Some cool free animals images:
IMG_1308-isbjørn
Image by tjuel
Polar bear at Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark
---------------------------------------------------------------
Feel free to use this photo for non-commercial
purposes as long as you credit me with a link to
this Flickr profile. Please notify me if you decide
to use any of my photos. Thanks :)
Some cool animal videos images:
MVI_0530
Image by clare_and_ben
MVI_0527
Image by clare_and_ben
A few nice names for animals images I found:
Burleigh Heads_40_020810
Image by Michael Dawes
The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is one of the most easily recognized birds in Australia. With its strident call and brilliant white feathers, it is a common sight throughout open timbered country in the eastern and northern parts of the country.
Here at Billabong Sanctuary we would like you to meet Jacko, a female who has been with us for many years. She can usually be seen on her perch beside the Koala Crescent , and will appreciate a friendly word and happily pose for a photo.
What’s in a Name?
The scientific name Cacatua galerita means ‘capped cockatoo’. Kakatua is the Indonesian word for a cockatoo, and the species name derives from the Latin galer meaning cap, referring to the bright yellow crest. Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are members of the Psittacidae family of birds, or the ‘true’ parrots. All have stocky bodies, medium-sized wings, strong, hooked beaks, and feet with two forward-facing and two backwards-facing toes.
What do they Look Like?
These birds really are unmistakable. Their all-over brilliant white plumage is visible from many kilometres away, silhouetted against distant hills or outlined against the horizon . Among the largest of our parrots, they can reach half a metre in length (18 inches).
The other distinctive feature is the long, recurved crest of bright yellow feathers.
The crest seems to reflect the bird's emotions. When it is excited or alarmed, the feathers are fully extended, reaching far forward over the bird's head. A bird at rest, or one which doesn’t feel well, will have its crest feathers flattened against the back of its head.
A less obvious feature is the subtle wash of pale yellow colouring along the cheeks and ear coverts, and on the underside of the wing and tail feathers. The yellow colour can be seen when the bird is silhouetted in flight against the sky-- kind of a lemon meringue pie effect.
Like all parrots, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo has a powerful beak; the beak is black, but appears grey because of the powdering of white dust used for grooming its feathers. A bird with a shiny black beak is generally unhealthy, possibly a victim of psittacine beak and feather virus. The feet are also dark grey with black claws. As in all parrots, there are two forward-facing toes, and two rear-facing toes.
Males and females look alike; only up close and in strong light can it be noticed that the eye of the female has a lighter, reddish-coloured iris. Males have very dark brown irises. From a distance, eyes of all birds look black. Males have slightly larger heads, and stand taller than females, but the birds have to be seen in pairs for this difference to be noticeable.
Burleigh Heads_56_020810
Image by Michael Dawes
The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is one of the most easily recognized birds in Australia. With its strident call and brilliant white feathers, it is a common sight throughout open timbered country in the eastern and northern parts of the country.
Here at Billabong Sanctuary we would like you to meet Jacko, a female who has been with us for many years. She can usually be seen on her perch beside the Koala Crescent , and will appreciate a friendly word and happily pose for a photo.
What’s in a Name?
The scientific name Cacatua galerita means ‘capped cockatoo’. Kakatua is the Indonesian word for a cockatoo, and the species name derives from the Latin galer meaning cap, referring to the bright yellow crest. Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are members of the Psittacidae family of birds, or the ‘true’ parrots. All have stocky bodies, medium-sized wings, strong, hooked beaks, and feet with two forward-facing and two backwards-facing toes.
What do they Look Like?
These birds really are unmistakable. Their all-over brilliant white plumage is visible from many kilometres away, silhouetted against distant hills or outlined against the horizon . Among the largest of our parrots, they can reach half a metre in length (18 inches).
The other distinctive feature is the long, recurved crest of bright yellow feathers.
The crest seems to reflect the bird's emotions. When it is excited or alarmed, the feathers are fully extended, reaching far forward over the bird's head. A bird at rest, or one which doesn’t feel well, will have its crest feathers flattened against the back of its head.
A less obvious feature is the subtle wash of pale yellow colouring along the cheeks and ear coverts, and on the underside of the wing and tail feathers. The yellow colour can be seen when the bird is silhouetted in flight against the sky-- kind of a lemon meringue pie effect.
Like all parrots, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo has a powerful beak; the beak is black, but appears grey because of the powdering of white dust used for grooming its feathers. A bird with a shiny black beak is generally unhealthy, possibly a victim of psittacine beak and feather virus. The feet are also dark grey with black claws. As in all parrots, there are two forward-facing toes, and two rear-facing toes.
Males and females look alike; only up close and in strong light can it be noticed that the eye of the female has a lighter, reddish-coloured iris. Males have very dark brown irises. From a distance, eyes of all birds look black. Males have slightly larger heads, and stand taller than females, but the birds have to be seen in pairs for this difference to be noticeable.
Burleigh Heads_43_020810
Image by Michael Dawes
The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is one of the most easily recognized birds in Australia. With its strident call and brilliant white feathers, it is a common sight throughout open timbered country in the eastern and northern parts of the country.
Here at Billabong Sanctuary we would like you to meet Jacko, a female who has been with us for many years. She can usually be seen on her perch beside the Koala Crescent , and will appreciate a friendly word and happily pose for a photo.
What’s in a Name?
The scientific name Cacatua galerita means ‘capped cockatoo’. Kakatua is the Indonesian word for a cockatoo, and the species name derives from the Latin galer meaning cap, referring to the bright yellow crest. Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are members of the Psittacidae family of birds, or the ‘true’ parrots. All have stocky bodies, medium-sized wings, strong, hooked beaks, and feet with two forward-facing and two backwards-facing toes.
What do they Look Like?
These birds really are unmistakable. Their all-over brilliant white plumage is visible from many kilometres away, silhouetted against distant hills or outlined against the horizon . Among the largest of our parrots, they can reach half a metre in length (18 inches).
The other distinctive feature is the long, recurved crest of bright yellow feathers.
The crest seems to reflect the bird's emotions. When it is excited or alarmed, the feathers are fully extended, reaching far forward over the bird's head. A bird at rest, or one which doesn’t feel well, will have its crest feathers flattened against the back of its head.
A less obvious feature is the subtle wash of pale yellow colouring along the cheeks and ear coverts, and on the underside of the wing and tail feathers. The yellow colour can be seen when the bird is silhouetted in flight against the sky-- kind of a lemon meringue pie effect.
Like all parrots, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo has a powerful beak; the beak is black, but appears grey because of the powdering of white dust used for grooming its feathers. A bird with a shiny black beak is generally unhealthy, possibly a victim of psittacine beak and feather virus. The feet are also dark grey with black claws. As in all parrots, there are two forward-facing toes, and two rear-facing toes.
Males and females look alike; only up close and in strong light can it be noticed that the eye of the female has a lighter, reddish-coloured iris. Males have very dark brown irises. From a distance, eyes of all birds look black. Males have slightly larger heads, and stand taller than females, but the birds have to be seen in pairs for this difference to be noticeable.
Some cool all about animals images:
Feeding Bhopu the Greater one-horned male Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)
Image by warriorwoman531
The Indian rhinoceros or the greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is now found almost exclusively in Nepal and North-Eastern India. The Indian rhinoceros has thick, silver-brown skin which creates huge folds all over its body. Its upper legs and shoulders are covered in wart-like bumps, and it has very little body hair.
Bhopu is at the San Diego Safari Park in Escondido, CA. The rhino's single horn is present in both males and females, but not on newborn young. The black horn, like human fingernails, is pure keratin and starts to show after about 6 years. Bhopu's has been worn down naturally by rubbing on trees and rocks.
Photographed at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, CA
Bhopu the Greater one-horned male Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)
Image by warriorwoman531
The Indian rhinoceros or the greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is now found almost exclusively in Nepal and North-Eastern India. The Indian rhinoceros has thick, silver-brown skin which creates huge folds all over its body. Its upper legs and shoulders are covered in wart-like bumps, and it has very little body hair.
Bhopu is at the San Diego Safari Park in Escondido, CA. The rhino's single horn is present in both males and females, but not on newborn young. The black horn, like human fingernails, is pure keratin and starts to show after about 6 years. Bhopu's has been worn down naturally by rubbing on trees and rocks.
Photographed at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, CA
A few nice photos of animals images I found:
Watch For Bambi!
