#wildlife: alabama

[snototter]

A saddleback caterpillar (Acharia stimulea) in Jackson County, Alabama, USA

by Alan Cressler

[reasonsforhope]

"When considering the great victories of America’s conservationists, we tend to think of the sights and landscapes emblematic of the West, but there’s also a rich history of acknowledging the value of the wetlands of America’s south.

These include such vibrant ecosystems as the Everglades, the Great Dismal Swamp, the floodplains of the Congaree River, and “America’s Amazon” also known as the “Land Between the Rivers”—recently preserved forever thanks to generous donors and work by the Nature Conservancy (TNC).

With what the TNC described as an “unprecedented gift,” 8,000 acres of pristine wetlands where the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers join, known as the Mobile Delta, were purchased for the purpose of conservation for $15 million. The owners chose to sell to TNC rather than to the timber industry which planned to log in the location.

“This is one of the most important conservation victories that we’ve ever been a part of,” said Mitch Reid, state director for The Nature Conservancy in Alabama.

The area is filled with oxbow lakes, creeks, and swamps alongside the rivers, and they’re home to so many species that it ranks as one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, such that Reid often jokes that while it has rightfully earned the moniker “America’s Amazon” the Amazon should seriously consider using the moniker “South America’s Mobile.”

“This tract represents the largest remaining block of land that we can protect in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. First and foremost, TNC is doing this work for our fellow Alabamians who rightly pride themselves on their relationship with the outdoors,” said Reid, who told Advance Local that it can connect with other protected lands to the north, in an area called the Red Hills.

“Conservation lands in the Delta positions it as an anchor in a corridor of protected lands stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Appalachian Mountains and has long been a priority in TNC’s ongoing efforts to establish resilient and connected landscapes across the region.”

At the moment, no management plan has been sketched out, but TNC believes it must allow the public to use it for recreation as much as possible.

The money for the purchase was provided by a government grant and a generous, anonymous donor, along with $5.2 million from the Holdfast Collective—the conservation funding body of Patagonia outfitters."

Video via Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, August 7, 2020

Article via Good News Network, February 14, 2024

[cambcorder]

gloomy autumn

[kazenorth]

Went hiking with my family and we found THESE COOL LITTLE GUYS 🐍 🦎

This was the first time I've ever seen a rough grass snake. Mom spotted them and I was able to catch both!

[skywalkersmain]

Saw this bunny tonight on the drive home from work

I’m kinda worried it’s someone’s escaped house bunny cause it was fat and it didn’t run when I stopped the car to take this photo

[asterwild]

The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) is a large marine mammal who can live in both saltwater and freshwater. These large, docile herbivores are typically found in shallow coastal areas, rivers, and estuaries. Both subspecies (Florida manatee in the US, Antillean in the Caribbean) are considered endangered by the IUCN.

[northamericanbirder]

Sandhill Cranes, at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Decatur, Alabama, 2024-02-01

(photos by @everydayesterday)

[rabbitcruiser]

National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day

National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day celebrates these small, flying beings, and is for appreciating them, learning about them, spreading awareness about them, and viewing them in person.

There are about 20,000 species of butterflies—some sources say there are 17,500, while some say there are as many 24,000.  There are about 750 species found in the United States, where the white cabbage butterfly is the most prevalent. The life cycle of a butterfly begins when eggs are laid on leaves, which hatch into larvae known as caterpillars. They eat the leaves and flowers of the plant they are on, and grow in size while shedding their skin multiple times. They then turn into a pupa, or chrysalis, and then into a butterfly.

When they come out of their cocoon to a new world as a butterfly, they have to pump fluid into the veins in their wings in order to expand them.  They then have to rest for a few hours before taking flight for the first time. Butterflies are cold blooded, and the air around them affects their ability to function. If the air temperature gets below 55 degrees, their body temperature may drop too low to be able to fly. To remedy this, they may warm up their muscles by shivering or by lounging in the sun. They fly best in air temperatures between 82 and 100 degrees and are most comfortable when their body temperature is at about 85 degrees.

