Little brown bats were once the most widespread .bat species in New York State, but its population has declined about 90 percent since the discovery of white-nose syndrome in a cave south of Albany several years ago. Now there may be a bit of … [Read more...] about Good news for bats
Natural History
DEC wants to expand bobcat harvest
The state Department of Environmental Conservation wants to allow more hunting and/or trapping of bobcats in many parts of the state, including the Adirondacks. In a draft five-year management plan, DEC reports that the state’s bobcat … [Read more...] about DEC wants to expand bobcat harvest
Yes, this is a snowy year
In his latest Birdwatch column for the Explorer, John Thaxton said we might see an influx of snowy owls this winter. The man is a soothsayer. Snowy owls live in the Canadian tundra, but once in a while they migrate south in great numbers in search … [Read more...] about Yes, this is a snowy year
Biologist to talk about big cats
Wildlife biologist Paul Jensen will give a lecture on “Big Cats of the Adirondacks” at the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts in Blue Mountain Lake at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, January 29. Jensen will talk about the historical distribution of mountain … [Read more...] about Biologist to talk about big cats
Cougar advocate to give talk
An advocate of reintroducing the cougar to the Adirondacks will speak at the Whallonsburg Grange at 7 p.m. Thursday. Christopher Spatz, president of the Cougar Rewilding Foundation, has argued in the pages of the Explorer and elsewhere that … [Read more...] about Cougar advocate to give talk
Scientists pin down cause of bat disease
A study published in the journal Nature confirms that the disease decimating bat colonies in New York and many other states is caused by a fungus known as Geomyces destructans. Known as white-nose syndrome, the disease causes lesions on the bats’ … [Read more...] about Scientists pin down cause of bat disease