Image by Jason L. Parks
Photo Walks 11/52: A deer crossing off of Lakeshore Drive. It's weird how many animals I seem to have to watch for. Ducks, now deer.
Shot taken and edited using my iPhone 3GS.
Parallel universe - Parallelwelt
Image by alles-schlumpf
To the world, you're just anybody, but to someone, you're the world.
Erich Fried
Shellyfish in Shanghai Ocean Aquarium.
Jellies have roamed the seas for at least 500 million years, and possibly 700 million years or more, making them the oldest multi-organ animal.
The scenario act like an universe, indeed without suns, moons, stars and planets as a whole creation, but with jellies as a harmonic world. Man is standing before with amazement in order to comprehend the subject first in extracts.
True to the principle of the Greek philosopher Aristotle "the whole is more than the sum of its parts".
_________________________
Für die Welt bist du irgendjemand, aber für irgendjemand bist du die Welt.
Erich Fried
Quallen bevölkern seit mehr als 500 Millionen Jahren die Weltmeere. Diese Qallen sind im Shanghai Ocean Aquarium aufgenommen. Im Hintergrund lief übrigens klassische Musik. Ich stand über eine Stunde staunend vor den Quallen.
Das ganze Szenario wirkte wie ein Universum auf mich, nur dass keine Planeten, Sonnen, Monde und Sterne zu einem Ganzen zusammenfinden, sondern Quallen bilden das harmonische Ganze und der Mensch steht staunend davor, um erstmal einen kleinen Teil zu erfassen.
"Das Ganze ist mehr als die Summe seiner Teile."
Aristoteles
All my images are copyrighted.
If you intend to use any of my pictures for non-commercial usage, you have to sign them with © alles-schlumpf
It would be nice if you contact me first.
If you have any commercial usage, you need to contact me always first. USE WITHOUT PERMISSION IS ILLEGAL.
You find some of my photos on Getty Images.
Search for Alles-schlumpf.
Thank you.
Happy Tails: Kira
Image by LollypopFarm
Here are a few photos of Kira, our bunny that we adopted on January 11. She was a wonderful snuggle bunny, and in a younger life, could have been a good therapy rabbit – one of the pictures is my Mom when she was staying with us while my Dad was in the hospital. Kira was the kind of animal that brought you peace just by letting you hold her.
Kira passed away yesterday at Eastridge Animal Hospital, under the care of Dr. Balonek. Sunday evening, when we took her out for her foot bath and some playtime, we saw that she was ill – she had runny eyes, was shivering, and didn’t want any of her treats, or any food at all. We called Dr. Balonek. He took her in overnight to re-hydrate her, treat her eyes and get her feeling better. He called me around 1 pm yesterday, to say that she had peacefully passed on.
Last year, when it was apparent that no one would tend the vegetable garden we put in at home, I painted a sign “The Bunny Garden," placed it in our overgrown vegetable patch, and left it to the bunnies. Kira is buried in the Bunny Garden. We sprinkled wildflower seeds over her, and hope they will be a beautiful blanket once spring comes.
I had intended to write a long letter to Mindy after she sent us some great information on Kira and bunnies in general. With family health problems taking up my time, I wasn’t able to do that. I want to thank her for her help, and let her know that Kira was so loved and cared for. From the moment we saw her, we knew she was our bunny, and when she came through our door, she was part of our family.
Carol P.
A few nice animals names images I found:
Baby deer eating his lunch - Franklin Park Zoo
Image by Boston Public Library
File name: 08_06_001062
Title: Baby deer eating his lunch - Franklin Park Zoo
Creator/Contributor: Jones, Leslie, 1886-1967 (photographer)
Date created: 1922
Physical description: 1 negative : glass, black & white ; 4 x 5 in.
Genre: Glass negatives
Subjects: Franklin Park Zoo (Boston, Mass.); Deer
Notes: Title and date from information provided by Leslie Jones or the Boston Public Library on the negative or negative sleeve.
Collection: Leslie Jones Collection
Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department
Rights: Copyright © Leslie Jones.
Preferred credit: Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection.
European red deer - Franklin Park Zoo
Image by Boston Public Library
File name: 08_06_001070
Title: European red deer - Franklin Park Zoo
Creator/Contributor: Jones, Leslie, 1886-1967 (photographer)
Date created: 1917 - 1934 (approximate)
Physical description: 1 negative : glass, black & white ; 4 x 5 in.
Genre: Glass negatives
Subjects: Franklin Park Zoo (Boston, Mass.); Deer
Notes: Title from information provided by Leslie Jones or the Boston Public Library on the negative or negative sleeve.; Date supplied by cataloger.
Collection: Leslie Jones Collection
Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department
Rights: Copyright © Leslie Jones.
Preferred credit: Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection.
Elephants getting a bath at Franklin Park Zoo
Image by Boston Public Library
File name: 08_06_001119
Title: Elephants getting a bath at Franklin Park Zoo
Creator/Contributor: Jones, Leslie, 1886-1967 (photographer)
Date created: 1930-06
Physical description: 1 negative : glass, black & white ; 4 x 5 in.
Genre: Glass negatives
Subjects: Franklin Park Zoo (Boston, Mass.); Elephants; Bathing
Notes: Title and date from information provided by Leslie Jones or the Boston Public Library on the negative or negative sleeve.
Collection: Leslie Jones Collection
Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department
Rights: Copyright © Leslie Jones.
Preferred credit: Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection.
A few nice animal picture images I found:
mexican striped owl
Image by anviss
foto's uit de antwerpse zoo
pictures from the antwerp city zoo
Check out these marine animals images:
Frilled corallimorph
Image by wildsingapore
More about this animal on the wildfacts sheets on wildsingapore.
For a high res version of this photo, please review the details on about using my photos. When making the request, please include this reference: 070901sjid6484
Shy glass cerianthid
Image by wildsingapore
More about this animal on the wildfacts sheets on wildsingapore.
For a high res version of this photo, please review the details on about using my photos. When making the request, please include this reference: 040508skdad0035
Banded cerianthid
Image by wildsingapore
More about this animal on the wildfacts sheets on wildsingapore.
For a high res version of this photo, please review the details on about using my photos. When making the request, please include this reference: 060624skdg6174
A few nice photos of animals images I found:
Cotton Mouth Snake
Image by .imelda
Taken By Danielle
I sent my daughter to take this photo of a snake we found on our way home. It was pretty close to our house. We live by a creek in a suburb and we see all kinds of animals on the pavement. My husband has seen a few snakes but dead so we took these for him. We had no idea this snake could really hurt Danielle. I kept yelling, "Get the shot! Get the shot!" While she was telling back, "He's going to eat me!"
Sheep close up
Image by Erica_Marshall
I'm going to school to become a vet tech and we have to learn about both small animals (dogs and cats) and large animals (sheep, cows, pigs, etc), so this is one of the animals from class that we had to practice handling, giving injections, drawing blood from, etc
------------------------------------------------------------------
To use this photo in any way you must license it. See this link for information about pricing.
Some cool images of animals images:
Church at Wells
Image by Cornell University Library
Collection: A. D. White Architectural Photographs, Cornell University Library
Accession Number: 15/5/3090.00796
Title: Church at Wells
Building Date: ca. 1230-1260
Photograph date: ca. 1867-ca. 1895
Location: Europe: United Kingdom; Wells
Materials: albumen print
Image: 8 1/2 x 6 3/8 in.; 21.59 x 16.1925 cm
Provenance: Gift of Andrew Dickson White
Persistent URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1813.001/5svs
There are no known copyright restrictions on this image. The digital file is owned by the Cornell University Library which is making it freely available with the request that, when possible, the Library be credited as its source.
We had some help with the geocoding from Web Services by Yahoo!
Rio the Black Mixed Breed Dog with Newspaper 2
Image by Found Animals
View this image on our site for full resolution file.
www.foundanimals.org/photos/image/54-rio-the-black-mixed-...
This license allows for the use and modification of these images as long as attribution is given to The Found Animals Foundation in the form of a link to our site, www.foundanimals.org or directly to the image hosted at the above url.
Attribution is also required for derivative work.
Use of this images for print can be obtained by contacting The Found Animals Foundation at info@foundanimals.org with the subject "Photo Licensing."