Their wings have thousands of scales that reflect light, giving them color. But underneath their scales, their wings are actually transparent. To protect themselves from predators, some butterflies fold their wings in to help camouflage themselves, or, conversely, some have bright colors that reveal to others their presence. Some predators are aware that many bright-colored insects are toxic when eaten, so they avoid these butterflies, even though, unbeknownst to them, they aren't poisonous. The common buckeye butterfly uses its colors to scare off birds.

Butterflies have receptors on their feet, which help them find host plants and food. Female butterflies tap on leaves until juices come out, and chemoreceptors on their legs tell them if the plants have the right type of chemicals to lay eggs on. Butterflies also step on their food to taste it. Adult butterflies only eat liquid, which is usually nectar, although they occasionally drink from mud puddles as well, to gain minerals and salts. They eat with a proboscis, which is like a straw; it is curled up under their chins and unfurls when they eat.

Butterflies generally have short lives, with most only living for two to four weeks, during which they mainly eat and mate. Some butterflies only live a few days, while some that migrate, like monarchs and morning cloaks, may live about nine months. Monarchs may travel over 2,500 miles to find warmth during the colder months.

The second flying creature celebrated today is the hummingbird.   There are about 325 species of hummingbirds, but only eight of them regularly breed in the United States. Although, up to two dozen species can be found there at various times. Most species of hummingbirds can be found in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and there are no hummingbirds outside of the Western Hemisphere. Many species can breed together, which creates hybrid species.

Hummingbirds are very small—many weigh less than the weight of a nickel. The calliope hummingbird is 3 inches long, and the bee hummingbird, native to Cuba, is the smallest bird species in the world, at 2.25 inches in length. Hummingbirds have such small feet that they can't walk or hop properly. They can shuffle a bit, though, but their feet are mainly used for preening. The small size of their feet also allows them to fly quicker. They can fly up to 30 miles per hour when going forward, and up to 60 miles per hour when diving.

Each species of hummingbird makes a different humming sound because the wings of each species beats at a different rate. Generally, a hummingbird's wings beat somewhere between 50 and 200 times a second. Wings aren't the only things that beat quickly when it comes to hummingbirds: their hearts beat more than 1,200 times a minute. They also take a breath about 250 times a minute, and that number is even higher when they are flying.

Like butterflies, hummingbirds may fly hundreds or even thousands of miles to migrate. They mainly eat nectar, but also eat small insects, spiders, tree sap, and juice from fruit. Their lifespan ranges from 3 to 12 years and is contingent on factors such as their species, habitat, and vulnerability due to predators and other threats. On National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day, we remember and celebrate both of these animals.

National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day is being observed today! It has always been observed annually on October 3rd.

Source

[fpere2023]

Community Service Blog

Overview

In this post I will be recapping my community service experience this semester, review the article I have read relating to the organization I worked with and reflect on both.

What did I do?

For my community service I decided to create a volunteer flyer for the Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF). AWF is one of the oldest and largest and oldest wildlife conservation organizations in the state. Since 1935 it has worked with citizens, other organizations and the local governments to encourage communities to protect and preserve the ecosystems within their communities. With the generosity of donors and dedication of volunteers the organization has been able to flourish and fulfill its goals.

For my flyer, I went to Canva for an eco-themed template and added some of the basic information I had learned about the organization. I inserted hyperlinks to the organizations Instagram and website so that those interested would be able to seek out information directly form the source.

Article review

Authors: Adam S. Willcox and William M. Giuliano

Publisher: Wildlife Society Bulletin

Link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/wildsocibull2011.35.2.59?sid=primo

MLA Citation: Adam S. Willcox, and William M. Giuliano. “Cattle Rancher and Conservation Agency Personnel Perceptions of Wildlife Management and Assistance Programs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi.” Wildlife Society Bulletin (2011), vol. 35, no. 2, 2011, pp. 59–68.

