Tag Archives: wildlife

Tracking Zimbabwe’s rhinos – adrenaline, awe in the African bush

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blackrhino_donna_brown

BY DAVID CONNER
A twig snaps nearby. We freeze, holding our breath and straining to hear. I’m on a guided solo expedition tracking black rhinos through the thick bush in Zimbabwe’s Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve.  It’s in our best interest to take snapping twigs seriously.
Black rhinos are critically endangered.  If we come across one, and if it charges, “your only defense is to look for a really big tree or anthill to hide behind –shooting one is not an option,” said my guide, Bernard.  Not exactly comforting.
Sensing no immediate peril, Bernard beckons forward with a wave of one hand – the other rests on his rifle.  A master tracker and native Zimbabwean of the Shona Tribe, Bernard has been… Continue Reading

Boston Harbor Islands a ‘micro-wilderness’ awaiting discovery

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Just a few miles from downtown Boston, Lovells Islands is a refuge for wildlife and a chance to humans to enjoy seeing the sunset behind Boston. Photo by Stephanie Schorow

By STEPHANIE SCHOROW
Rabbits are everywhere. They skitter across the path, rustle in the bushes, and peer at me out of the tall grass. At dusk I clamber up the crumbled steps of an abandoned military fort and suddenly came nose to nose with a bunny – I’m not sure which of us was more startled.
It was my first night camping on Lovell’s Island, one of the 34 islands in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area and it was a revelation. Indeed, many Bostonians don’t even realize that there are islands “out there,” just a few miles from the hustle of downtown. Designated in 1996, the park is managed by the National Park Service and the Massachusetts Department… Continue Reading

Powell Butte Nature Park – a great birding adventure minutes from Portland

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A view of Mount Hood from Powell Butte. Photo by Chelsea Schuyler.

BY CHELSEA SCHUYLER
“Hummer!” our guide shouts and all eyes turn skyward just in time to witness an Anna’s Hummingbird hover for an instant in midair, then dive-bomb a male Lazuli Bunting from twelve feet up. Incredibly, a vibration of the male’s hummingbird’s tail feathers creates a single piercing “chirp!” just as he pulls up from the dive. The volume is remarkable for such a small creature.
The bunting doesn’t bat an eye; apparently he is used to this.
With his brilliant blue head, orange chest and white wing bars, the Lazuli Bunting is the “target” bird of today’s hike, and a large group of us are gathered here on Portland Oregon’s Powell Butte to see it. But before we… Continue Reading

Jonathan Dickenson State Park – a Florida east coast wildlife adventure

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Kayakers enjoy a paddle on the Loxahatchee River. Photo by Julie Rodrigues.

The Adventure
Jonathan Dickenson State Park is located in Hobe Sound, Florida about 90 miles north of Miami. Look for Florida’s only endemic bird, the Florida scrub-jay among the park’s other 150 birds and enjoy its scenic trails. The park is 11,500 acres in size, with numerous nature trails. Loxahatchee River, which flows through the park, is Florida’s first federally-designated Wild and Scenic River.
Dry conditions and wildlife risk persist in this part of Florida. No campfires are allowed. Contained barbecue or charcoal grills and embedded fire rings are permitted.
Adventure Location and Directions
Jonathan Dickenson State Park
16450 S.E. Federal Highway
Hobe Sound, Florida 33455
(772) 546-2771
http://floridastateparks.org/jonathandickinson/default.cfm… Continue Reading
Directions: From I-95 South, take Exit 87A to US-1, make a