Tag: Fish and Wildlife Service

a moment in the life of a western screech owl

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The Kenai National Forest tucked away on the twisting coast of Alaska is home to a tall Quaking Aspen tree. The mustard yellow bark plotted with dark-colored knots protrude out of the tree to form slender but sturdy branches. The blackened forest seemed to sleep, but 25 feet up the great aspen tree, curved claws wrap tightly around the bark. Built with a slim body rounded with slick feathers and two ears that spike out of its head like horns, the western screech owl sits still. Every root stopped growing, every leave stopped falling, and every gust of wind ceased to blow as the owls piercing yellow eyes stalked down upon the scavenging rodent below. Following its prey between the plots of rotting yellow leaves and moist forest soil the owl begins to pick up its clawed feet, one after another. Preparing itself. Finally, the creature tilts forward, letting itself be taken by gravity, and with a sharp and intentional swoop, the hunt was over.

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a moment in the life of a Sockeye Salmon

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The Alaskan glaciers melt into the icy rivers as the sockeye salmon swim upstream in hopes of population. Scales sunk with an intense array of pinks and dark reds. The salmon’s dark green heads protrude out of their thick body of flesh. In a small school, three or four fish swim passionately up the shallow stream. The stream on the verge of freezing glistened in the bright sunlight, and the salmon swimming only inches under the reflective water continue on their journey. The smell of pine swept through the chilled air and the misted grass sprouted on the side of the stream. Although life thrived outside the stream, the salmon’s life narrowed down to a single purpose. They needed to keep swimming.

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The Extinction of Eastern Cougar

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On March 2, the federal Fish and Wildlife Service removed the Eastern Cougar from the endangered species list to the extinct species list. Since 1973, the Eastern Cougar has been on the endangered species list. According to the record, the last time humans saw the Eastern Cougar is in Maine was in 1938. The Eastern Cougar’s habitat stretches from eastern Ontario and Michigan eastward to Maine and southward to Georgia, Tennessee and Missouri. However, they are such a ferocious animal which will threaten many domestic animals, so they are human’s hunting target. During the past 5 years, scientists cannot find any evidence which can show that the Cougar is in active, and the amount of their prey, deer, has largely increased. So many of the evidences have shown that the Eastern Cougar is extinct. In addition, one of the Eastern Cougar’s relative, Florida Panther, is also in danger too. there are only less than 100 of them left in the States, so the Fish and Wildlife Service has put this species under protection under the Endangered Species Act.null