wildlife conservation

Snake Tracks Field Update for 10-04-12

Posted on by Stevo

Today I found both rattlesnakes deep in the forest far from areas of Human habitation or visitation. They were only ~40 feet apart within the power line access way.  Zoe was sunning in the open under some brush and Utsanati was coiled at the base of a Mountain Laurel shrub beside the “trail.”  It is interesting to note that while tracking Zoe I had unknowingly walked within 2 feet of Utsanati and he never once moved or rattled!

Here is a photo of Utsanati.

Both snakes never rattled or acted aggressive upon my approach–they just remained coiled in resting coils despite the fact that I was only a few feet away as I collected my data.

Zoe as I found her.

After locating both rattlesnakes I made my way back up the steep mountainside and almost stepped on this little cute garter snake.

He posed for several photos and video–he was a bit more wary of me than the rattlesnakes who I believe have gotten used to me visiting them occasionally.

Take a look at the video footage from today below:

If the video does not show then you can watch the video on my Youtube channel. 

I am not paid to do this research–this is a volunteer project that I am undertaking to learn all that I can about these greatly misunderstood and amazing animals to further educate you about their beauty, uniqueness and intrinsic value to a healthy forest ecosystem.

If you would like to support the Snake Tracks Timber Rattlesnake wildlife conservation, research, and education project and/or Earthshine Nature Programs please feel free to donate using this link. Receipts available upon request. You may also donate supplies such as animal foods, medical supplies, vitamins and habitat supplies. If you are interested in donating any of these items please contact us for more information on our current needs. THANK YOU to all of you who have donated to ENP!! Without you this important work would not happen.

Hatchling and Head Start Box Turtle Release!

Posted on by Stevo

I released three young box turtles today. Watch the video at the end of this post for all the details. The first two releases were hatchlings that I hatched from rescued eggs in the nature center–scroll down to read my previous blog posting and photos of these tiny turtles hatching and read more about their story.  Check out this photo of one of the hatchlings just before I released him–you can still see his tiny little egg tooth–the white thing on the end of his nose–that he used to slice his way out of the egg!  It will drop off soon.

In the second part of the video I release Betty the head start box turtle. Below is a photo of Betty just after her release.

 

Betty the turtle was rescued a couple of years ago by Betty the human who is a friend of Meredith’s. Betty the human was walking along a remote dirt road in the forest when she found a nest of box turtle eggs that had been overcome by ants. The ants had eaten eaten all but one of the hatching baby turtles–Betty the turtle. Betty the human took the little survivor to Turtle Mom Meredith who took care of her for a time before delivering her to me so that I could care for her until she was older and better able to defend herself from predators like the ants. Betty stayed with me for several years in the nature center and today I have released her into the wild only a few feet from her hatching location. Now that she has grown she will not be eaten by ants–she will eat them!

Good luck Betty!

Thank you Betty and Meredith for saving this little turtle’s life.

Watch the video below of the release of two of the three young turtles. If the video does not show on your computer then just follow this link to my Youtube Channel.

Snake Tracks Field Update for 9-21-12

Posted on by Stevo

Today I found both rattlesnakes deep in the forest far from areas of Human habitation or visitation.  They were only a few hundred feet apart within the power line access way.  Zoe was sunning in the open and Utsanati was moving from the access way into the forest.

Here’s a photo of Zoe basking in the warm last day of summer sun.

Both snakes never rattled or acted aggressive upon my approach–they just slowly moved a few feet away from me and hid when I started collecting my data.  That’s a photo of Utsanati below–can you find him?

Take a look at the video from today below:

If that link does not work you can watch the video on Youtube HERE: http://youtu.be/_f6C4vQXGFA

I am not paid to do this research–this is a volunteer project that I am undertaking to learn all that I can about these amazing animals to further educate you about their beauty, uniqueness and value to a healthy forest ecosystem. If you would like to support the Snake Tracks Timber Rattlesnake wildlife conservation, research, and education project and/or Earthshine Nature Programs please feel free to donate using this link. Receipts available upon request. You may also donate supplies such as animal foods, medical supplies, vitamins and habitat supplies. If you are interested in donating any of these items please contact us for more information on our current needs. THANK YOU to all of you who have donated to ENP!! Without you this important work would not happen.

Snake Tracks Update for 9-14-12 *AMAZING Rattlesnake Encounter*

Posted on by Stevo

Today I discovered Zoe stretched out on the leaf litter–she was on the move heading north possibly toward her hibernation location.

I found her only around 100 feet from the woodpile where Utsanati has spent lots of time over the last year! This means that she has moved over 1/2 mile over the last two weeks and successfully evaded the heavy equipment on the south side of the ridge. Because I find these snakes in the vicinity of the woodpile in the early spring and again in the late summer it makes me wonder if these snakes use this ridge line as sort of a highway when moving from feeding to wintering grounds–only time will tell.

Zoe had a hitchhiking red mite at the base of her rattle.  I do not know it it was simply getting a lift or if it was actually feeding on Zoe.  Here’s a photo.

