Notes from the Field
Interesting Nature Facts #21 – Desert Cottontail
To avoid overheating, desert cottontails have higher activity periods at night, light-colored fur to minimize absorption of solar heat, and large ears, with blood vessels just below the skin level, that can radiate body heat to the air. When temperatures climb above...
Interesting Nature Facts #20 – West Indian Manatee
Adult West Indian manatees have no incisor or canine teeth. Their cheek teeth are continuously replaced throughout life, with new teeth growing in the back as older front teeth fall out. MORE PHOTOS OF MAMMALS MORE INTERESTING NATURE FACTS Interesting Nature Facts is...
Interesting Nature Facts #19 – Western Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid
Giant Rattlesnake orchid (Goodyera oblongifolia) noted for its beautiful leaves is found throughout most of the Pacific Northwest has an interesting bit of folklore. Women of the Klallam Native American tribe used to rub the leaves of this plant on their bodies to...
Interesting Nature Facts #18 – Fireweed
Fireweed is not only a very beautiful member of the evening primrose family that is commonly found throughout the northern hemisphere, it also has several edible uses! The inner stems are sweet and juicy, the young tender leaves are full of vitamin C and great as an...
Interesting Nature Facts #17 – Joshua Tree
One reason it is believed that this iconic yucca is losing habitat, and declining in numbers is in the fossil record of the recent extinction (in geological years) of the Shasta ground sloth, one of the giant sloths that went the way of the mammoths and other American...
Interesting Nature Facts #16 – Insects
For every human there are 200 million insects, and there are more insects in the world than all other the animals combined. MORE PHOTOS OF INVERTEBRATES MORE INTERESTING NATURE FACTS Interesting Nature Facts is a series about the flora, fauna and places that make...
Interesting Nature Facts #15 – Indian Pipes
Often mistaken for orchids or “weird mushrooms,” Indian pipes are actually plants in the heath family. Lacking chlorophyll and a means to produce their own food like most plants, they form a symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi in the soil that helps them...
Interesting Nature Facts #14 – Armadillos
Only the South American three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes) rely heavily on their armor for protection. When threatened by a predator, Tolypeutes species frequently roll up into a ball. Other armadillo species cannot roll up because they have too many plates. The...
Interesting Nature Facts #13 – American Bison
American bison were once hunted to near-extinction. Only 1,000 remained in 1890, down from 30 million bison less than a century earlier. MORE PHOTOS OF BISON, GOATS AND SHEEP MORE INTERESTING NATURE FACTS Interesting Nature Facts is a series about the flora, fauna and...
Interesting Nature Facts #12 – Anhinga
The anhinga is barely buoyant with dense bones and non-waterproof feathers, but because of this it can stay underwater more easily and hunt for longer periods of time. Afterwards it will stand with spread wings to dry its feathers. MORE PHOTOS OF ANHINGAS MORE...
Interesting Nature Facts #11 – Sandhill Cranes
Sandhill cranes mate for life, and have one brood a year. Chicks are able to leave the nest 8 hours after hatching, and stay with their parents for 9-10 months including migration. MORE PHOTOS OF CRANES & LIMPKINS MORE INTERESTING NATURE FACTS Interesting Nature...
Interesting Nature Facts #10 – Chihuahuan Desert
Big Bend National Park is located at the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert. The Chihuahuan desert is the wettest of the four North American deserts, though it rarely receives more than 10 inches of rainfall. The rainy season in the desert is usually from mid-July...