Be "bear aware" when visiting Glacier NP

National Parks Traveler reports that Glacier National Park officials are telling visitors to be more aware of bears.

Two bear cubs were hit and killed by vehicles and several campers and hikers have encountered bears this year.

One [of the bear cubs] was killed by a driver who immediately reported the incident. The other was found dead and had suffered injuries consist with being hit by a vehicle. Drivers are reminded to obey the park speed limits and drive with due regard for bears and other wildlife that may be on or near the roads.

Hikers and backpackers are particularly at risk of encountering bears under potentially dangerous circumstances. To minimize the risk of injury or death (and lethal consequences for the problem bears involved), all trail users are urged to heed the rules and guidelines pertaining to hiking and camping in bear country.

Read the full story: Glacier National Park Officials urge visitors to be "bear aware"

Photo from National Parks Service

Caught on video: provoked bison injures tourists

CNN via National Parks Traveler reports on the Yellowstone bison who charged at two tourists that got too close while taking video.

The video also shows someone off camera throwing a stick at the animal which has many speculating that this could have provoked the bison to charge.

Watch the video below:



See the full story: Bison that charged Yellowstone NP visitors was provoked

Yellowstone grizzly bear mauling investigation

National Parks Traveler reports on the investigation into the death of the man mauled by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park.

Erwin Frank Evert, a 70-year-old botanist, knowingly entered an area last week that warned people to stay away from a recently radio-collared grizzly bear. Evert was mauled by the bear and investigators are now trying to piece together the events.

“In 33 years or so of trapping in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem we’ve never had this situation before,” an understandably somber Chuck Schwartz, team leader of the state-federal bear study team, said Monday.

According to Chris Servheen, the long-time Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the field biologists in this incident stayed with the 430-pound grizzly [after it was anesthetized and collared] until it began to stir, then left the area. About the same time, Mr. Evert was heading up the drainage that climbs into the Absaroka Mountains just about 7 miles east of Yellowstone.

“I cannot remember another incident where a grizzly bear that’s been handled has killed a person, recently after being handled," Dr. Servheen said Monday. "And we have captured thousands of grizzly bears and black bears using these same techniques. This is the first time its ever happened.”

The grizzly bear's new radio collar subsequently led wildlife agents to its location on Saturday where they shot and killed it from a helicopter.

Read the full story: Investigation launched into Yellowstone grizzly bear mauling

Photo from USGS

Some Zion NP trails and canyons closed through Fall

National Parks Traveler reports that road work will impact access to some of Zion National Park's hiking trails and canyons.

Trails and canyons along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway will be closed off during the week when the road work commences on Monday June 7. Closures will continue through to October.

Under the current plan, you won't be able to drive the highway Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. From 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. there will be access, but under traffic control. On weekends and holidays the road should be open round-the-clock, though there could be traffic control at times that could delay you.

Trails affected by the construction are the Canyon Overlook and East Rim. The Canyon Overlook will not be accessible at any time Monday through Friday. Parking is not available Monday through Friday at the East Rim trailhead. The East Rim trail is accessible from the Stave Spring Trailhead, Weeping Rock Trailhead, and the East Mesa Trailhead.

Canyons affected include Pine Creek, Spry and Keyhole. These canyons will not be accessible at any time Monday through Friday. All hikes and canyons will be available on weekends if no work is occurring. Visitors should check the park website ahead of time to make sure there is no construction affecting the area they wish to visit.

Read the full story: Road work in Zion NP will impact hiking and canyoneering access

Photo from NPS

Lead poisoning threatens rare wild condor chick

In April National Parks Traveler reported on the first condor chick to hatch in the wild in 100 years.

Now they report that toxic levels of lead is threatening the 50-day-old hatchling. Initially treated with chelation - a calcium EDTA injection that binds with heavy metals to avoid tissue retention - the chick's health continued to decline and biologists evacuated it to a special treatment facility.

Lead poisoning has been an on-going problem for condor populations. Condors are exclusively scavengers, feeding on a wide range of dead mammals. Research has established that the principle source of lead exposure among condors is lead ammunition.

Lead Ammunition has been banned for the taking of big game in a wide region of central and southern California, although that move has been a controversial one for some hunters. Park officials note that shooters who have made the switch to non-lead ammunition have made an invaluable contribution to the health of scavenging wildlife.

Lead levels were also found to be toxic in the condor father and he was also given chelation at the Los Angeles Zoo. Biologists are also trying to trap the mother condor to determine is she also has been exposed to lead.

