Animal Signs

Mrs. Nordquist

Our Yellowstone Institute Summer Wildlife Watching Field Seminar was the highlight for me of our Fund for Teachers Fellowship. For three mornings we were up at 4:30AM so we could see animals before they took cover from the heat of day returning to our lodging at 4:30 or 5:00 in the afternoon. We were successful.

Buffalo and pronghorn in the Lamar Valley

Uinta ground squirrels on lookout

Bighorn sheep between Mammoth and Gardiner, MT

A close look at bighorn sheep with Mr. Hancock, Mr. Hawkins and Mrs. Sissom

Bison crossing the Lamar River

 The bison thundered across the valley and plunged into the river. We could hear them snorting and see their breath as they crossed.

Cow elk teach her baby to cross the river

Pelican fishing

Mama badger and 2 kits nearly ready to leave the den

Digging dens is dirty work and requires grooming

 Maybe these guys looked so healthy because of the large population of uinta ground squirrels.

Hike to Trout Lake in the Lamar Valley

Trout Lake was worth the hike

Otters on Trout Lake

Spawning trout in the inlet to Trout Lake

Columbia spotted frog at Trout Lake

The Columbia spotted frog is one of 3 amphibians in Yellowstone. It is a little bit too cold in the winter for most.

Elk skull close to Nez Perce Creek

 This skull and other bones in the area told a story of death for one animal. It had been there for a while evidenced by the flowers growing up through the nasal cavity.

What was this trap intended to catch?

In a failed survey of wolverines in Yellowstone, traps like these were intended to catch wolverines in order to study the population in Yellowstone. Despite what looks like a sturdy trap, the wolverines usually escaped within 2 hours.

Back grizzly paw in sandy soil

Notice the length of this track from toe to "heel." We missed seeing the bear by 5 minutes that morning, but returned to the location of the sighting to see if it had left us any signs. Mr. Hawkins found this footprint.

Front grizzly paw

In the heat of the day there was still much to learn. And I have learned about tracking animal signs, the habitats where you are likely to find animals, and how to track landscape features in order to pinpoint an animal in a zoom lense.

Grizzly groupies in Lamar Valley

Mrs. Sissom and our great guide Brad Bullins discussing the 2 grizzlies all these people were watching in Lamar Valley. And with the help of spotting scopes provided by the Yellowstone Institute, wildlife 1000 yards away seemed like they were 25 feet in front of me which is disconcerting when a grizzly bear seemingly turned and looked me in the face. I had to look up and remember that the grizzly was a dot in the distance.

Thanks to the Yellowstone Association for providing scholarships to teachers who attend their field seminars. With the help of our guide we have gained a much more intimate knowledge of our 1st National Park and the wildlife which live in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. With our deeper understanding of the complex issues surrounding wildlife management, we will be planning research projects focusing on the stewardship of our National Parks in the future.