When I approached Zoe her she was calm, quiet and never rattled and barely even moved so I decided to test her comfort zone and see what it would take to get her to rattle without touching her–boy was I in for a surprise! I could explain what happened in a very long paragraph but the best way for you to experience it is to watch the video below.

Here is a photo from just after I shot the video…

Watch the video to find out way Zoe is coiled so close to my foot!

If the video does not show up just follow this link.

I am still processing this amazing experience but I will tell you that this encounter has further strengthened my belief that Timber Rattlesnakes are timid, secretive, docile and non-threatening–unless you harass them or harm them. Then they can be dangerous and will use their venom in self defense and I can not blame them for that because I would do the same if I was in their shoes…er, scales.

Zoe was very close to human inhabited areas on September 14th so if you live near the woodpile I mentioned please be on the look out for her. I plan to re-locate her on the 20th and will report on her then.

I found Utsanati sheltering in the remote forest at the edge of the power line access way far from human habitation and activity areas.

When I found him he was in a resting coil under a Mountain Laurel shrub. He never rattled or moved.

What a beautiful creature!

I am not paid to do this research–this is a volunteer project that I am undertaking to learn all that I can about these amazing animals to further educate you about their beauty, uniqueness and value to a healthy forest ecosystem. If you would like to support the Snake Tracks Timber Rattlesnake wildlife conservation, research, and education project and/or Earthshine Nature Programs please feel free to donate using this link. Receipts available upon request. THANK YOU to all of you who have donated to ENP!! Without you this important work would not happen.

Meet CRASH the Opossum!

Posted on by Stevo

Meet Crash, our new Education Opossum! The details are in the video:-)

I have set up a live “Possum Cam” in Crash’s enclosure.  Feel free to view Crash anytime you like by following this link.   Crash is usually active in the morning and evening (the camera has IR lighting!) and after feedings.  Good luck seeing him!  If you are using Internet Explorer the login is “visitor” and the password is “possum”.  (both without the quotes)

If you are using any of the other listed browsers (firefox, chrome etc…) just click the login button under Server Push Mode and enter the login “visitor” and the password is “possum”.  (both without the quotes)

Click LIVE VIDEO to see if Crash is out and about.  Feel free to take control of the camera and pan/tilt to look around Crash’s habitat.

If the camera seems slow it may be that other people are viewing the camera slowing it down.

Special thanks to Saya for helping me introduce Crash to you all.

Special thanks to Jenny for operating the video camera.

Special Thanks to the WNC Nature Center for donating Crash to us!

Earthshine Nature Programs is a non-profit organization (501c3) dedicated to the conservation of the more misunderstood creatures here in our corner of the world.  We provide education, conservation  and outreach programs and strive to educate you about the truth of our amazing wildlife and natural world around us.

If you would like to help support Crash the Opossum and any of our other projects and programs please feel free to donate using this link: http://www.earthshinenature.com/donate

Receipts available upon request. THANK YOU to all of you who have donated to ENP!! Without you this important work would not happen.

R.I.P Potter

Timber rattlesnake Radio Transmiter Implantation Surgery

Posted on by Stevo

Watch as ENP’s rattlesnake vet Dr. Lee Bolt and Professor Ron Davis implant a radio transmitter into a wild Timber Rattlesnake.  This snake will be tracked by Dr. Davis and his students from Western Carolina University in order to learn more about it’s movements and habitat use.

After the surgery watch as Dr. Bolt uses a therapeutic laser to help with wound healing! This may be the first time a therapeutic laser has been used on a Timber Rattlesnake!

TURTLE TRACKS expedition videos from this summer!

Posted on by Stevo

If you participated in an Eastern Box Turtle radio tracking expedition over the summer of 2012 then your video is below.  To find your video simply scroll down until you find the date you visited us and click the video to watch your experience!

Thank you all for tracking turtles with us at Earthshine Mountain Lodge!  You are all helping to further the collective knowledge and conservation of the Eastern Box Turtle!!  The Turtle Tracks project is developed, operated and 100% funded by Earthshine Nature Programs which is 100% funded by your donations–THANK YOU!!

Tracking Date June 26, 2012

Tracking Date July 03, 2012

Tracking Date July 07, 2012

Tracking Date July 15, 2012

Tracking Date July 17, 2012

Tracking Date July 22, 012

Tracking Date July 31, 2012

Tracking Date August 14, 2012

And here is an update on the travels of Mrs. Bones the turtle that ENP is tracking in Cedar Mountain, NC.

If you would to help support the Turtle Tracks or the Snake Tracks wildlife conservation, research, and education projects and/or Earthshine Nature Programs (ENP) please feel free to donate using this link. Receipts available upon request.

THANK YOU to all of you who have donated to ENP over the years!!  Without you these important wildlife conservation and public education projects would not not happen.

Snake Tracks Field Update for 8-31-12

Posted on by Stevo

Due to continued technical difficulties this post is late.