Read the full story: Bad news for condor chick at Pinnacles National Monument

Photo by Gavin Emmons / National Park Service

Rare condor chick hatches in CA NP

National Parks Traveler reports on the first condor chick in over a century to hatch in California's Pinnacles National Monument.

Condors were put on the federal endangered species list in 1967, captive breeding programs began in the 80s to ward off complete extinction and reintroduction to Southern California began in the 90s.

The parents of this newly hatched chick were released into the wild and were seen doing courtship rituals last winter.

National Park Service Wildlife Biologist Daniel George reports that the first-time parent condors have been exhibiting normal behavior, regularly feeding and incubating the new nestling. He notes, "The milestone highlights regional efforts to bring the condor back from the brink of extinction."

The park has some tips for anyone interested in coming to view the birds:

Although the areas directly around the nest cliff will be closed to public use for the duration of the nesting period, public viewing is still possible. The strenuous hike to the viewing area is approximately two miles from the closest East or West Side parking areas. From the west, the elevation gain is approximately 1100 feet, and from the east it is over 1200 feet. Please ask in park Visitor Centers for more complete directions to the viewing area.

Read the full story: Condor chick is first to hatch in over a century at Pinnacles National Monument

Photo from NPS

Celebrate Earth Day in FL Bay and Everglades

National Parks Traveler recommends celebrating Earth Day in Florida's Bay or Everglades National Park.

A private fund called Florida Bay Stewardship has been set up to help benefit the bay and Earth Day (April 22) will kick off the celebrations.

Events include boat and kayak tours of the bay, an Eco-Mariner course, and free cake.

Read the full story: Celebrate Earth Day in Florida Bay and Everglades NP

Photo by NPS

Delaware park makes maple sugar

National Parks Traveler reports on this weekend's maple sugaring demonstration in Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area.

National Park Service rangers and Millbrook Village Society volunteers will demonstrate the sugaring process from “tree to table.” Visitors will learn about tapping maple trees, collecting sap and boiling it down to make syrup and sugar. Recipes for maple-based foods will be available. In addition, some village buildings will be open for tours and craft demonstrations.

Read the full story: 'Maple sugaring' demonstration in Delaware

Photo by National Parks Service

D.C.'s National Mall needs overhaul

National Parks Traveler reports on the dire conditions of the heavily-touristed Washington D.C. National Mall and calls for solutions.

The National Mall is often described as the nation's front yard. If you accept that label, than you can understand the maintenance needs: the lawn has bare spots, the walks are cracking, the porch is sagging. Yes, it's time for a serious face lift, the National Park Service is working on a plan to restore the Mall, and your comments are welcome.

Read the full story: How to fix the National Mall?

Photo from thisisbossi via Creative Commons and flickr.

Elk, deer and Grand Teton car accidents

National Parks Traveler reports on the animals involved in the most vehicle accidents in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park.

Every year around 100 animals are killed by car collisions. Elk and deer top the list. Moose (picture right) and bison are also listed.

Wildlife-vehicle collision statistics for the past five years reveal that an average of 33 deer, 38 elk, ten bison, seven moose, three pronghorn, two bears and one wolf are killed each year on [Grand Teton] park roads, the park said in a release this week. In addition, a host of smaller animals such as foxes, porcupines, beavers, marmots, pine martens, sage grouse, and owls die each year as a result of collisions with automobiles. The data suggest that vehicle speed, time of day (e.g. dusk, dawn, and nighttime), and specific location may be factors in wildlife-vehicle incidents.

Read the full story: Elk, deer most likely wildlife involved in vehicle collisions

Photo by National Parks Service

Board the train to a National Park

National Parks Traveler reports on visiting East Coast parks via train.

Look for tips on what trains and parks to visit near Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore and Washington D.C. among others.

Washington, D.C. Among the easiest NPS areas in the country to reach by train are those in the nation's capital. Once you arrive at Union Station you don't even need to leave the building to make a connection to the city's Metro system—or you can just walk from the station to some key sites. Even if you aren't traveling by train, the food court in the lower level of Union Station, together with several restaurants elsewhere in the building, offers a variety of choices for reasonably priced meals.

This is a series and NPS will also have trips for Central and Western regions soon.

Read the full story: Visiting National Parks by train - Eastern U.S.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

National Park trip planner website online now

National Parks Traveler reports on the new National Park Service website that will enable travelers to plan their next trip.

Dubbed Plan Your Visit to America's Best Idea (Your National Parks): Fall, Winter, Spring 2009-2010, the site provides a rundown of events and activities at the parks for the fall, winter and spring months. It also provides some tips, such as where to get the right pass for the parks, a suggestion that you stop at visitor centers and ask rangers questions, and, naturally, a suggestion that you visit www.nps.gov before you leave home to gather more information on the park of your choice.

