finally get this initiative underway, the overall goal is to bring landowners together with educational tools to help them and others within our communities to coexist with our wild neighbors.

What's to Come

Some things to look forward that I have been working on are; a seminar on animal identification through hair microscopy, and a seminar on mountain lions and their importance to Southern California landscapes.

Sessions at JABCECC

Sessions at the Judith A. Bassett Canid Education and Conservation Center are able to be booked year round! Contact information for any questions on booking and pricing can be found through the "book now" link.

Supporting Local Art and Small Business

There is a lot of time, effort and expense that goes into creating images and working towards conservation goals that protect the wild places we visit. It would be an honor to have my work displayed in your home as a way to keep doing this work!