Red Fox Color Variation

Back to Alaska for this post, folks.

Before going to Denali National Park & Preserve, I was told to be on the watch for red fox in the park. In Alaska, and typically the farther north in North America you go, the red foxes come in a variety of color variations.

While I was up there, I asked several people, specifically 2 furriers at a festival, if there were gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) in Alaska. The answers were always "Oh yeah, we've got tons of colors. Gray, black, silver, cross, red...". No one seemed to know that I was talking about a different species. And so, I waited and hoped to see a funky looking fox.

Denali National Park & Preserve of course delivered, and brought us a beautiful, although a little scruffy, red fox.

7/23/12

7/23/2012

7/23/12

7/23/12

 

How gorgeous is this animal? I emailed several professionals around Alaska. Fur-bearer biologists, trapping association president's, state and federal biologists, and the answers I got back were unconclusive on this red foxes color. They all seemed to agree that it was molting. Late July in DNPP is similar to late August in New York, weather-wise at least. So this guy or gal was getting its coat ready for winter.

 

And, while I was taking pictures of the fox, it was demonstrating that typical pouncy-jumpy style of hunting. No, those are not the professional terms of description of that behavior :)

 

 

Photo credit: Jasper Doest (NWF Photo of the Week)

This is what our observed fox was doing...so cool! Of course I couldn't get picture(s) of it doing this, because I was on the wrong side of the bus, and I was trying to watch as well as get the pictures.

 

 

 

Finally, I KNOW that the fox I saw is a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) because of that tell tale white tip on its tail. The other species of fox in Alaska is not the gray, but the Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), which can be seen in several colors as well. But that tip of the red foxes tail can be just a few white hairs, to the whole end of the tail being white. BUT as long as there's white, it is a "red fox". Sometimes our plants and animals are inaccurately commonly named. The first person to ever see the red fox, saw a RED red fox. But they come in many colors.

 

Ever seen a black squirrel? That's the same thing as those fat, annoying gray squirrels that hang on your bird feeders. Sometimes animals come in different colors, different than their name!

 

Anyway, this was a really cool sighting, even thought the same species is common in New York, and I've seen it off. Cool color and behavior!

 

 

A Post About Ptarmigan.

I must keep posting about my Alaskan adventures. There are still many to share, and it helps to soothe my aching heart. I did not expect to fall so in love with a place, a job, a group of people again (after my lovely 3 summers at Raquette Lake Girls Camp in the Adirondacks of NY), and so I will write a few more stories.

Ptarmigan. Tar-mi-gan. Silent 'P' for this little bird. Similar to a grouse, the Ptarmigans are a small, hardy upland game bird. There are several species found in Alaska, but the one I'm going to share with you is the Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) which  I almost literally stumbled upon in Denali National Park & Preserve.

Just over a month ago, my friend Katie and I, were traipsing around DNPP. We were looking for wildlife, mountains, and peace and quiet. We did a shuttle into the park the first day, which brought us alot of wildlife sightings, but also brought us around many other visitors.

On our second day in the park, we decided to hop off the bus at mile 15, and do some exploring at Savage River. There's a beautiful river, not so savage at that time of year, a canyon full of wildflowers, and of course the wildlife.

The interpretive signs at the beginning of the trail we took instructed visitors to be on the lookout for the arctic ground squirrels, Ptarmigan, and pika, and the hoary marmot. All 4 species hang out at the higher elevations above treeline among the rocky, shrubby nooks and crannies. Along our walk, we were rewarded with half of those critters AND less of a crowd!

Savage Rock

As we were walking along the river, I approached a bush that came alive. A family of Willow Ptarmigan were hanging out amongst a...willow! I unfortunately didn't get a picture of the young, they ski-daddled pretty quick into some thicker brush, but Mom and Dad hung out and I got some beautiful pictures of them.

 

Mom on left, Dad on right.