Check out these animal picture images:
Cartaxo nortenho - Saxicola rubetra - Whinchat
Image by Jose Sousa
Picture taken:
Estuário do Sado - Setúbal - Portugal
More Saxicola rubetra by me
Mais Cartaxos nortenhos dos Flickr's Lusófonos
More Saxicola rubetra from every Flickrer
ltodi.est.ips.pt/jsousa
Cartaxo nortenho - Saxicola rubetra - Whinchat
Image by Jose Sousa
Picture taken:
Estuário do Sado - Setúbal - Portugal
More Saxicola rubetra by me
Mais Cartaxos nortenhos dos Flickr's Lusófonos
More Saxicola rubetra from every Flickrer
ltodi.est.ips.pt/jsousa
Galinha d'água - Gallinula chloropus - Common Moorhen
Image by Jose Sousa
Picture taken:
Estuário do Sado - Setúbal - Portugal
More Gallinula chloropus by me
Mais Galinhas d'água dos Flickr's Lusófonos
More Gallinula chloropus from every Flickrer
ltodi.est.ips.pt/jsousa
A few nice animal humane society images I found:
bulldog at doggie dash
Image by Photos by Mavis
Fairport Independence Day Parade
Image by LollypopFarm
Fairport Independence Day Parade
Image by LollypopFarm
Check out these images of animals images:
"B. Harrison, Republican" Portrait Ribbon
Image by Cornell University Library
Collection: Cornell University Collection of Political Americana, Cornell University Library
Repository: Susan H. Douglas Political Americana Collection, #2214 Rare & Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library, Cornell University
Title: "B. Harrison, Republican" Portrait Ribbon
Political Party: Republican
Date Made: ca. 1888-1892
Measurement: Ribbon: 5 1/2 x 2 1/2 in.; 13.97 x 6.35 cm
Classification: Costume
Persistent URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1813.001/60fn
There are no known U.S. copyright restrictions on this image. The digital file is owned by the Cornell University Library which is making it freely available with the request that, when possible, the Library be credited as its source.
2 MOO.
Image by Pat Dalton...
I thought I would return to my more usual countryside images, after the last two more colourful experiments and try some defferent processing..
I came across a field of cattle, these two were isolated from the rest of the herd and stayed quite still when I walked up to them. But then the rest decided to come over and breathe rather heavily all over my camera.
There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs. ~Ansel Adams
View On Black
Thank you for visits, faves and kind words.
Please NO invites
Benjamin Harrison-Morton "1888" Portrait Handkerchief
Image by Cornell University Library
Collection: Cornell University Collection of Political Americana, Cornell University Library
Repository: Susan H. Douglas Political Americana Collection, #2214 Rare & Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library, Cornell University
Title: Benjamin Harrison-Morton "1888" Portrait Handkerchief
Political Party: Republican
Election Year: 1888
Date Made: 1888
Measurement: Handkerchief: 20 x 20 in.; 50.8 x 50.8 cm
Classification: Textiles
Persistent URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1813.001/603h
There are no known U.S. copyright restrictions on this image. The digital file is owned by the Cornell University Library which is making it freely available with the request that, when possible, the Library be credited as its source.
Some cool extinct animals images:
Prehistoric Bison Horns
Image by Travis S.
These are the horns and top of the cranium of a Bison priscus.
This animal is now extinct and has been so since about 10 thousand years ago.
It seems to have died out when the forests environment began encroaching on its savanna-like habitat.
Bison got smaller after this transition resulting in the ones we know today.
Elephant seal pups on the beach in Big Sur
Image by Michael Ransburg
Elephant seal pups on the beach in Big Sur, California coast, USA
A few nice animal pics images I found:
Alphabet Bear Wall Hanging Toy
Image by Penguin & Fish
These are some quick pics of another little bear experiment that I did. They're stuffed animal wall hangings of Alphabet Bears. Each bear has a loop so they can hang on the wall and they connect with each other with a little bow on their hands. If you want to hold one you just untie the ribbon and take it off the wall. I'm thinking it would be cute for a kids room. You could spell out a kid's name and hang it on the wall, and then they could pick which letter to take down and hold at night. Not sure if I like the design yet, but I like the idea.
20070909 - just got Beavis - 135-3520 - Beavis
Image by Rev. Xanatos Satanicos Bombasticos (ClintJCL)
We got a new kitten! Unfortunatey, he died before we could ever upload his pics. That sucks. A lot. 5 months of sad pictures to upload.
Beavis the cat.
Clint and Carolyn's house, Alexandria, Virginia.
September 9, 2007.
... Read my blog at ClintJCL.wordpress.com
... Read Carolyn's blog at CarolynCASL.wordpress.com
... View videos of Beavis the cat at www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=ClintJCL&search_q...
Some cool endangered animal species images:
FILE0390
Image by RightBrainPhotography
Dcim0media
A few nice animal research images I found:
Black-faced Laughingthrush
Image by siwild
This Black-faced Laughingthrush, Garrulax affinis, was photographed in China, as part of a research project utilizing motion-activated camera-traps.
You are invited to go WILD on Smithsonian's interactive website, Smithsonian WILD, to learn more about the research and browse photos like this from around the world.
siwild.si.edu/wild.cfm?fid=5180054994
Bat sp.
Image by siwild
This Bat sp., unknown bat, was photographed in Panama, as part of a research project utilizing motion-activated camera-traps.
You are invited to go WILD on Smithsonian's interactive website, Smithsonian WILD, to learn more about the research and browse photos like this from around the world.
siwild.si.edu/wild.cfm?fid=5179001089
Blue Rock Thrush
Image by siwild
This Blue Rock Thrush, Monticola solitarius, was photographed in China, as part of a research project utilizing motion-activated camera-traps.
You are invited to go WILD on Smithsonian's interactive website, Smithsonian WILD, to learn more about the research and browse photos like this from around the world.
siwild.si.edu/wild.cfm?fid=5180102764
A few nice about endangered animals images I found:
Bryce Canyon National Park, southwestern Utah
Image by james_gordon_losangeles
Bryce Canyon National Park is a national park located in southwestern Utah in the United States. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon, which despite its name, is not a canyon but a collection of giant natural amphitheaters along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Bryce is distinctive due to geological structures called hoodoos, formed by frost weathering and stream erosion of the river and lake bed sedimentary rocks. The red, orange, and white colors of the rocks provide spectacular views for park visitors. Bryce sits at a much higher elevation than nearby Zion National Park. The rim at Bryce varies from 8,000 to 9,000 feet (2,400 to 2,700 m).
The Bryce Canyon area was settled by Mormon pioneers in the 1850s and was named after Ebenezer Bryce, who homesteaded in the area in 1874. The area around Bryce Canyon became a National Monument in 1923 and was designated as a National Park in 1928. The park covers 35,835 acres (55.99 sq mi; 145.02 km2) and receives relatively few visitors compared to Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon, largely due to its remote location.
Geography and climate
Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southwestern Utah about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of and 1,000 feet (300 m) higher than Zion National Park. The weather in Bryce Canyon is therefore cooler, and the park receives more precipitation: a total of 15 to 18 inches (38 to 46 cm) per year.
Yearly temperatures vary from an average minimum of 9 °F (−13 °C) in January to an average maximum of 83 °F (28 °C) in July, but extreme temperatures can range from −30 °F to 97 °F (−34 °C to 36 °C). The record high temperature in the park was 98 °F (37 °C) on July 14, 2002. The record low temperature was −28 °F (−33 °C) on December 10, 1972.
The national park lies within the Colorado Plateau geographic province of North America and straddles the southeastern edge of the Paunsagunt Plateau west of the Paunsagunt Fault (Paunsagunt is Paiute for "home of the beaver").[9] Park visitors arrive from the plateau part of the park and look over the plateau's edge toward a valley containing the fault and the Paria River just beyond it (Paria is Paiute for "muddy or elk water"). The edge of the Kaiparowits Plateau bounds the opposite side of the valley.
Bryce PointBryce Canyon was not formed from erosion initiated from a central stream, meaning it technically is not a canyon. Instead headward erosion has excavated large amphitheater-shaped features in the Cenozoic-aged rocks of the Paunsagunt Plateau. This erosion exposed delicate and colorful pinnacles called hoodoos that are up to 200 feet (61 m) high. A series of amphitheaters extends more than 20 miles (32 km) north-to-south within the park. The largest is Bryce Amphitheater, which is 12 miles (19 km) long, 3 miles (4.8 km) wide and 800 feet (240 m) deep. A nearby example of amphitheaters with hoodoos in the same formation but at a higher elevation, is in Cedar Breaks National Monument, which is 25 miles (40 km) to the west on the Markagunt Plateau.
