National Wildlife articles from April 1999

National Wildlife archives from April 1999

Hard Work, Gratifying Results.(wildlife photography)(Brief Article)
April 1, 1999... The image is dark and not particularly colorful, but Gary Braasch has reason to be pleased with his photograph of an adult marbled murrelet feeding a nestling (page 48). "Without question, the murrelet is the toughest animal I've ever tried to...

How To Create an Outdoor Birding Paradise for Indoor Cats.(Brief Article)
April 1, 1999... Some fellow bird-watchers are horrified to learn that we are cat owners, believing that the two must be mutually exclusive. There's good reason for such reaction: In the United States, there are 66 million pet cats and between 40 and 60 million...

LIVING ON THE FRINGE.(relationship between humans and bobcats)
April 1, 1999... There's a prowler loose in America's suburbs, but don't worry, the bobcat is only looking for rodents As wildlife ecologist Seth Riley watched from the hillside, a bobcat strolled along a trail in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area...

Drama in an Untamed Ecosystem.(Alaska's Copper River Delta)(includes related article on federal and state regulations)
April 1, 1999... While people wrestle over the future of Alaska's Copper River Delta, nature has been unfolding her own plans for the habitat and its creatures Mike Anthony and James B. Grand, who everyone calls Barry, basically spent the month of May...

After the Dust Settled, Some Unwanted Birds Had Left a Lasting Impression.(dustbathing by birds)(Brief Article)
April 1, 1999... I vividly remember the arrival of the house sparrows. They descended one autumn morning in a flock of 20 or so and stayed all winter, hogging my feeding station, tearing up my yard, even leaving their mark on the hood of my car. I silently...

Extinct Species.
April 1, 1999... I never really thought about extinct species until I read your article "Saying Goodbye" [December/January 1999]. I guess like many people I didn't relate losing species to anything in my own life. It all seems so distant to a city dweller like...

Making Sense of MANATEES.
April 1, 1999... Scientists are just beginning to understand the complicated behavior of these engaging endangered mammals Among the habits of Florida manatees, one is particularly convenient for the biologists who try to keep tabs on these rare animals....

NWF Campaigns To Give Wildlife Top Priority on Grasslands.
April 1, 1999... The national grasslands provide islands of valuable wildlife habitat in a sea of agriculture. Cathy Carlson, director, NWF's Rocky Mountain Natural Resource Center The National Wildlife Federation has launched a prairie grasslands...

Connies' Honor Top Conservation Action Achievers.(Brief Article)
April 1, 1999... In addition to naming oceanographer Sylvia Earle recipient of its J.N. "Ding" Darling Award as Conservationist of the Year (see page 32), NWF will present 11 Conservation Achievement Awards at its annual meeting March 18-21 in Houston, Texas....

SHROUDED IN SECRECY.(observations of the marbled murrelet)(Brief Article)
April 1, 1999... The marbled murrelet is one of the least-studied species on the continent; it is also one of the most controversial The whole business is a bit like waiting for Godot. In the murky light of an Oregon dawn, Kim Nelson is standing on the edge...

Turtles Save Dunes.
April 1, 1999... When sea turtles no longer nest in a long-established nesting site, the whole ecosystem can feel the consequences. A University of Florida study of loggerheads on Florida's Melbourne Beach, which boasts one of the largest loggerhead colonies in...

Where There's Smoke There's Germination.
April 1, 1999... Scientists have known for a long time that the heat and charring that come with fire can cause some seeds to sprout. That's part of the reason burned areas often seem to come to life dramatically soon after the fires go out. Now biologist Jon...

Considering Oil.
April 1, 1999... A Decade After a Disaster Ten years ago, Alaska's Exxon Valdez tragedy prompted much attention to the perils of transporting oil. Not only did the nation focus on the 11.2 million gallons disgorged by the ruptured tanker, the spill spurred...

If Wings Could Talk.
April 1, 1999... You can't tell by looking at them, but the wings of monarch butterflies contain extraordinary information that could help conserve the species: the locations of the insects' birthplaces. Scientists have long wondered where the 13 colonies of...

Redwoods in the Mist.
April 1, 1999... Stand under a giant redwood that is shrouded in fog, and you're likely to get wet. Really wet. In a recent study, ecologist Todd Dawson of Cornell University found that so much "fog drip" condenses on a redwood's needles, branches and trunk...

There's a Bear in My Car.
April 1, 1999... Ice chest on the front seat. Candy wrapper on the floor mat. Sun-lotion scent emanating from the trunk. Those are among the reasons a bear might peel off your car's doors or push in your van's windows. This behavior is called "clouting"--which...

New Findings About Bird Songs And Calls.
April 1, 1999... Instrument Included Birds apparently come equipped with partially preprogrammed "instruments." That's the conclusion of researchers who studied the sound-producing organ, or syrinx, of the zebra finch. They found that a steady change in...

If You Spray Pesticides in Your Home, They Might Coat Your Children's Toys.
April 1, 1999... While video cameras rolled at Rutgers University in New Jersey, a group of toddlers went about their usual business--snuggling noses into soft, plush stuffed animals, moving from toy to toy, sucking on their fingers, sucking on the toys. Later,...

FATAL ATTRACTION.(ravens threaten desert turtles in Mojave Desert)
April 1, 1999... Ravens are flourishing in the Southwest, and that is bad news for beleaguered desert tortoises Dave Morafka remembers well the day the ravens attacked. The biologist had built an enclosure to study young desert tortoises at Fort Irwin, an...

NWF Priority.
April 1, 1999... Beyond Tortoises: Saving Rare Species The desert tortoise is one of 25 species that the National Wildlife Federation is highlighting in its "Keep the Wild Alive" campaign. This is a multi-year effort to enhance support for protecting...

STAR BILLING.(characteristics of the roseate spoonbill and threats to its food supply Everglades National Park)
April 1, 1999... With flashy colors, specialized bills and unusual feeding techniques, roseate spoonbills command attention With bills submerged, in light that is painful to unshielded human eyes, a delegation of shockingly pink birds might be seen on any...

Sylvia Earle's Excellent Adventure.(oceanographer)
April 1, 1999... The renowned oceanographer's passion for scientific exploration is surpassed only by her efforts to protect the underwater realm The size of the united states, as any almanac will tell you, is about 3.7 million square miles. But in fact,...

Honoring Conservation Heroes.(1999 National Wildlife Federation awards to environmentalists who have contributed to fostering conservation)
April 1, 1999... All the acts of government are of slight importance to conservation, Aldo Leopold told us, compared to the acts and thoughts of individual citizens. Leopold is known today as a great hero of conservation, but he was primarily an ordinary...