 

Mom

 

Dad

 

Dad

 

Mom

 

I love their feathery feet! These Ptarmigan are quite well adapted for snowy, cold life. In the winter they turn all white, and those feathers help insulate them.

 

The final picture I want to share is not from DNPP, but from the Palmer Creek trip I took with the Keen-Eye Birders in July. I found this scat on the trail, and ID'd it using Bird Tracks & Sign (Elbroch), as Ptarmigan (species unknown...):

 

Palmer Creek, July 14th 2012

Hope, AK

 

 

And, by the way!: in the past week I've moved back from Alaska, had my car severely break down (get towed, and has been at the dealership since), move all of my belongings from a storage unit 3 hours across the state, unpack, and today was my first day of classes at the State University of New York at Cobleskill. I'm going to try and keep up with blogging, but my life is about to get reeeeal busy again!

 



 

Rest In Peace

Richard White - August 24, 2012

First Denali National Park & Preserve Grizzly Bear Fatality

The Final of The Big 5: Part 6: Moose

The final chapter of The Big 5 story from Denali National Park & Preserve, is about the moose.

The third and final day of our adventures in the park was a long one. We took the shuttle bus 92 miles into the park, to Kantishna. Our total trip time was 13 hours roundtrip, which was a long day...but totally worth it. We saw so many of Denali's critters and had great viewings of them, the day didn't seem so long.

Myself in Savage River Canyon, Mile 15 of the park road.

After we had reached Kantishna, and turned back to head 92 miles back to the entrance, everyone on the bus kind of quieted down and got comfortable for the ride back. After a few quiet minutes of bumping along the gravel road, someone yelled out "STOP!" scaring me half to death. They had spotted a moose running parallel to us up on a ridge several hundred yards away to our left. I've almost literally tripped over moose and calves outside my cabin at the wildlife refuge, so I wasn't particularly interested in fighting for window space to take faraway pictures of this running moose. But then, our driver turned to Katie and I (we were sitting right behind her), and says "I wonder why that moose is running? They usually don't run unless for good reason...". And this moose was in a flat out gallop. Not a trot, not a lope, a reaching, ground pulling run. Within seconds of her saying this, from the back of the bus we hear "Oh my God, there's a brown bear!".

Well it didn't take much thought to piece together the story. That bear was after that moose. We were just entering back into the treeline, so there were shrubby, bushy spruce, alders, and willows littering the landscape, making it difficult to keep the chase in view. We were also running a bit late, as we had had too many of these "Nat Geo" moments that day. Our driver apologized to us that we couldn't wait it out to see where they met, and also I don't know if she was ok with letting a bus of 40 people watch this dramatic scene play out. So, we moved on.

Just as we rounded the corner, the moose burst from the shrubs on our left, and we made a quick stop to let it pass. The following pictures are the only that Katie and I were able to catch.

Photo credit: Katie Boye

I actually was so enamored with this predator-prey scenario and that I didn't waste the time fussing with zoom, focus, aperture, etc etc etc...I wanted it committed to memory.

It was an intense few moments, and I'm glad we got to experience it. The bus seemed to have been split into teams, rooting for the bear or the moose. I'm not sure who I was supporting, but either way someone would have benefited!

The Big 5: Part 5: Brown bears

To catch up on Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 click: Denali National Park & Preserve "The Big 5"!

This story is one of the brown bear. This bear is known by several names: brown, grizzly, and Kodiak, but they're all the same species, Ursus arctos. I am going to refer to them as brown bears, since that's how the rangers at Denali refer to them. Throughout our 3 day visit, we had probably 15 sightings of brown bears. Most of them looked like this:

Through a 36X zoom, this is a sow (sitting up like a person) nursing two cubs.

The majority of our sightings were like this...little blonde blips on the mountain sides, off in the tundra. Those of use with long zooms and binoculars got the views. I'm impressed with my camera, as were others on our bus. I would snap a picture like this, then pass it around to show others what we were seeing.