Rainbow Point, the highest part of the park at 9,105 feet (2,775 m), is at the end of the 18-mile (29 km) scenic drive. From there, Aquarius Plateau, Bryce Amphitheater, the Henry Mountains, the Vermilion Cliffs and the White Cliffs can be seen. Yellow Creek, where it exits the park in the north-east section, is the lowest part of the park at 6,620 feet (2,020 m).
[edit] Human history[edit] Native American habitationLittle is known about early human habitation in the Bryce Canyon area. Archaeological surveys of Bryce Canyon National Park and the Paunsaugunt Plateau show that people have been in the area for at least 10,000 years. Basketmaker Anasazi artifacts several thousand years old have been found south of the park. Other artifacts from the Pueblo-period Anasazi and the Fremont culture (up to the mid-12th century) have also been found.
The Paiute Indians moved into the surrounding valleys and plateaus in the area around the same time that the other cultures left. These Native Americans hunted and gathered for most of their food, but also supplemented their diet with some cultivated products. The Paiute in the area developed a mythology surrounding the hoodoos (pinnacles) in Bryce Canyon. They believed that hoodoos were the Legend People whom the trickster Coyote turned to stone. At least one older Paiute said his culture called the hoodoos Anka-ku-was-a-wits, which is Paiute for "red painted faces".
European American exploration and settlementIt was not until the late 18th and the early 19th century that the first European Americans explored the remote and hard-to-reach area. Mormon scouts visited the area in the 1850s to gauge its potential for agricultural development, use for grazing, and settlement.
Ebenezer Bryce and his family lived in Bryce Canyon, in this cabin, here photographed c. 1881.The first major scientific expedition to the area was led by U.S. Army Major John Wesley Powell in 1872. Powell, along with a team of mapmakers and geologists, surveyed the Sevier and Virgin River area as part of a larger survey of the Colorado Plateaus. His mapmakers kept many of the Paiute place names.
Small groups of Mormon pioneers followed and attempted to settle east of Bryce Canyon along the Paria River. In 1873, the Kanarra Cattle Company started to use the area for cattle grazing.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent Scottish immigrant Ebenezer Bryce and his wife Mary to settle land in the Paria Valley because they thought his carpentry skills would be useful in the area. The Bryce family chose to live right below Bryce Canyon Amphitheater. Bryce grazed his cattle inside what are now park borders, and reputedly thought that the amphitheaters were a "helluva place to lose a cow." He also built a road to the plateau to retrieve firewood and timber, and a canal to irrigate his crops and water his animals. Other settlers soon started to call the unusual place "Bryce's canyon", which was later formalized into Bryce Canyon.
A combination of drought, overgrazing and flooding eventually drove the remaining Paiutes from the area and prompted the settlers to attempt construction of a water diversion channel from the Sevier River drainage. When that effort failed, most of the settlers, including the Bryce family, left the area.
Bryce moved his family to Arizona in 1880. The remaining settlers dug a 10 miles (16 km) ditch from the Sevier's east fork into Tropic Valley.
Creation of the park
Bryce Canyon Lodge was built between 1924 and 1925 from local materials.These scenic areas were first described for the public in magazine articles published by Union Pacific and Santa Fe railroads in 1916. People like Forest Supervisor J. W. Humphrey promoted the scenic wonders of Bryce Canyon's amphitheaters, and by 1918 nationally distributed articles also helped to spark interest. However, poor access to the remote area and the lack of accommodations kept visitation to a bare minimum.
Ruby Syrett, Harold Bowman and the Perry brothers later built modest lodging, and set up "touring services" in the area. Syrett later served as the first postmaster of Bryce Canyon. Visitation steadily increased, and by the early 1920s the Union Pacific Railroad became interested in expanding rail service into southwestern Utah to accommodate more tourists.
In 1928 the canyon became a National Park. It now has this visitors' center.At the same time, conservationists became alarmed by the damage overgrazing and logging on the plateau, along with unregulated visitation, were having on the fragile features of Bryce Canyon. A movement to have the area protected was soon started, and National Park Service Director Stephen Mather responded by proposing that Bryce Canyon be made into a state park. The governor of Utah and the Utah Legislature, however, lobbied for national protection of the area. Mather relented and sent his recommendation to President Warren G. Harding, who on June 8, 1923 declared Bryce Canyon National Monument into existence.
A road was built the same year on the plateau to provide easy access to outlooks over the amphitheaters. From 1924 to 1925, Bryce Canyon Lodge was built from local timber and stone.
Members of U.S. Congress started work in 1924 on upgrading Bryce Canyon's protection status from a U.S. National Monument to a National Park in order to establish Utah National Park.
A process led by the Utah Parks Company for transferring ownership of private and state-held land in the monument to the federal government started in 1923. The last of the land in the proposed park's borders was sold to the federal government four years later, and on February 25, 1928, the renamed Bryce Canyon National Park was established.
In 1931, President Herbert Hoover annexed an adjoining area south of the park, and in 1942 an additional 635 acres (2.57 km2) was added.[11] This brought the park's total area to the current figure of 35,835 acres (145.02 km2). Rim Road, the scenic drive that is still used today, was completed in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Administration of the park was conducted from neighboring Zion Canyon National Park until 1956, when Bryce Canyon's first superintendent started work.
More recent history
The USS Bryce Canyon was named for the park and served as a supply and repair ship in the U.S. Pacific Fleet from September 15, 1950, to June 30, 1981.
Bryce Canyon Natural History Association (BCNHA) was established in 1961. It runs the bookstore inside the park visitor center and is a non-profit organization created to aid the interpretive, educational and scientific activities of the National Park Service at Bryce Canyon National Park. A portion of the profits from all bookstore sales are donated to public land units.
Responding to increased visitation and traffic congestion, the National Park Service implemented a voluntary, summer-only, in-park shuttle system in June 2000. In 2004, reconstruction began on the aging and inadequate road system in the park.
Geology of the Bryce Canyon area
Erosion of sedimentary rocks has created natural arches.
Thor's Hammer.The Bryce Canyon area shows a record of deposition that spans from the last part of the Cretaceous period and the first half of the Cenozoic era. The ancient depositional environment of the region around what is now the park varied. The Dakota Sandstone and the Tropic Shale were deposited in the warm, shallow waters of the advancing and retreating Cretaceous Seaway (outcrops of these rocks are found just outside park borders). The colorful Claron Formation, from which the park's delicate hoodoos are carved, was laid down as sediments in a system of cool streams and lakes that existed from 63 to about 40 million years ago (from the Paleocene to the Eocene epochs). Different sediment types were laid down as the lakes deepened and became shallow and as the shoreline and river deltas migrated.
Several other formations were also created but were mostly eroded away following two major periods of uplift. The Laramide orogeny affected the entire western part of what would become North America starting about 70 million to 50 million years ago. This event helped to build the Rocky Mountains and in the process closed the Cretaceous Seaway. The Straight Cliffs, Wahweap, and Kaiparowits formations were victims of this uplift. The Colorado Plateaus were uplifted 16 million years ago and were segmented into different plateaus, each separated from its neighbors by faults and each having its own uplift rate. The Boat Mesa Conglomerate and the Sevier River Formation were removed by erosion following this uplift.
Vertical joints were created by this uplift, which were eventually (and still are) preferentially eroded. The easily eroded Pink Cliffs of the Claron Formation responded by forming freestanding pinnacles in badlands called hoodoos, while the more resistant White Cliffs formed monoliths. The brown, pink and red colors are from hematite (iron oxide; Fe2O3); the yellows from limonite (FeO(OH)·nH2O); and the purples are from pyrolusite (MnO2). Also created were arches, natural bridges, walls, and windows. Hoodoos are composed of soft sedimentary rock and are topped by a piece of harder, less easily eroded stone that protects the column from the elements. Bryce Canyon has one of the highest concentrations of hoodoos of any place on Earth.
The formations exposed in the area of the park are part of the Grand Staircase. The oldest members of this supersequence of rock units are exposed in the Grand Canyon, the intermediate ones in Zion National Park, and its youngest parts are laid bare in Bryce Canyon area. A small amount of overlap occurs in and around each park.
