Wildlife Conservation Education

April, 2017

  • 13 April

    Turkey vulture

    A pair of turkey vultures rest on a rock at Lake Roberts. With a wingspan of 5 to 6 feet, they are the second-largest bird species in New Mexico, next to eagles. NMDGF photo by Dan Williams, New Mexico Wildlife magazine Spring 2017 Vol60, Num1, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

    Did you know…? Many people refer to this bird as a buzzard, which is incorrect. The term buzzard in the United States probably is the result of old western movies, but buzzard, in Europe, refers to a member of the buteo, or hawk family. The turkey vulture’s diet consists almost …

October, 2016

  • 28 October

    Driving: protect yourself & wildlife

    Wildlife in the roadways can be dangerous for those in a vehicle as well as the animal. Even smaller animals, such as cottontails and jackrabbits, can prove to be hazardous as motorists break or swerve in an effort to avoid a collision. Photo by Zen Mocarski, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF

    As the colors change and the temperature’s drop, hikers and wildlife enthusiasts are spending time outdoors and hunters are getting gear ready for time in the field. All are signs of fall, which also means the days are getting shorter and more vehicles will be on the road at times …

  • 28 October

    Passion for outdoors

    (right to left) Christy Wall with the New Mexico Wildlife Center works with Cruz Sandoval and Loren Vigil to test water samples pulled from the Rio Chama. The students were asked later what might influence water turbidity, temperature and pH levels. Photo by Zen Mocarski, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF.

    Share with Wildlife: Helping youth develop passion for outdoors To help students develop a respect for nature, one northern New Mexico program is trying to close the gap between classroom education and outdoor engagement. The New Mexico Wildlife Center in Española is hoping hands-on science activities will develop a generation …

  • 28 October

    Raccoons: did you know…?

    Raccoons are extremely adept climbers and have the ability to climb back down headfirst by rotating the hind feet so they point backwards. This cunning raccoon navigates a tree in search of food. NMDGF photo, New Mexico Wildlife magazine.

    Sly, adaptable and cunning, the common raccoon (Procyon lotor) likely ranks among the most recognizable animals in the United States. Probably the most distinctive feature is the black mask around a raccoon’s eyes, earning it the nickname “bandit.” This unique characteristic is believed to serve a purpose. “Much like an …

August, 2016

  • 15 August

    Hummingbirds are unique

    Rufous hummingbird. Photo by Dan Williams, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF

    Among the benefits of living in the United States, and in particular the Southwest, is the visibility of some of the most beloved and photographed birds on the planet . . . hummingbirds. Native to the Americas, the largest number of species of these diminutive birds occurs in the tropical …

  • 15 August

    Birding hot spots

    Birding hot spots, article, New Mexico Wildlife magazine.

    New guide provides public with birding hot spots. Finding the best spots to locate birds in northern New Mexico got easier this past year with the publication of “Birding Hot Spots of Santa Fe, Taos, and northern New Mexico” by Judy Lidell and Barbara Hussey and printed by Texas A&M University Press. …

  • 15 August

    Getting youths outside

    Game and Fish coldwater fisheries biologist Laurence D’Alessandro provides instructions to students from Questa Junior and Senior High School and Taos High School prior to a hike down to the Rio Grande to release cutthroat trout. Photo by Zen Mocarski, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF.

    Educators see value in getting youths outside. As society’s disconnect with nature has become more pronounced, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is making an effort to not only get youths outdoors, but also to get them involved. Call the class Conservation 101. It’s a class about the …

  • 15 August

    Cibola National Forest undergoing major facelift

    More than 40,000 cubic feet of wood has been harvested within a restoration area in the Cibola National Forest. New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF.

    Rows of densely-packed ponderosa pine line the sides of the road traveling deep into the Cibola National Forest in the Zuni Mountains west of Grants. Dark shadows prevail and little can be seen beyond the first layer of trees. There’s a feeling of claustrophobia as a wall of ponderosas looks …

  • 15 August

    Special tools to survive

    While poor eyesight might suggest javelina lack the same defenses of other wildlife, they possess a good sense of hearing, a keen sense of smell, and a formidable set of tusks. Photo by Dan Williams, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF.

    No need to sell wildlife short. All have special tools to survive. Everyone has heard the saying, “defenseless animal,” but we might want to think twice before accepting that notion, especially when it comes to wildlife. “There’s no such thing as a defenseless animal,” said Stewart Liley, chief of the …

  • 15 August

    Greater roadrunner

    Greater roadrunners is a stealthy and efficient predator, feasting on reptiles during warmer months but also taking snakes, including rattlers, and small mammals. Most of the water a roadrunner requires is obtained from their prey. Photo by Dan Williams, New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF.

    There’s no beep, beep and they certainly can’t outrun a coyote, but the bird made famous by Warner Brothers does share a few traits of its cartoon character. They often are seen running across roadways, and they’re quite fleet afoot, although you won’t catch them racing a car. But the …

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