The third day of our trip into the park, we took a shuttle to Kantishna which is a 90+ mile round trip into the park.

Once we really got out there, we were diligently watching out the windows of the shuttle for something on the tundra. We were quickly rewarded with:

Photo credit: Katie Boye

A mother bear and her 2 cubs...relaxing in the meadow! It was absolutely an amazing sight to see.

All was quiet for the first few minutes of viewing...

Then, Thing 1 and Thing 2 got a little rowdy.

Mom rolled over in exasperation...

...and finally had enough and got up.

The cubs took that to mean it was go time, and started ripping into each other as they were wrestling. This behavior allows them to experiment with their bodies, and practice their moves for potentially later in life when defending themselves against a competing bear. And they are siblings, and I know MY sister and I did our fair share of this when we were younger!

And all of that action really got things moving...and in this case, bears **** on the tundra :)

Yet ANOTHER awesome memory and pictures to accompany from Denali National Park and Preserve. I urge everyone who is reading this entry, to add DNPP to their personal bucket list and make the trek north. It's worth it. Even if you don't see brown bear cubs wrestling, you'll get to see amazing views like this:

Eilson Visitor Center, 7/23/2012



The Big 5: Part 4: Dall Sheep

To catch up on previous "The Big 5" entries, click here!

The next "Big 5" critter I'd like to share is the Dall sheep (Ovis dalli). Dall sheep are cool. I really like domestic sheep/goats, and these guys can't be too different- they have personalities, aren't all that bright, but are typically gentle and loyal pets. I know rams can be nasty, but my experience of growing up with goats was a good one. These wild sheep are all white, the only all white sheep in fact, and their coloration is a camouflaging. They spend alot of time in the tippy-toppy parts of mountains and ridges, where the snow is found in most abundance. Dall sheep are not the same as a big-horned sheep, though it is understandable how you could confuse the two species. They are in the same genus (Ovis dalli and Ovis canadensis), which makes them practically cousins! Compare below:

A bachelor party of Dall sheep.

DNPP, Polychrome Pass

July 7/23/2012

Photo credit: Katie Boye

A male big-horned sheep and his harem.

Joshua Tree National Park, CA

August 2010

Dall sheep on left, big-horned sheep on right.

Anyway, I want to tell my favorite sighting story of the Dalls. We saw them often throughout the park, but often WAAAAAY up a slope, far away. It was hard to see them, most of the pictures I took were blurry, sasquatch-style pictures. We did have 3 amazing opportunities though to get close (on the shuttle bus) and observe them. The final up-close sighting is the one I'm going to share.

We were driving along the park road, which is some spots is pretty precarious. In the picture below is Polychrome Pass, not where we saw the sheep, but in a very similar spot.

It's very steep on either side, BARELY allowing for one shuttle bus to squeeze by, forget 2! There's alot of creeping around corners, and quick stops to allow the bus that has the right-of-way to pass.

We came around a bend, and saw several buses lined up, although we couldn't quite see what was happening yet. A few more bends, and we were upon the scene.

There were actually 3 buses stopped here. Just to the right of the frame, 2 buses were pulling away. They belonged to the Kantishna Experience lodge, which is private property that was encircled by DNPP when it expanded. They have their own buses, and apparently are supposed to go by the Park's rules when it comes to wildlife.

Our driver was very upset that 2 buses were stopped there for so long. I guess they have a rule of just a few minutes, as to not agitate the animals. We sat waiting for them (they had the right-of-way) for several minutes, and when we pulled up, they had been sitting here already for who knows how long.

The bus shown in the picture is a shuttle bus that had been waiting their turn to pull through. You can see guests on the bus taking pictures, so their bus driver stopped for a moment to allow pictures to be taken.

Then our driver was again frustrated because the driver of that shuttle, wedged herself between the sheep and the opposite side of the road. Apparently drivers are instructed to never restrict an animals movements. If they want to cross the road, they should have the option, which means drivers are to either stop short, or pull ahead for picture taking.