Biology
Mule deer are the most common large animals found in the park.More than 400 native plant species live in the park. There are three life zones in the park based on elevation: The lowest areas of the park are dominated by dwarf forests of pinyon pine and juniper with manzanita, serviceberry, and antelope bitterbrush in between. Aspen, cottonwood, Water Birch, and Willow grow along streams. Ponderosa Pine forests cover the mid-elevations with Blue Spruce and Douglas-fir in water-rich areas and manzanita and bitterbrush as underbrush. Douglas-fir and White Fir, along with Aspen and Engelmann Spruce, make up the forests on the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The harshest areas have Limber Pine and ancient Great Basin Bristlecone Pine, some more than 1,600 years old, holding on.
Bryce Canyon has extensive fir forests.The forests and meadows of Bryce Canyon provide the habitat to support diverse animal life, from birds and small mammals to foxes and occasional bobcats, mountain lions, and black bears. Mule deer are the most common large mammals in the park. Elk and pronghorn, which have been reintroduced nearby, sometimes venture into the park.
Bryce Canyon National Park forms part of the habitat of three wildlife species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act: the Utah Prairie Dog, the California Condor, and the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. The Utah Prairie Dog is a threatened species that was reintroduced to the park for conservation, and the largest protected population is found within the park's boundaries.
About 170 species of birds visit the park each year, including swifts and swallows. Most species migrate to warmer regions in winter, although jays, ravens, nuthatches, eagles, and owls stay. In winter, the mule deer, mountain lion, and coyotes migrate to lower elevations.
Ground squirrels and marmots pass the winter in hibernation.
Eleven species of reptiles and four species of amphibians have been found at in the park. Reptiles include the Great Basin Rattlesnake, Short-horned Lizard, Side-blotched Lizard, Striped Whipsnake, and the Tiger Salamander.
Also in the park are the black, lumpy, very slow-growing colonies of cryptobiotic soil, which are a mix of lichens, algae, fungi, and cyanobacteria. Together these organisms slow erosion, add nitrogen to soil, and help it to retain moisture.
While humans have greatly reduced the amount of habitat that is available to wildlife in most parts of the United States, the relative scarcity of water in southern Utah restricts human development and helps account for the region's greatly enhanced diversity of wildlife.
Activities
There are marked trails for hiking, for which snowshoes are required in winter.
Navajo Trail. Trees are Pseudotsuga menziesii and Pinus ponderosa.Most park visitors sightsee using the scenic drive, which provides access to 13 viewpoints over the amphitheaters. Bryce Canyon has eight marked and maintained hiking trails that can be hiked in less than a day (round trip time, trailhead): Mossy Cave (one hour, State Route 12 northwest of Tropic), Rim Trail (5–6 hours, anywhere on rim), Bristlecone Loop (one hour, Rainbow Point), and Queens Garden (1–2 hours, Sunrise Point) are easy to moderate hikes. Navajo Loop (1–2 hours, Sunset Point) and Tower Bridge (2–3 hours, north of Sunrise Point) are moderate hikes. Fairyland Loop (4–5 hours, Fairyland Point) and Peekaboo Loop (3–4 hours, Bryce Point) are strenuous hikes. Several of these trails intersect, allowing hikers to combine routes for more challenging hikes.
The park also has two trails designated for overnight hiking: the 9-mile (14 km) Riggs Spring Loop Trail and the 23-mile (37 km) Under-the-Rim Trail. Both require a backcountry camping permit. In total there are 50 miles (80 km) of trails in the park.
Horse riding is available in the park from April through October.More than 10 miles (16 km) of marked but ungroomed skiing trails are available off of Fairyland, Paria, and Rim trails in the park. Twenty miles (32 km) of connecting groomed ski trails are in nearby Dixie National Forest and Ruby's Inn.
The air in the area is so clear that on most days from Yovimpa and Rainbow points, Navajo Mountain and the Kaibab Plateau can be seen 90 miles (140 km) away in Arizona. On extremely clear days, the Black Mesas of eastern Arizona and western New Mexico can be seen some 160 miles (260 km) away.
The park also has a 7.4 magnitude night sky, making it one of the darkest in North America. Stargazers can therefore see 7,500 stars with the naked eye, while in most places fewer than 2,000 can be seen due to light pollution (in many large cities only a few dozen can be seen). Park rangers host public stargazing events and evening programs on astronomy, nocturnal animals, and night sky protection. The Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival, typically held in June, attracts thousands of visitors. In honor of this astronomy festival, Asteroid 49272 was named after the national park.
There are two campgrounds in the park, North Campground and Sunset Campground. Loop A in North Campground is open year-round. Additional loops and Sunset Campground are open from late spring to early autumn. The 114-room Bryce Canyon Lodge is another way to overnight in the park.
A favorite activity of most visitors is landscape photography. With Bryce Canyon's high altitude and clean air, the sunrise and sunset photographs can be spectacular.
Bryce Canyon National Park, southwestern Utah
Image by james_gordon_losangeles
Bryce Canyon National Park is a national park located in southwestern Utah in the United States. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon, which despite its name, is not a canyon but a collection of giant natural amphitheaters along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Bryce is distinctive due to geological structures called hoodoos, formed by frost weathering and stream erosion of the river and lake bed sedimentary rocks. The red, orange, and white colors of the rocks provide spectacular views for park visitors. Bryce sits at a much higher elevation than nearby Zion National Park. The rim at Bryce varies from 8,000 to 9,000 feet (2,400 to 2,700 m).
The Bryce Canyon area was settled by Mormon pioneers in the 1850s and was named after Ebenezer Bryce, who homesteaded in the area in 1874. The area around Bryce Canyon became a National Monument in 1923 and was designated as a National Park in 1928. The park covers 35,835 acres (55.99 sq mi; 145.02 km2) and receives relatively few visitors compared to Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon, largely due to its remote location.
Geography and climate
Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southwestern Utah about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of and 1,000 feet (300 m) higher than Zion National Park. The weather in Bryce Canyon is therefore cooler, and the park receives more precipitation: a total of 15 to 18 inches (38 to 46 cm) per year.
Yearly temperatures vary from an average minimum of 9 °F (−13 °C) in January to an average maximum of 83 °F (28 °C) in July, but extreme temperatures can range from −30 °F to 97 °F (−34 °C to 36 °C). The record high temperature in the park was 98 °F (37 °C) on July 14, 2002. The record low temperature was −28 °F (−33 °C) on December 10, 1972.
The national park lies within the Colorado Plateau geographic province of North America and straddles the southeastern edge of the Paunsagunt Plateau west of the Paunsagunt Fault (Paunsagunt is Paiute for "home of the beaver").[9] Park visitors arrive from the plateau part of the park and look over the plateau's edge toward a valley containing the fault and the Paria River just beyond it (Paria is Paiute for "muddy or elk water"). The edge of the Kaiparowits Plateau bounds the opposite side of the valley.
Bryce PointBryce Canyon was not formed from erosion initiated from a central stream, meaning it technically is not a canyon. Instead headward erosion has excavated large amphitheater-shaped features in the Cenozoic-aged rocks of the Paunsagunt Plateau. This erosion exposed delicate and colorful pinnacles called hoodoos that are up to 200 feet (61 m) high. A series of amphitheaters extends more than 20 miles (32 km) north-to-south within the park. The largest is Bryce Amphitheater, which is 12 miles (19 km) long, 3 miles (4.8 km) wide and 800 feet (240 m) deep. A nearby example of amphitheaters with hoodoos in the same formation but at a higher elevation, is in Cedar Breaks National Monument, which is 25 miles (40 km) to the west on the Markagunt Plateau.
Rainbow Point, the highest part of the park at 9,105 feet (2,775 m), is at the end of the 18-mile (29 km) scenic drive. From there, Aquarius Plateau, Bryce Amphitheater, the Henry Mountains, the Vermilion Cliffs and the White Cliffs can be seen. Yellow Creek, where it exits the park in the north-east section, is the lowest part of the park at 6,620 feet (2,020 m).
[edit] Human history[edit] Native American habitationLittle is known about early human habitation in the Bryce Canyon area. Archaeological surveys of Bryce Canyon National Park and the Paunsaugunt Plateau show that people have been in the area for at least 10,000 years. Basketmaker Anasazi artifacts several thousand years old have been found south of the park. Other artifacts from the Pueblo-period Anasazi and the Fremont culture (up to the mid-12th century) have also been found.