Summary: In their article Cattle Rancher and Conservation Agency Personal Perceptions of Wildlife Management and Assistance Programs in ALabama, FLorida, Georgia, and Mississippi, Adam S. Willcox and William M. Giuliano surveyed cattle ranchers in several states in order to understand their perceptions of conservation organizations and policies. In their article they found that the majority of cattle ranchers considered themselves stewards of the land and desired to protect the wildlife that lived within their property. However, they became frustrated with wildlife organizations that interfered with their ability to make profit off their lands through restrictions and protection of predatory animals. Willcox and Giuliano emphasize the importance of conservationists listening to the communities they involve themselves with in order to create a sustainable and positive impact. 

Analysis: Adam S. Willcox is a research assistant professor at The University of Tennessee and William M. Giuliano is an Associate professor at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Both have authored and co authored several research papers regarding conservationist concerns and agriculture. In their article, the authors use terms such as “suggest” (59) which gives the article a tone of humility. They are not attacking their audience or demanding cooperation. Instead, the authors are sharing their observations and suggesting a solution which the audience can use or ignore. Willcox and Giuliano's argument makes sense. Conservation organizations cannot expect to work with cattle ranchers if they will ignore their concerns. It is important for both sides to respect each other's views and find a middle ground to cooperate on. The target audience is conservation agencies looking to work with cattle ranchers in southern agricultural states. The article struck me as one for the lay reader. The authors wording makes it easy to understand their research study and their explanation of the data makes their conclusion clear. It was not full of difficult-to-understand jargon or descriptions. The article was fascinating to read and made me consider conservationist approaches to communities. In one of the recent discussions (29) for my environmental writing course, we discussed Marine Protected areas or MPAs. Although they allow endangered species and coral ecosystems to flourish they can harm the local fishing communities. By placing legal prohibitions on the areas the fishermen fish, conservationists cut off the main source of income for the communities resulting in the local economy crashing. Willcox and Giuliano's suggestion for conservations to work and communicate with the local communities of the ecosystems they are trying to protect will prevent issues like the one previously mentioned from occurring.

Additional Info

Sources

Adam S. Willcox, and William M. Giuliano. “Cattle Rancher and Conservation Agency Personnel Perceptions of Wildlife Management and Assistance Programs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi.” Wildlife Society Bulletin (2011), vol. 35, no. 2, 2011, pp. 59–68. “Adam Willcox.” Conservation Science Group, https://consci.utk.edu/people/adam-willcox/.

“Alabama Wildlife Federation.” Alabama Wildlife Federation | AWF, https://www.alabamawildlife.org/. Giuliano, William M. Associate Professor - Vivo.ufl.edu. https://vivo.ufl.edu/display/n55961.

[somebunny2love]

Our pupper found a baby bunny inside the fence.

Hubs rescued the li'l dude and released him other side of the fence. ❤🐇

It took a minute,

but then the bunny began to emerge from the shock.

He looked around...

... and the ears went up and he hopped into the brush.

The end ❤🐇

[snototter]

Glyphyalinia sp. in Ladder Cave, Alabama

by Alan Cressler

[rasmasandra]

American Animals Alabama and Alaska

Animals you can see in the US states of Alabama and Alaska Wildlife of Alabama The US state of Alabama has varied topography ranging from steep hills to fertile flatlands, lakes, and rivers. The state has a coastline on the Gulf of Mexico that includes 600 miles of tidal bay and bayou shoreline. Within Alabama there are over 60 types of natural habitat, including forests, woodlands, wetlands,…

[cambcorder]

autumn on the lake

[galpaladin64]

spring's a sprunging

Picture 1 & 3: common blue violet (viola sororia) Native wildflower

Picture 2: Little sweet betsy (trillium cuneatum) Native endemic plant

[amomentoftimeandword]

December 7, 2023- Langan/Municipal Park

[faithandarisadventures]

Tiny Frog June 3, 2023 Payne Lake Recreational Area Moundville, Alabama

We went camping for our two-year anniversary and these tiny frogs were all over the place!