As soon as that shuttle moved through, and we had a turn to go through, 2 sheep bolted to the other side. Apparently the grass IS greener....ha...ha.

We then crept up, to pass through because we were running behind schedule and had actually already had another awesome viewing opportunity (the first picture of sheep is it) that day.

And these sheep were not having it.

They bolted in front of the (slowly) moving bus, and stood there! They actually confronted the bus, and stood their ground. We sat like this for maybe 30 seconds, and then I guess they deemed themselves the victors, and moved back to the right side of the road with the rest of the sheep.

It was so interesting to watch! I've seen male ungulates confront one another before. And actually the best example I can think of are my pet goats. They would play for dominance on this little dog house we gave them to climb on. And these Dalls looked just like that. Firm stance, raised heads, flared nostrils, and alert expressions.

Meanwhile, the others were content with ruminating and chewing their cud.

As we pulled away (this is looking towards the back of the bus) the little herd decided to again cross the road and head back up the slope on the opposite side.

It was a great experience that last probably all of 10 minutes, from when we rounded that first corner and saw the bus-jam, til this moment of pulling away. Dall sheep are not the most glamorous of The Big 5 to many people, but they are an integral part of Denali National Park & Preserve. They are, in fact, the reason WHY the land was set aside and a national park was created. To home and give refuge to the diminishing populations of Dall sheep.



The Big 5: Part 3: Caribou

Please also see: The Big 5: Parts 1 & 2

The next critter that Katie and I got to see in Denali National Park & Preserve was the caribou (Rangifer tarandus).

This ungulate artiodactylid (even-toed hoofed mammal), is an Alaskan icon. Many people are familiar with the vast migrations that the caribou make annually in search of breeding grounds and food sources, and because of their "fame" that I'd learned about before, I really wanted to see one.

We saw probably at least 10 caribou, but this was the animal that we didn't get the best views of. They were often solitary or in pairs way off in the distance, or even up on a rocky ridge between mountains. We did see a lone calf running by itself, and a couple of bulls laying together in a glacial wash basin. I'll share all of the best shots I have, but keep in mind these are all different sightings.

7/21/2012

7/21/2012

Can you pick out the caribou in this picture? Don't ask me how someone spotted it...

Look at the top of the mountain, just to the left of center in the broad U. I've zoomed in below.

7/21/2012

What is he doing up there? I don't understand- the "cost" of energy it must have taken to get up there must have been more than the benefit of food! It look like there's nothing edible...but then again, they often sustain for months on reindeer lichen, and nothing else.

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Did you know reindeer and caribou are the same animal?

A reindeer is just the domestic version of the species.

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7/23/2012

Two doe caribou hanging out. Even though they have antlers, they are females. Antlers are a secondary sexual characteristic, that often shows on caribou. White-tailed deer have been known, though less frequently, to show antlers on the does. Wild turkey hens can sometimes have a beard. I don't know what this means for their reproductive abilities, I'd wager with caribou it's not quite the same situation. A fish biologist and avid big-game trophy hunter here told me that the caribou use their antlers to push snow out of the way to find lichens. Interesting thought.

Can I take a moment to share the definitions of antlers vs. horns?

Some people here (and some that I think should know better) use the words interchangeably.

This is not a HUGE faux pas, but I like to be as succinct as possible.

Antlers	Horns
-Characteristic of the family Cervidae (deer, moose, elk, caribou)	-Characteristic of the family Bovidae (cows, sheep, goats, antelope, musk oxen)
-Often present only in males (with the exception of caribou)	-Present in both males and often the females
-Grown annually, shed annually, temporary	-Continuously growing, never shed, permanent
-Branched	-Unbranched

Animal Diversity Web

7/23/2012

A nice big bull- these two pictures are of the same animal. This was actually the closest we got to a caribou, probably around 150 yards or half the length of a football field. It's amazing how fast their antlers grow in such a short amount of time...just to be shed off and grown again the next season.