The Paiute Indians moved into the surrounding valleys and plateaus in the area around the same time that the other cultures left. These Native Americans hunted and gathered for most of their food, but also supplemented their diet with some cultivated products. The Paiute in the area developed a mythology surrounding the hoodoos (pinnacles) in Bryce Canyon. They believed that hoodoos were the Legend People whom the trickster Coyote turned to stone. At least one older Paiute said his culture called the hoodoos Anka-ku-was-a-wits, which is Paiute for "red painted faces".
European American exploration and settlementIt was not until the late 18th and the early 19th century that the first European Americans explored the remote and hard-to-reach area. Mormon scouts visited the area in the 1850s to gauge its potential for agricultural development, use for grazing, and settlement.
Ebenezer Bryce and his family lived in Bryce Canyon, in this cabin, here photographed c. 1881.The first major scientific expedition to the area was led by U.S. Army Major John Wesley Powell in 1872. Powell, along with a team of mapmakers and geologists, surveyed the Sevier and Virgin River area as part of a larger survey of the Colorado Plateaus. His mapmakers kept many of the Paiute place names.
Small groups of Mormon pioneers followed and attempted to settle east of Bryce Canyon along the Paria River. In 1873, the Kanarra Cattle Company started to use the area for cattle grazing.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent Scottish immigrant Ebenezer Bryce and his wife Mary to settle land in the Paria Valley because they thought his carpentry skills would be useful in the area. The Bryce family chose to live right below Bryce Canyon Amphitheater. Bryce grazed his cattle inside what are now park borders, and reputedly thought that the amphitheaters were a "helluva place to lose a cow." He also built a road to the plateau to retrieve firewood and timber, and a canal to irrigate his crops and water his animals. Other settlers soon started to call the unusual place "Bryce's canyon", which was later formalized into Bryce Canyon.
A combination of drought, overgrazing and flooding eventually drove the remaining Paiutes from the area and prompted the settlers to attempt construction of a water diversion channel from the Sevier River drainage. When that effort failed, most of the settlers, including the Bryce family, left the area.
Bryce moved his family to Arizona in 1880. The remaining settlers dug a 10 miles (16 km) ditch from the Sevier's east fork into Tropic Valley.
Creation of the park
Bryce Canyon Lodge was built between 1924 and 1925 from local materials.These scenic areas were first described for the public in magazine articles published by Union Pacific and Santa Fe railroads in 1916. People like Forest Supervisor J. W. Humphrey promoted the scenic wonders of Bryce Canyon's amphitheaters, and by 1918 nationally distributed articles also helped to spark interest. However, poor access to the remote area and the lack of accommodations kept visitation to a bare minimum.
Ruby Syrett, Harold Bowman and the Perry brothers later built modest lodging, and set up "touring services" in the area. Syrett later served as the first postmaster of Bryce Canyon. Visitation steadily increased, and by the early 1920s the Union Pacific Railroad became interested in expanding rail service into southwestern Utah to accommodate more tourists.
In 1928 the canyon became a National Park. It now has this visitors' center.At the same time, conservationists became alarmed by the damage overgrazing and logging on the plateau, along with unregulated visitation, were having on the fragile features of Bryce Canyon. A movement to have the area protected was soon started, and National Park Service Director Stephen Mather responded by proposing that Bryce Canyon be made into a state park. The governor of Utah and the Utah Legislature, however, lobbied for national protection of the area. Mather relented and sent his recommendation to President Warren G. Harding, who on June 8, 1923 declared Bryce Canyon National Monument into existence.
A road was built the same year on the plateau to provide easy access to outlooks over the amphitheaters. From 1924 to 1925, Bryce Canyon Lodge was built from local timber and stone.
Members of U.S. Congress started work in 1924 on upgrading Bryce Canyon's protection status from a U.S. National Monument to a National Park in order to establish Utah National Park.
A process led by the Utah Parks Company for transferring ownership of private and state-held land in the monument to the federal government started in 1923. The last of the land in the proposed park's borders was sold to the federal government four years later, and on February 25, 1928, the renamed Bryce Canyon National Park was established.
In 1931, President Herbert Hoover annexed an adjoining area south of the park, and in 1942 an additional 635 acres (2.57 km2) was added.[11] This brought the park's total area to the current figure of 35,835 acres (145.02 km2). Rim Road, the scenic drive that is still used today, was completed in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Administration of the park was conducted from neighboring Zion Canyon National Park until 1956, when Bryce Canyon's first superintendent started work.
More recent history
The USS Bryce Canyon was named for the park and served as a supply and repair ship in the U.S. Pacific Fleet from September 15, 1950, to June 30, 1981.
Bryce Canyon Natural History Association (BCNHA) was established in 1961. It runs the bookstore inside the park visitor center and is a non-profit organization created to aid the interpretive, educational and scientific activities of the National Park Service at Bryce Canyon National Park. A portion of the profits from all bookstore sales are donated to public land units.
Responding to increased visitation and traffic congestion, the National Park Service implemented a voluntary, summer-only, in-park shuttle system in June 2000. In 2004, reconstruction began on the aging and inadequate road system in the park.
Geology of the Bryce Canyon area
Erosion of sedimentary rocks has created natural arches.
Thor's Hammer.The Bryce Canyon area shows a record of deposition that spans from the last part of the Cretaceous period and the first half of the Cenozoic era. The ancient depositional environment of the region around what is now the park varied. The Dakota Sandstone and the Tropic Shale were deposited in the warm, shallow waters of the advancing and retreating Cretaceous Seaway (outcrops of these rocks are found just outside park borders). The colorful Claron Formation, from which the park's delicate hoodoos are carved, was laid down as sediments in a system of cool streams and lakes that existed from 63 to about 40 million years ago (from the Paleocene to the Eocene epochs). Different sediment types were laid down as the lakes deepened and became shallow and as the shoreline and river deltas migrated.
Several other formations were also created but were mostly eroded away following two major periods of uplift. The Laramide orogeny affected the entire western part of what would become North America starting about 70 million to 50 million years ago. This event helped to build the Rocky Mountains and in the process closed the Cretaceous Seaway. The Straight Cliffs, Wahweap, and Kaiparowits formations were victims of this uplift. The Colorado Plateaus were uplifted 16 million years ago and were segmented into different plateaus, each separated from its neighbors by faults and each having its own uplift rate. The Boat Mesa Conglomerate and the Sevier River Formation were removed by erosion following this uplift.
Vertical joints were created by this uplift, which were eventually (and still are) preferentially eroded. The easily eroded Pink Cliffs of the Claron Formation responded by forming freestanding pinnacles in badlands called hoodoos, while the more resistant White Cliffs formed monoliths. The brown, pink and red colors are from hematite (iron oxide; Fe2O3); the yellows from limonite (FeO(OH)·nH2O); and the purples are from pyrolusite (MnO2). Also created were arches, natural bridges, walls, and windows. Hoodoos are composed of soft sedimentary rock and are topped by a piece of harder, less easily eroded stone that protects the column from the elements. Bryce Canyon has one of the highest concentrations of hoodoos of any place on Earth.
The formations exposed in the area of the park are part of the Grand Staircase. The oldest members of this supersequence of rock units are exposed in the Grand Canyon, the intermediate ones in Zion National Park, and its youngest parts are laid bare in Bryce Canyon area. A small amount of overlap occurs in and around each park.
Biology
Mule deer are the most common large animals found in the park.More than 400 native plant species live in the park. There are three life zones in the park based on elevation: The lowest areas of the park are dominated by dwarf forests of pinyon pine and juniper with manzanita, serviceberry, and antelope bitterbrush in between. Aspen, cottonwood, Water Birch, and Willow grow along streams. Ponderosa Pine forests cover the mid-elevations with Blue Spruce and Douglas-fir in water-rich areas and manzanita and bitterbrush as underbrush. Douglas-fir and White Fir, along with Aspen and Engelmann Spruce, make up the forests on the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The harshest areas have Limber Pine and ancient Great Basin Bristlecone Pine, some more than 1,600 years old, holding on.
Bryce Canyon has extensive fir forests.The forests and meadows of Bryce Canyon provide the habitat to support diverse animal life, from birds and small mammals to foxes and occasional bobcats, mountain lions, and black bears. Mule deer are the most common large mammals in the park. Elk and pronghorn, which have been reintroduced nearby, sometimes venture into the park.
Bryce Canyon National Park forms part of the habitat of three wildlife species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act: the Utah Prairie Dog, the California Condor, and the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. The Utah Prairie Dog is a threatened species that was reintroduced to the park for conservation, and the largest protected population is found within the park's boundaries.
