http://kencongerphotography.blogspot.com/

Exceptional wildlife imagery. Must see shots … simply amazing.

from the site:

I am a recently retired career conservation police officer having worked as a park ranger (3 years) and a game warden (26 years). My motivation and enthusiasm for wildlife protection carries over to the leisure pursuit of wildlife photography. I have a collection of images that range from birds to large mammals. None of the images on my web site are caged or staged and are strictly of wild animals.

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Wolf shot in Apache County, another dead in New Mexico, third missing; reward offered
- Posted 07/14/2010, 11:00 a.m.
By: Karen Warnick , The Independent
* Reach the reporter at kwarnick@wmicentral.com

APACHE COUNTY-An alpha male wolf belonging to the Hawks Nest pack, which lives in the area east of Big Lake on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, was found dead on June 18. Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say it died from a gunshot wound, though they haven’t indicated where it was found.
The Hawks Nest Pack was one of the first packs released in Arizona in the federal effort to reintroduce the endangered Mexican gray wolves to the Southwest.
A second alpha male wolf, part of the San Mateo Pack, had been observed traveling in the north-central portion of the Gila National Forest. The wolf was found dead on June 24 and cause of death is still under investigation.
A third alpha male wolf, part of the Paradise Pack located on the Fort Apache Reservation, has been missing since April. The wolf had a collar, but officials can’t find him. His status is listed as “fate unknown.”
The Humane Society of the U.S. and the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust are offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the party responsible in the shooting death of the Hawks Nest wolf. Coupled with the government’s reward, the total amount offered is now up to $54,500.
The Independent will continue to investigate this story and provide further updates.

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The Imnaha wolf pack has at least four new pups this year, images captured on a motion-triggered trail camera show.

The images also show six adult wolves including the alpha female, but not the alpha male wolf, whose GPS collar has not been detected since May 31.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reported that an image taken July 3 marks the first visual observation of pups this year. The pack may have more pups.

Wolf pups are born in mid-April and litters average four to six pups and the pups generally become active outside their pack’s den in June.

The alpha female was reported to have created a den earlier on Wilford Daggett’s property at McCully Creek.

Past evidence, including a video taken in November 2009, indicates at least 10 wolves made up the Imnaha pack before the pups were born.

The alpha male’s whereabouts are unknown, according to ODFW. Earlier, ODFW said his collar may have malfunctioned, but he also has not been spotted during an aerial search and may be dead.

Five images of the Imnaha pack can be seen online at (www.dfw.state.or.us/news/images/photo_gallery/wolves_in_the_news/index.html).

12 horses now dead from Nev. roundup; hearing set
AP

By SANDRA CHEREB, Associated Press Writer Sandra Chereb, Associated Press Writer – Wed Jul 14, 5:17 pm ET

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Twelve wild horses have now died in a Nevada roundup directed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, half of them colts and mares.

The BLM on Wednesday said four more animals died or were put down because of dehydration or water intoxication. The agency also announced emergency measures to truck water to large bands of mustangs still on the range in the roundup area.

A federal judge scheduled a hearing for Thursday in Reno on a temporary restraining order sought by animal rights advocates to halt the roundup in northern Elko County.

The BLM suspended the gather over the weekend when seven horses died of dehydration and water intoxication after being herded by helicopter on the first day of the roundup. Another horse broke a leg and was put down.

Two more animals died Monday and two others were euthanized “because of complications related to water starvation and water intoxication,” the agency said.

Horse protection groups have voiced outrage, saying the deaths were predictable, given sweltering summer temperatures and the weakened state of colts and mares that recently gave or were about to give birth.

Heather Emmons, a BLM spokeswoman in Reno, said the mustangs otherwise looked healthy and dehydration is difficult to detect. Water intoxication that can cause colic and brain swelling occurs when dehydrated animals drink excessive quantities of water.

The BLM blames the fatal outcome on drought conditions that have weakened the animals, and said aerial surveys showed two large bands of mustangs. One group of about 400 horses congregated around a dry reservoir and made no attempt to move to other water sources.

“BLM considers this an emergency situation,” Ron Wenker, BLM state director, said in a statement.

BLM installed six water troughs with a combined capacity of 3,000 gallons near the herd, he said. If the animals don’t migrate on their own, the agency will consider using a contracted helicopter to “gently and slowly” push them toward water.

Of the horses that died of dehydration, three were mares, three were colts, and five were studs. The animal put down for a broken leg was a mare. Wenker said the other 216 horses at a temporary holding site have improved, and 129 were trucked Wednesday to a regional adoption facility north of Reno.

A Justice Department lawyer, in a telephone conference with the judge on Tuesday, said the roundup could resume as early as Sunday, and Wenker said the BLM wants to gather the mustangs as quickly as possible after watering.

In the Reno lawsuit, Laura Leigh, a writer, artist and coordinator for The Cloud Foundation, a Colorado-based wild horse group, argued the BLM violated its own policy not to conduct helicopter roundups until at least six weeks after peak foaling season ends.

Mustang advocates contend that would mean after mid-August, but the BLM maintains the restriction ended June 30.

Leigh also argues that the BLM’s temporary closure of more than 42 square miles while the gather takes place amounts to prior restraint of free speech and censoring of the press, preventing her from observing the roundup in a watchdog role.

A review team that includes outside experts has been formed to analyze the condition of the range, the horses and roundup operations, Wenker said.

The BLM had said it intends to remove up to 1,200 horses from the area and make them available for adoption or send them to long-term holding facilities in the Midwest.

Horse protection groups were unable to block the removal of nearly 2,000 horses from the Calico mountains north of Reno earlier this year.

The BLM says the roundups are necessary because the wild horse population is growing so rapidly that the animals are running out of food and damaging the range.

The animals are federally protected under the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act.

Bureau managers estimate that roughly 38,000 mustangs and burros roam 10 Western states, and half are in Nevada. The agency is in the process of removing about 12,000 animals to bring their numbers down to what it considers an appropriate management level.

Land Between the Lakes is a national recreation area is located in southwestern Kentucky and crosses into Tennessee. The Nature Station is about 12 miles inside the park. Follow the brown signs and you’ll have no problems finding it. (for more information about LBL visit http://www.lgl.org

There is some light road work being done at the entrance of the park – but there was no delay because of it. The drive was pleasant and the roadside was clear of trash and debris. The speed limit is 45mph for good reason – we spied many a Fallow Deer along the way.

The Nature Station offers plenty of parking, clean restrooms, a climate controlled building complete with snacks at the gift shop. The trail is approximately 1/8 of a mile on a mulched pathway with some uneven bits. It is handicap accessible but if you are in a wheelchair and not a scooter just be cautious.

There is an interpretive ranger on site to help you with any questions you may have about the animals. There is an educational theme to the station with plenty of fossils and exhibits to make it worth the stop.

The red wolves at the Nature Station are part of the breeding program. There are 4 wolves on site. There was a heat advisory during our visit so we only saw one male. He was gorgeous but it was hot so he didn’t stay out long. The habitat has several trees, rocks, and a huge den for them. No overlooking platform so your view is through the fence but all in all it was well worth the effort to get to the park.

There is a gift shop on site – they sell snacks as well as t-shirts, magnets and educational toys. The proceeds from the sale of gift shop items support the “Friends of LBL“. I picked up a very nice shirt with the red wolf on the back.

Date of visit 14 July 2010