Yellowstone: A Wild Life Paradise! |
Yellowstone national park is a
Located mostly in Wyoming, Yellowstone park was the first national park
in the world, built in 1872, signed off by president Grant. It is known
for its wide variety of wild life - 67 different species of mammals call
this place home, not including the many birds, reptiles and fish, which
bring the number of species to the hundreds. It is also the home of
many geysers.
It is one of the biggest reserves in
the world, with 3,468 square miles (8,983 square km). It has rivers,
canyons, lakes and mountain ranges. It's incredibly popular a
destination for nature lovers, and sees about 2 million visitors a year,
with July being the busiest month by far. 3700 employees work in
Yellowstone, and it offers nine hotels and lodgers.
If you're planning a visit though, make sure you always follow the rules, for your safety as well as the wild animals!
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Up close
and personal with a wild black bear at Yellowstone. Yellowstone
national park is home to 67 different mammal species, including 2 types
of bears: Grizzly and black
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The
yellowstone photos collection lists all these species that reside
there: Badger, bat, beaver, bighorn sheep, bison, black bear, bobcat
and lynx, chipmunk, cottontail rabbit, coyote, deer, domestic dog, elk,
flying squirrels, fox, grizzly bear, ground squirrel, hare &
jackrabbit, marmot, mice, moose, mountain goat, mountain lion, muskrat,
other rodents, otter, pika, pine martin, pocket gopher, porcupine,
prairie dog, pronghorn antelope, skunk, tree squirrels, voles, weasels,
minks, ferrets, wolverines and wolves!
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A herd of
bisons. As big and slow as they look, a bison can run three times faster
than a human when charging. So keep your distance and stay in your car -
is the advice the park rangers give.
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A cautious yellowstone wolf. |
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A black bear cub is searching for yummy ants and grubs, and so it diggs into the old log in search for them.
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A Bull elk
making itself heard in the Gibbon Meadow. Although these are beautiful
animals, trip planners warn visitors to yellowstone to keep a safe 25
yard (23 meter) distance from any animal, and 100 yards (91 meters) from
bears and wolves. Keep that in mind if you plan on visiting!
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This elk calf is only half an hour old, Mammoth hot springs.
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A grizzly
bear watches near the Swan Lake Flats. According to NPS warnings: “If
The Bear Stands up on Two Legs: Some people mistakenly believe that when
a bear rears up onto two legs that the bear is about to charge, that
rearing up on two legs is an aggressive posture that means the bear is
going to attack (people have learned this from Hollywood Movies), THIS
IS NOT TRUE! When a bear stands up on two legs it is trying to gather
more information about what you are and what your intentions are.
Bears
gather this information through a combination of scent, sight, and
sound. Standing up on two legs improves the bears ability to gather
sight and scent information. This is a good time to start backing away,
talking to the bear in a calm voice, and letting the bear know that you
are a person and that you mean no harm to the bear or its cubs.” Good
advice
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A leopold wolf is following a grizzly bear. Probably not a great decision...
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A beautiful red fox in Lamar valley.
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A black
wolf in the snow of Lamar valley. There were no wolves in Yellowstone
park before 1995, when they reintroduced and luckily thrived there.
Today there are over 300 wolves, their descendents, living in
Yellowstone.
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A bull elk in the morning fog.
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A mountain lion picking its way carefully down the rock. The mountain lion, also called the cougar,
is the largest member of the cat family living in Yellowstone. Mountain
lions can weigh up to 200 pounds (~90 kg), although lions in
Yellowstone are thought to range between 140 and 160 pounds (~65 and ~70
kg) for males and around 100 pounds (45 kg) for females.
Two
to three kittens may be born at any time of year, although most arrive
in summer and fall. For reasons that are not clear, only about 50
percent of kittens survive their first year. The current population of
lions in Yellowstone is estimated to be 18-24 animals and is thought to
be increasing.
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The 68th
mammal in yellowstone are the nature photographers. This group has been
waiting since dawn for a badger to show up. Nature photography, some
say, is 5% luck, 5% skill, and 95% patience.
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No this
mammoth ground squirrel wasn't yawning, its known as the 'screeching'
ground squirrel. They only live in the states surrounding yellowstone,
screeching in warning to their group members.
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A beautiful coyote. This animal has a bad name but is truly a stunning animal which is not unlike the fox.
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A bold
eagle stands over the Yellowstone River. According to wikipedia: "Since
the creation of the park in 1872, 318 species of birds have been
documented within its boundaries. Although Yellowstone is not a birding
mecca because of its high altitude and cold winters, it is home to a
variety of interesting bird species that attract visitor attention every
year. The park has a good resident population of Bald Eagles, Trumpeter
Swans, Common Loons, Ospreys, American White Pelicans, and Sandhill
Cranes."
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A trumpeter swan, so called for their tooting sound, unfolds its large wings.
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4 cubs of a single grizzly family. This is a very rare number of cubs born to one pregnancy, and is only the 3rd documented time in the history of the park. |
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Seven
native ungulate species live in Yellowstone: elk, mule deer, bison,
moose, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and white-tailed deer.
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Plains
bison during the winter at Yellowstone. The yellowstone bison population
numbers between 2300-4500 individuals. Important fact: Bison actually
harm more people every year in Yellowstone than bears do. People don't
keep their distance from the peaceful looking bison, and end up getting
charged by the angry beasts.