About 170 species of birds visit the park each year, including swifts and swallows. Most species migrate to warmer regions in winter, although jays, ravens, nuthatches, eagles, and owls stay. In winter, the mule deer, mountain lion, and coyotes migrate to lower elevations.
Ground squirrels and marmots pass the winter in hibernation.
Eleven species of reptiles and four species of amphibians have been found at in the park. Reptiles include the Great Basin Rattlesnake, Short-horned Lizard, Side-blotched Lizard, Striped Whipsnake, and the Tiger Salamander.
Also in the park are the black, lumpy, very slow-growing colonies of cryptobiotic soil, which are a mix of lichens, algae, fungi, and cyanobacteria. Together these organisms slow erosion, add nitrogen to soil, and help it to retain moisture.
While humans have greatly reduced the amount of habitat that is available to wildlife in most parts of the United States, the relative scarcity of water in southern Utah restricts human development and helps account for the region's greatly enhanced diversity of wildlife.
Activities
There are marked trails for hiking, for which snowshoes are required in winter.
Navajo Trail. Trees are Pseudotsuga menziesii and Pinus ponderosa.Most park visitors sightsee using the scenic drive, which provides access to 13 viewpoints over the amphitheaters. Bryce Canyon has eight marked and maintained hiking trails that can be hiked in less than a day (round trip time, trailhead): Mossy Cave (one hour, State Route 12 northwest of Tropic), Rim Trail (5–6 hours, anywhere on rim), Bristlecone Loop (one hour, Rainbow Point), and Queens Garden (1–2 hours, Sunrise Point) are easy to moderate hikes. Navajo Loop (1–2 hours, Sunset Point) and Tower Bridge (2–3 hours, north of Sunrise Point) are moderate hikes. Fairyland Loop (4–5 hours, Fairyland Point) and Peekaboo Loop (3–4 hours, Bryce Point) are strenuous hikes. Several of these trails intersect, allowing hikers to combine routes for more challenging hikes.
The park also has two trails designated for overnight hiking: the 9-mile (14 km) Riggs Spring Loop Trail and the 23-mile (37 km) Under-the-Rim Trail. Both require a backcountry camping permit. In total there are 50 miles (80 km) of trails in the park.
Horse riding is available in the park from April through October.More than 10 miles (16 km) of marked but ungroomed skiing trails are available off of Fairyland, Paria, and Rim trails in the park. Twenty miles (32 km) of connecting groomed ski trails are in nearby Dixie National Forest and Ruby's Inn.
The air in the area is so clear that on most days from Yovimpa and Rainbow points, Navajo Mountain and the Kaibab Plateau can be seen 90 miles (140 km) away in Arizona. On extremely clear days, the Black Mesas of eastern Arizona and western New Mexico can be seen some 160 miles (260 km) away.
The park also has a 7.4 magnitude night sky, making it one of the darkest in North America. Stargazers can therefore see 7,500 stars with the naked eye, while in most places fewer than 2,000 can be seen due to light pollution (in many large cities only a few dozen can be seen). Park rangers host public stargazing events and evening programs on astronomy, nocturnal animals, and night sky protection. The Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival, typically held in June, attracts thousands of visitors. In honor of this astronomy festival, Asteroid 49272 was named after the national park.
There are two campgrounds in the park, North Campground and Sunset Campground. Loop A in North Campground is open year-round. Additional loops and Sunset Campground are open from late spring to early autumn. The 114-room Bryce Canyon Lodge is another way to overnight in the park.
A favorite activity of most visitors is landscape photography. With Bryce Canyon's high altitude and clean air, the sunrise and sunset photographs can be spectacular.
Check out these animal videos images:
MiNe-HD1A_100-0568
Image by MiNe (sfmine79)
台北 > 峨眉街
youtube.com/watch?v=McxlX3euF6Q
A few nice exotic animals images I found:
Nay Aug Park Zoo
Image by .reid.
Nay Aug Park Zoo in Scranton is closed now. It's a shame that the city has lost one of its cultural attractions, but it's really a good thing that the zoo is closed. The facilities were really not adequate for housing exotic animals. It's weird what we do for nostalgia.
-----
edited with Picnik
back again
Image by timsnell
it's been over a month since i last put up a photo, probably one of the longest gaps in the sites' history. my previous shot was saying goodbye to la paz, and i took this today upon returning to the city following an 18 hour bus ride. at this point i think i've now spent more time in la paz than almost anywhere else on my travels - yes that includes you asuncion. it's not my favourite city, but it is convenient for moving on to different places. my excuse for not posting any updates in the last 4 weeks is purely down to a lack of internet access. this hardship was counterbalanced by the fact i spent most of that time volunteering (read: playing with) monkeys at an animal refuge as well as spotting other exotic animals in the pampas. i now have a plethora of primarily monkey shots that i need to look through and post - there will definitely be an animal bias in the coming weeks.
here's the original
A few nice animal puppy images I found:
Toby, the adventures of the homeless injured dog III
Image by αρι
IMG_2981
Image by Nomad@Live
Some cool images of animals images:
Rose-breasted Grosbeak in North Georgia Willow Tree
Image by Cindy Sue Causey
Subject: "I see you" image of an untimely male Rose-breasted Grosbeak just hanging out in a Willow Tree next to porch in Talking Rock, Georgia
Project: Backyard Pishing; Private Residence, Talking Rock, Pickens County, North Georgia, USA
Date: 2012.04.22 (Brisk, very windy Spring day; temps were probably ~60 degrees but had windchill factor)
Camera: Kodak Z740 Zoom
Have said before these guys started showing up somewhere around 2008, 2009. JUST happened to look out the window in time to catch five males eating sunflower seeds on the front walkway. At the time I didn't know what they were and actually only saw all five backsides. Had no clue that year of the phenomenal red coloring on their chests.
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak male (Pheucticus ludovicianus, alpha banding code RBGR) one picture here apparently has been in the yard a good solid week. I kept seeing flashes of a white rump with more white under the tail as he was exiting Stage Left when I'd poke my head out the window to check on bird feeders. Have seen two now (two days ago). This is THE ABSOLUTE lateness and longest repeated sightings in Spring they've been in my Pickens County yard yet. Every year the pishing gets better and better out there..! :))
An old farmer harrowing a paddy field.
Image by IRRI Images
Part of the image collection of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Some cool images of animals images:
Sea Otter (intentionally shot and killed), female pup, 77cm length, Morro Strand State Beach 24 June 2010
Image by mikebaird
Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) (intentionally shot and killed), female pup, 77cm length, Morro Strand State Beach near Northpoint bluff, Toro Lane and Beachcomber Dr., near the State Park Campground, Morro Bay, CA. recently shot and killed by someone, 24 June 2010, as determined by on site necropsy by Mike Harris of California Fish & Game. (ref. Michael Harris, Environmental Scientist/Sea Otter Biologist, Calif. Dept of Fish and Game, OSPR-Veterinary Services, 1385 Main Street, Morro Bay, CA 93442, 805.772.1135 office; 831.212.7090 cell; mikeharris [at} ospr.dfg.ca d o t gov. I (Mike Baird) found and reported this otter at 5:25 pm 24 June 2010. I pulled it from a rising tide at the waters edge to the highest adjacent point using a mutt mitt bag, and tagged the subject for Mike Harris’ attention. I left a message for him at 805.772.1135, emailed the first three images with GPS coordinates to him and to Flickr, and moments later Mike Harris responded and was on the scene. These graphic images document the on site necropsy process, and, as can be seen, a bullet (lead pellet?) was found in the skull of the baby otter and recent blood trauma was found around the wound under the skin and on the skull. By request, these graphic images and videos were not immediately published in public view here on Flickr, pending permission by Fish and Game, as they wanted to address how to best handle publication of such crime scene information to optimize their ability to prosecute this crime.
To use this photo, see access, attribution, and commenting recommendations at www.flickr.com/people/mikebaird/#credit -
Please add comments/notes/tags to add to or correct information, identification, etc.
Please, no comments or invites with images, multiple invites, award levels, flashing icons, or award/post rules.
Last week 6/24/2010 I found a sea otter that had been shot and killed on Morro Strand.
Mike Harris of CA Fish & Game came and performed an onsite necropsy, which I documented with an iPhone camera.