Utsanati is still sheltering in the remote forest at the edge of the power line access way  far from human habitation and activity areas.  He has recently shed his skin and is beautiful!  Today he participated in a special photo shoot (see photos and video) for the Blue Turtle/Turtle of Change project that is working to make a difference and a change all over the world. That is Utsanati with the Turtle of Change “Turtle Grupo Tortuguero” below.

If you have not had a chance to read my blog posts on the Turtle of Change blog then here’s another chance:

Post 1: Travels with a Naturalist (didgeridoo concert and rattlesnake surgery)

Post 2: The Continued Travels with a Naturalist (turtles, rattlesnakes, campers, a goat, Wild South and Turtle Dogs!)

Today I found Zoe in the same small clearing near the top of the waterfall sheltering under the same tangle of brush/logs where I found her about two weeks ago!  She obviously has some sort of special attachment to this spot be it a good thermo-regulation location or a possible maternity site–we may never know.  Because I have found her in this exact location on three separate times this spring and summer I now know that this is an important site for this rattlesnake.  To a human this site would look unremarkable but to this snake it is all important and may make all the difference in the world to her life and her success.  This is why we need to learn all that we can about wildlife–especially sensitive and threatened creatures like the Timber Rattlesnake.  The more we know the more we will be able to help conserve and protect nature and wildlife from us.

With the cooler nights and shorter days I believe that Zoe will soon be making her trek back up the ridge toward her over-wintering location.  To do this she will need to cross a dangerous road construction zone where a driveway is being cut into the forest so I fear for her safety.  I only hope that she decides to move after the workers “punch out” at the end of the day or late at night.

Zoe also participated in the photo shoot for the Turtles of Change project–see if you can find her in the photo below.

Take a look at the latest video of the Snake Tracks project below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQBqCbBKHG4

If the video does not show or play then follow this link to view the video: http://youtu.be/CQBqCbBKHG4

I am not paid to do this research–this is a volunteer project that I am undertaking to learn all that I can about these amazing animals to further educate you about their beauty, uniqueness and value to a healthy forest ecosystem. If you would like to support the Snake Tracks Timber Rattlesnake wildlife conservation, research, and education project and/or Earthshine Nature Programs please feel free to donate using this link. Receipts available upon request. THANK YOU to all of you who have donated to ENP!!  Without you this important work would not happen.

Eastern Hellbender Survey with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission

Posted on by Stevo

In Late July I assisted NCWRC Field Biologist Lori Williams, “Salamander Whisperer” Alan Cameron and a crew of volunteers, students and interns in a survey of Hellbenders in a remote stream in Western North Carolina.

Lori Williams with a juvenile hellbender

The survey was greatly successful in that we found several Hellbenders of several different ages classes in a very short section of the stream.  All animals were carefully captured, measured, weighed and released as close as possible to where they were found.

Lori Williams, Alan Cameron and crew work up a hellbender.

Data from this survey day and others will help the NCWRC biologists better understand and protect the greatly misunderstood Eastern Hellbender.

A juvenile Eastern Hellbender

Watch the video below for the highlights of my adventure with the “Hellbender Hunters!”

If you ever catch a Hellbender while fishing please do not harm it. Although they can bite, they are non venomous and harmless to humans. Gently remove the hook and release the animal back into the stream. Please do not try to capture a Hellbender and keep it as a “pet.” They are threatened or endangered in all parts of their range and therefore they are protected by law from collection or harm.

Hellbender by Lori Williams

If you would like to know more about the Hellbender visit the Hellbender Homepage.

Hellbender in moss

Photos by Lori Williams and Jason Butler.  Use by permission only.

Turtle of Change and Didgeridoo

Posted on by Stevo

A few posts back I told you about the Turtle of Change award that was presented to me by my friend Alan Cameron aka: “The Salamander Whisperer.” It was a great honor to have the Turtle of Change for a short time and then to pass it on to John Rucker–another person who is working to make a difference in wildlife and nature conservation. During the short time that I held the turtle it followed me in my daily duties as a naturalist and outdoor educator and along the way visited some amazing places, people and creatures.  Read the full blog post here on the Blue Turtle website.  If you missed my first posting about the Turtle of Change you can read it here.

One of the stops the turtle and I made was at a remote rock outcrop with large rock shelter underneath located on the top of a distant mountain near Brevard, NC. The top of the rock and rock shelter was undoubtedly used by ancient Native Americans as a sacred site as evidenced by the petroglyphs present on the rocks. I met my friend and Didgeridoo master John Vorus at the site for a special musical tribute to the Turtle of Change. We stood on top of the rock, took in the grand view of the surrounding mountains and felt the ancient energy of the rocks and the Earth. Then we made our way down under the rocks into the large rock shelter beneath. There we played our yidaki (aka: didgeridoo) into the turtle giving it a positive vibration and energy in a way that only the yidaki can do.

It was a very powerful and special experience.

Watch the video for the details.

Special thanks to John Vorus for sharing his talent with the Turtle of Change project.

Learn more about John at www.johnvorus.com