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A wolf
watches biologists come to visit after being captured and collard with a
radio transmitter. These collars give biologists a chance to understand
how the wolf population is doing, since it's incredibly hard to capture
them, and they are masters at hiding.
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A stampede
of 40 wild horses running from one meadow to the next. Most wild horses
groups have one horse leader that determined where they go.
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Visitors to
Yellowstone must understand that these are wild animals, not accustomed
to humans like safari animals might. A good way to judge, says the
rangers, is that if your presence affects the behavior of the animals in
any way - that's too close.
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When a
2,000 pound buffalo wants to walk on the road, they'll walk on the road.
Especially when they're in a group. Drivers have to be extra careful
because they have been known to charge at cars, which to them may look
like big, scary animals. Although they will mostly ignore them.
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A grizzly
bear looking for food in a flowery field. Always know 'bear protocol'
before going in the park, says the park service, this can save your life
in some cases.
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A rarely seen wolvering. Wolverines, like the lynx, need large territories and will defend them with great enthusiasm.
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A mountain
goat under 'Cutoff Peak'. The mountain goats are not native to this area
but have colonized the northen parts of the park after being introduced
to the environnment.
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Big horn
sheep. The herd living on the Northern range of Yellowstone number about
200 animals, and can be seen crodding between their favorite cliffs to
the river where they drink.
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American
badgers. The badger is a small mammal but known to be fierce and
actually dangerous when defending territory or their cubs. Never
approach a badger, they look cute, but they can really hurt you.
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No one snorts and huffs better than a buffalo.
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Bears may
be seen in Yellowstone March through November. Yellowstone is one of the
only areas south of Canada that still has large grizzly bear
populations. According to the 2013 Yellowstone trip planner: "Do not run
from a bear. Carry bear spray and take time to learn how to use it
safely and effectively. If you have a surprise encounter with a bear, do
not run. Slowly back away. If a bear charges, stand your ground and use
your bear spray. It has been highly successful at stopping aggressive
behavior in bears. If a bear charges and makes contact with you, fall to
the ground onto your stomach and ‘play dead‘.”
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A bull
bison crossing the Yellowstone river. Bison have lived in the area of
yellowstone since prehistoric times, they are truly the natives of this
land, and were hunted and respected by the native americans. The
yellowstone herd is one of the few in the world that doesn't have any
cattle genes mixed in by man.
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A mule deer. Watching. Waiting.
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A cute
litle pika. Pikas are native to cold climates, mostly in Asia, North
America and parts of Eastern Europe. They love the cold and it is
conjectured that global warming is pushing them to seek higher places
and to migrate north. Most species live on rocky mountain sides, where
there are numerous crevices to shelter in, although some also construct
crude burrows.
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A young moose walking through the meadow. Doesn't get more peaceful that this.
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A family photo: Female grizzly bear family shambling through the park.
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Since wolves are hard to track, and can disappear at night. Thermal imaging helps keep an eye on them.
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A fierce
looking mountain lion. Mountain lions tend to be great hiders and move
in secret, so few visitors actually get lucky enough to view one for
themselves.
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Stop! mother bear and cub passing through!
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A porcupine, part of the rich wildlife in Yellowstone.
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A Shiras Bull Moose resting its heady on a snowy bush. Those antlers must get heavy sometimes.
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A pine
marten. We asked wikipedia for more information: "There are at least 50
small mammal species known to occur in Yellowstone National Park,
including four common species of bats: Big Brown Bat, Little Brown Bat,
Long-legged Bat, and Silver-haired bat. Squirrel, Rabbit, vole, mice,
and shrew species are common, but many are nocturnal and rarely seen by
visitors. The Uinta ground squirrel, Least Chipmunk, Golden-mantled
ground squirrel and American Red Squirrel are commonly encountered by
park visitors."
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Otter pups playing in the water. Seems like someone's tail is going to get a nasty bite!
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A little bighorn. This lamb was strolling on a mountain road a long with its family.
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A stunning shot of 2 playfully growling wolves.
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Remember when Yosemite Sam from looney toons used to mutter about 'yellow bellied marmots' - this is what he was talking about.
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Meadow
vole. A vole is a small rodent, similar to a mouse but with a more dense
body, a shorter and hairier tail and a rounder head. Basically looks
like a cross between a mouse and a hamster. It only lives 3-6 months.
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A muskrat on the yellowstone river. The muskrats are usually active late at night, before the dawn, and sometimes at dusk.
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A grizzly mother and cub. Notice the mother is wearing a radio neckband, which helps track her location.
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A mule deer, a mother and fawn.
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A skunk making its lonely (and stinky) way through Geode Creek.
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Mother bear with 3 cubs standing on a carcass.
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A standoff between hunting wolves and a big elk. A moment when life and death are hanging in the balance.
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mardi 26 août 2014
Yellowstone: A Wild Life Paradise!
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When shooting in a zoo or wildlife park you can predict reasonably accurately when and where you will be able to shoot them. The greatest difficulty is shooting through fences or wire mesh.
RépondreSupprimerRegards Tim
Photographing animals, whether your cat at home or a cougar in the great outdoors, requires patience, perseverance and an understanding of animal behaviour so you can predict how they will be likely to act or react, and anticipate the moment for a good photograph.
RépondreSupprimerbudget images