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November 14 - 17, 2004: Washington,
D.C. based organization, Defenders of Wildlife hosted their fifth
biennial carnivore conservation conference in beautiful and historic
Santa Fe, New Mexico. Defenders
fulfilled the promises of a great conference, bringing together
academics, activists, and wildlife professionals to discuss a
wide array of issues involved in carnivore conservation. Conference
attendees were treated to 4 days of sessions on terrestrial and
marine carnivore issues, plus a poster session, field trip, silent
auction, banquet, ambassador wolf sessions and many social gatherings.
The week provided scientists, researchers, conservationists and
naturalists from all over North America the opportunity to learn
what is happening in regards to animal conservation efforts.
Held at the spectacular La Fonda Hotel, in the heart of Santa Fe, the conference also allowed attendees to meet new friends and re-acquaint themselves with old ones. On Sunday the 14th, a field trip to Bandalier National Monument was, as usual, one of the highlights of the conference. This monument has made an effort to preserve the mud and cliff dwellings of the Anasazi, who once lived in the valleys and canyons there.
Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities. They focus their programs on what scientists consider two of the most serious environmental threats to the planet: the accelerating rate of extinction of species and the associated loss of biological diversity, and habitat alteration and destruction. For more information about Defenders of Wildlife, click on www.defenders.org/carnivores2002
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| September 2004: This was my fourth trip to Wyoming and, as usual, it was no disappointment. Starting out in the Jackson Hole area, I spent the first 3 days of this, going to galleries and driving the roads around Jackson and the Grand Teton National Park looking for moose and black bears. Wildlife was the quarry, with the scenery and changing colors of autumn the bonus. |
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| Then, it was off to Yellowstone National Park. While staying several days in West Yellowstone and Mammoth Hot Springs, from early morning until dusk, I spent every day driving the upper loop of the park, going through places like Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley, the Madison River region and the areas around Fishing Bridge. Each day was outdone by the next, as I found countless opportunities to photograph bison, mule deer along with grizzly bears and black bears. Of course, the hot springs, geysers and other thermal features offered their special look to the landscapes as well. |
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| Then it was time to leave the Yellowstone, with the last 3 days of my trip were spent in the Signal Mountain area, just south of the park. Frequent trips to Oxbow and the roads through the Tetons again presented me with opportunities to see more moose, deer and elk, while enjoying the beauty and majesty that is the Grand Tetons. Sightings of other animals, which made this trip special, was a herd of almost 30 pronghorn antelope, a chance sighting of the elusive pine marten and a few hours watching the wolves of the Druid pack in Lamar Valley. |
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| My next trip to the Yellowstone area of Wyoming is scheduled for April of 2005, when I will be attending the 2005 North American Interagency Wolf Conference at Chico Hot Springs in Pray, Montana. The conference is sponsored by Yellowstone National Park, the Wolf Recovery Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nez Perce Tribe and Defenders of Wildlife. I have been commissioned to do the design for the conference to commemorate the 10th year of the conference. |
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