Read the full story: National Park Service launches new website

Photo from National Park Service

Alaska's Caribou in a warming climate

National Parks Traveler is excerpting the National Parks Conservation Association's report on climate change and the affects on national parks.

This excerpt explains how caribou in Alaska are being impacted by a warmer planet.

Ice fields are shrinking, ice sheets are breaking up, forest fires and insect outbreaks are increasing, permafrost is melting, and coastal villages are disappearing into the sea.

For caribou, one of the Earth’s great iconic species, these climate-related shifts are expected to bring many changes, some good, some not so good, and some unknown. Cows and calves require lush spring vegetation for vital nutrients during the critical period around calving and early development.

Climate change will affect when that spring vegetation appears, potentially putting the green-up out of sync with calving, and leaving adults and newborns without adequate nutrition.

With climate-change forecasts predicting a warming of as much as 5 degrees centigrade throughout the Arctic, a trend that is likely to lead to earlier plant germination, will caribou be able to advance their biological clocks and keep calving when food is most available?

Read the full story: Climate change and national parks: caribou in Alaska

Photo from National Parks Traveler

How to catch horse-cart dung?

National Parks Traveler reports on the controversy in an Irish park about horse cart "dung-catchers."

For some reason that isn't made clear, the cart drivers or jarveys, are opposed to driving carts with the dung-catchers. The Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service installed a rule proclaiming that all carts driven in Killarney NP must have the catchers.

Here in New York City's Central Park, all the horse carts have these dung-catchers attached to the front of the carts and positioned strategically under the horses behind. The catchers aren't perfect though and some horse "apples" manage to escape and carpet the southeastern road with the smelly excrement.

Read the full story: International park news: "nappies" for horses

National park poacher convicted and sentenced

National Parks Traveler reports on the conviction and sentencing of illegal poacher Stephen Slavinsky.

Montana resident Slavinsky, 43, hunted and poached animals illegally, some even in protected Yellowstone National Park. He was convicted of four state felony counts of illegal poaching, sentenced to 20 years in prison (15 years suspended), stripped of all rights to own or possess a gun, and banned from hunting worldwide.

Read the full story: Yellowstone poacher loses hunting privileges for life

Try out new Grand Tetons path

National Parks Traveler reports on the new path opening up this weekend in Grand Teton National Park.

The 8-mile multi-use path will open this Saturday, in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

Bikes, skates, and feet will be permitted. Pets won't be.

Read the full story: 8-mile-long multi-use path opens in Grand Teton NP

Fires close Smoky Mts National Park trails

National Parks Traveler reports that wildfires are burning through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and several trails are closed.

As of 12:30 p.m. [today], the closed trails included the Laurel Falls Trail, Roundtop Trail, Little Greenbrier Trail at Wear Cove Road, Little Brier Gap Trail, and Cove Mountain Trail. If you are familiar with the park, you know that several of these trails intersect within relatively short distances in a very scenic area west of the Sugarland Visitor Center on the park's northern margin.

Read the full story: Some popular trails are closed

Everglades scourge: Asian swamp eel

National Parks Traveler reports on a threat to native species in Florida's Everglades; the introduced Asian swamp eel.

This exotic fish, pictured right, was most likely introduced by someone carelessly dumping their aquarium pets into the waters claims NPT.

"That is bad news, indeed, for the Everglades ecosystem. The swamp eel is a voracious feeder with a generalized diet that includes food critical to the survival of wading birds, fish, and many other native species of the Everglades. The results could very well be catastrophic if swamp eels were to become abundant enough."

Read the full story: Creature feature: meet the Asian swamp eel

Ecotravel News is away

Ecotravel News will be traveling and won't be able post again until February.

To help readers get through the hiatus we suggest the following links:

The Christian Science Monitor's environment section is a favorite

Environmental News Network always has new and interesting stories everyday

Reuters video, environment section

National Parks Traveler blog

Enjoy and until Feb!

China's first national park

National Parks Traveler reports on the first recognized national park in China.

The Heilongjiang Tangwanghe National Park, which is a 49,000 acre area in the northeast, was a heavily logged forest that has lost over 93 percent of its trees since 1948.

But now according to China's Ministry of Environmental Protection and National Tourism Administration, "'This region is home to the most intact and typical virgin Korean Pine forest in Asia, as well as more than 100 rare species of trees such as Dragon Spruce and Faber's Fir.'"

China already has 2,500 nature reserves, scenic and historic areas.

Read the full story: China moves to designate its first national park