The final picture I'll leave you with is of the young caribou, born this year, seemingly on it's own.

We didn't see an adult anywhere, nor could we see a predator.

Apparently baby caribou are a favorite of brown bears and wolves...no big surprise there!

7/21/2012

I hope he or she made it back to mom...

The Big 5: Part 2: Gray Wolf

Read here for The Big 5: Part 1!

Denali National Park & Preserve
7/21/2012

The first day into DNPP, our hopes were high for wildlife sightings. Half the people you hear from are boasting of amazing views, close encounters (on the bus) with wildlife, and perfect photo opportunities of both. Then the other half of the stories tell you to not get your hopes up, because the wildlife is truly wild, and the weather can change quickly, effecting it all. But, ever the optimists we are, we entered that first day (7/21/12) on the shuttle bus with eyes peeled.

Photo credit: Katie Boye

Within MINUTES, and I'm not exaggerating, we were treated with our first of The Big 5, a gray wolf (Canis lupus). The following are the only two pictures I was able to get...

Visitors to DNPP are only allowed to drive their personal on-road vehicles into the park for the first 15 miles of the park road. There is only one road in and out, so it's nice to not have the congestion of hundreds of visitors clogging the road after that 15 mile mark. Many people assume that most of the sightings will be seen further out in the park, especially once you hit 2,000 feet above sea level or so. This is where the treeline ends, and the tundra begins, making for wide open landscapes. For the majority of our wildlife sightings, that's where they were.

THIS sighting however, was seen within the first 10 miles of the park, under treeline, and at about 7:45am. First thing in the morning, on our first day in the park- DNPP delivered.

The wolf was on the left side of the road as we came around a corner, and a passenger yelled out "STOP!" as per our driver's direction. We slowed to a stop, and the wolf disappeared to the left up into the brush. We could still see him/her moving through the alders, pacing the bus, and then he/she decided to cross the road, RIGHT in front of us!

Luckily, Katie and I were in the second row of seats back, so we had a great view. My pictures were taken in haste, not allowing the camera to focus very well, so they aren't the best...but they're better than nothing!

After walking, yes walking, across the road, it disappeared down the bank on the other side. Allowing us probably a good minute and a half viewing.

There are 70 wolves within the limits of DNPP, broken up into about 9 packs. DNPP contains over 6 million acres, so you do the math. We were VERY lucky to have seen this gray wolf. Were there more out of sight?

Photo credit: Katie Boye

I've been reassured by people who know what they're talking about that this IS a wolf. I was being skeptical and thinking maybe a coyote at first. But, this Canid fits the wolf bill. Below I've pulled a comparison graphic to illustrate some of the physical characteristics between the two species. I'm reassured by the above wolves large feet, long legs, and rounded ears. Also, take my word for it, it had a thick muzzle, rather than that dainty snout of the coyote.

Photo credit: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

My last thoughts about this wolf concern it's weight. Although we saw this guy or gal mid-July, Alaska's autumn is just around the corner. The fall flowers are starting to bloom, and the days are getting shorter. The dark now comes at 10:30 at night! This still seems late by "lower 48" standards, but I was really enjoying the long days actually...it's weird to see darkness come.

I'm thinking that this wolf doesn't have long before winter hits. Last summer, a professor of mine visited DNPP in August and was SNOWED OUT. He and his wife couldn't enter the park due to all of the snow on the ground. The road is dirt/gravel, and are NOT plowed during the off-season. And those shuttle buses made me a little nervous on dry and clear roads, I can only imagine what it would be like on slick, snowy roads.

I hope despite it's thin frame, this wolf can compete with others throughout the long winter season and make it out on the other side alive. Perhaps this is a young male? Off on his own, thin, lanky...perhaps looking for a pack and territory to call his own? I will never know.