Wildlife Conservation Education

October, 2016

  • 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 …

March, 2016

  • 1 March

    Pinyon jays & piñon pines

    Mutualistic relationship critical for pinyon jays and piñon pines. New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF

    Pinyon jays and New Mexico go together like peanut butter and jelly. Or, in this particular case, more like piñon pines and their seeds. These long-billed, sky-blue jays are found in piñon-juniper habitats throughout the west, including New Mexico. In fact, it is estimated nearly one-third of the world’s pinyon …

  • 1 March

    Feeding and the food chain

    Food on the ground is the biggest culprit in human-wildlife conflicts. Feed one animal and a person is potentially feeding many. Deer are the favorite food of cougars, and black bears become quickly habituated to people when provided an easy food source. New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF

    It really doesn’t matter if it’s Yogi the Bear, Wile E., Bugs, or Alvin the Chipmunk, feeding wildlife can have dire consequences. The majority of wildlife conflicts involve a feeding issue, whether it be intentional or not. “When the Department of Game and Fish needs to respond to a call …

  • 1 March

    Newborn wildlife alert

    Well-intentioned people seeking to help occasionally remove baby animals from the wild. Newborn wildlife is rarely abandoned and should be left alone. The more likely scenario is that the mother is foraging for food or has been frightened away by the presence of a human. New Mexico Wildlife magazine, NMDGF

    The sirens are sounding because a mother’s child has gone missing. The wildlife Amber Alert has been activated and word is spreading throughout social media as mom searches in vain for her missing offspring. “Every year, around this time, well-intentioned individuals try to save wildlife newborns that appear to have …

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