Until this moment I had been requested to withhold publishing these images and videos showing the cause of death.
The images and videos have now been approved for publication, and are exposed at Flickr.
Warning, these are graphic images showing blood and guts and the bullet/pellet projectile and hole in cranium.
they are posted for educational purposes, and hopefully to spur someone who might have witnessed this crime to report the culprit to the authorities.
The set is at
www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/sets/72157624227202983/
Here is a copy of the official press release.
********************
California Department of Fish and Game News Release
June 30, 2010
Contact: Warden Hank Hodel, DFG Law Enforcement, (805) 610-3920
Kirsten Macintyre, DFG Communications, (916) 322-8988
Information Sought on Sea Otter Shooting on Morro Bay Beach
The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is seeking information about a
sea otter that was shot in Morro Bay on Thursday, June 24.
The young female otter was found just north of the Morro Strand
Campground along the beach in Morro Bay. Wardens estimate that the
animal was killed by a shot to the head between 9 a.m. and noon. A
necropsy was conducted and the weapon was determined to be a pellet gun.
DFG is seeking witnesses or any information related to the shooting.
Anyone with information is urged to contact DFG Warden Hank Hodel at
(805) 610-3920. An anonymous report can also be made by calling DFG’s
CalTIP line, 1-888-DFG-CALTIP.
Sea otters are federally protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act
and the Code of Federal Regulations. If convicted of shooting an otter,
an individual can face up to ,000 in fines.
###
Subscribe to DFG News via email or RSS feed. Go to www.dfg.ca.gov/news.
Sea Otter (intentionally shot and killed), female pup, 77cm length, Morro Strand State Beach 24 June 2010
Image by mikebaird
Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) (intentionally shot and killed), female pup, 77cm length, Morro Strand State Beach near Northpoint bluff, Toro Lane and Beachcomber Dr., near the State Park Campground, Morro Bay, CA. recently shot and killed by someone, 24 June 2010, as determined by on site necropsy by Mike Harris of California Fish & Game. (ref. Michael Harris, Environmental Scientist/Sea Otter Biologist, Calif. Dept of Fish and Game, OSPR-Veterinary Services, 1385 Main Street, Morro Bay, CA 93442, 805.772.1135 office; 831.212.7090 cell; mikeharris [at} ospr.dfg.ca d o t gov. I (Mike Baird) found and reported this otter at 5:25 pm 24 June 2010. I pulled it from a rising tide at the waters edge to the highest adjacent point using a mutt mitt bag, and tagged the subject for Mike Harris’ attention. I left a message for him at 805.772.1135, emailed the first three images with GPS coordinates to him and to Flickr, and moments later Mike Harris responded and was on the scene. These graphic images document the on site necropsy process, and, as can be seen, a bullet (lead pellet?) was found in the skull of the baby otter and recent blood trauma was found around the wound under the skin and on the skull. By request, these graphic images and videos were not immediately published in public view here on Flickr, pending permission by Fish and Game, as they wanted to address how to best handle publication of such crime scene information to optimize their ability to prosecute this crime.
To use this photo, see access, attribution, and commenting recommendations at www.flickr.com/people/mikebaird/#credit -
Please add comments/notes/tags to add to or correct information, identification, etc.
Please, no comments or invites with images, multiple invites, award levels, flashing icons, or award/post rules.
Last week 6/24/2010 I found a sea otter that had been shot and killed on Morro Strand.
Mike Harris of CA Fish & Game came and performed an onsite necropsy, which I documented with an iPhone camera.
Until this moment I had been requested to withhold publishing these images and videos showing the cause of death.
The images and videos have now been approved for publication, and are exposed at Flickr.
Warning, these are graphic images showing blood and guts and the bullet/pellet projectile and hole in cranium.
they are posted for educational purposes, and hopefully to spur someone who might have witnessed this crime to report the culprit to the authorities.
The set is at
www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/sets/72157624227202983/
Here is a copy of the official press release.
********************
California Department of Fish and Game News Release
June 30, 2010
Contact: Warden Hank Hodel, DFG Law Enforcement, (805) 610-3920
Kirsten Macintyre, DFG Communications, (916) 322-8988
Information Sought on Sea Otter Shooting on Morro Bay Beach
The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is seeking information about a
sea otter that was shot in Morro Bay on Thursday, June 24.
The young female otter was found just north of the Morro Strand
Campground along the beach in Morro Bay. Wardens estimate that the
animal was killed by a shot to the head between 9 a.m. and noon. A
necropsy was conducted and the weapon was determined to be a pellet gun.
DFG is seeking witnesses or any information related to the shooting.
Anyone with information is urged to contact DFG Warden Hank Hodel at
(805) 610-3920. An anonymous report can also be made by calling DFG’s
CalTIP line, 1-888-DFG-CALTIP.
Sea otters are federally protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act
and the Code of Federal Regulations. If convicted of shooting an otter,
an individual can face up to ,000 in fines.
###
Subscribe to DFG News via email or RSS feed. Go to www.dfg.ca.gov/news.
Shot Sea Otter 24June2010 Northpoint Morro Bay CA-24
Image by mikebaird
Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) (intentionally shot and killed), female pup, 77cm length, Morro Strand State Beach near Northpoint bluff, Toro Lane and Beachcomber Dr., near the State Park Campground, Morro Bay, CA. recently shot and killed by someone, 24 June 2010, as determined by on site necropsy by Mike Harris of California Fish & Game. (ref. Michael Harris, Environmental Scientist/Sea Otter Biologist, Calif. Dept of Fish and Game, OSPR-Veterinary Services, 1385 Main Street, Morro Bay, CA 93442, 805.772.1135 office; 831.212.7090 cell; mikeharris [at} ospr.dfg.ca d o t gov. I (Mike Baird) found and reported this otter at 5:25 pm 24 June 2010. I pulled it from a rising tide at the waters edge to the highest adjacent point using a mutt mitt bag, and tagged the subject for Mike Harris’ attention. I left a message for him at 805.772.1135, emailed the first three images with GPS coordinates to him and to Flickr, and moments later Mike Harris responded and was on the scene. These graphic images document the on site necropsy process, and, as can be seen, a bullet (lead pellet?) was found in the skull of the baby otter and recent blood trauma was found around the wound under the skin and on the skull. By request, these graphic images and videos were not immediately published in public view here on Flickr, pending permission by Fish and Game, as they wanted to address how to best handle publication of such crime scene information to optimize their ability to prosecute this crime.
To use this photo, see access, attribution, and commenting recommendations at www.flickr.com/people/mikebaird/#credit -
Please add comments/notes/tags to add to or correct information, identification, etc.
Please, no comments or invites with images, multiple invites, award levels, flashing icons, or award/post rules.
Last week 6/24/2010 I found a sea otter that had been shot and killed on Morro Strand.
Mike Harris of CA Fish & Game came and performed an onsite necropsy, which I documented with an iPhone camera.
Until this moment I had been requested to withhold publishing these images and videos showing the cause of death.
The images and videos have now been approved for publication, and are exposed at Flickr.
Warning, these are graphic images showing blood and guts and the bullet/pellet projectile and hole in cranium.
they are posted for educational purposes, and hopefully to spur someone who might have witnessed this crime to report the culprit to the authorities.
The set is at
www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/sets/72157624227202983/
Here is a copy of the official press release.
********************
California Department of Fish and Game News Release
June 30, 2010
Contact: Warden Hank Hodel, DFG Law Enforcement, (805) 610-3920
Kirsten Macintyre, DFG Communications, (916) 322-8988
Information Sought on Sea Otter Shooting on Morro Bay Beach
The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is seeking information about a
sea otter that was shot in Morro Bay on Thursday, June 24.
The young female otter was found just north of the Morro Strand
Campground along the beach in Morro Bay. Wardens estimate that the
animal was killed by a shot to the head between 9 a.m. and noon. A
necropsy was conducted and the weapon was determined to be a pellet gun.
DFG is seeking witnesses or any information related to the shooting.
Anyone with information is urged to contact DFG Warden Hank Hodel at
(805) 610-3920. An anonymous report can also be made by calling DFG’s
CalTIP line, 1-888-DFG-CALTIP.
Sea otters are federally protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act
and the Code of Federal Regulations. If convicted of shooting an otter,
an individual can face up to ,000 in fines.
###
Subscribe to DFG News via email or RSS feed. Go to www.dfg.ca.gov/news.
