Natural World

Cenozoic Park

Exploring the fauna of the John Day Fossil beds

Passing through the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center in John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, near Picture Gorge, Ore., you'll find the geologic equivalent of Noah's Ark. Apparently, proto-cheetah, zebra, rhino and nearly every other conceivable terrestrial vertebrate wandered the Oregon countryside, according to a comprehensive fossil record starting 55 million years ago.

By K.M. Collins Nov 14, 2018

Thomas Condon Paleontology Center John Day Fossil Beds Nicholas Famoso prehistoric animals

The Black Widow's Sister Arrives

Let's begin this story with the high points regarding the spider genus, Latrodectus and the family Theridiidae, most of which are commonly known as widow spiders.

By Jim Anderson Oct 31, 2018

poisonous spiders spiders black widows

Sydney the Cygnet Lives On

Eloise, the surviving trumpeter swan from an original pair brought to Aspen Lakes, has lived quite a life.

By Jim Anderson Oct 24, 2018

Aspen Lakes Robin Gold Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Summer Lake

Coyotes: Clever Rebounders

Columnist confounds trappers, foils the FBI

Way back in the '50s and '60s, I was a thorn in the side of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Predator and Rodent Control program—a misnomer if there ever was one.

By Jim Anderson Oct 10, 2018

U.S. Fish and Wildlife's Predator and Rodent Control Program FBI OMSI Mary Hazel Harris Defenders of Wildlife Predator Defense Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge

Natural World

The Beaver That's Not

So there we were, a full busload of 6th graders touring with the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, pounding on fossil-laden rocks in a quarry just outside the sleepy logging town of Vernonia, west of Portland.

By Jim Anderson Oct 3, 2018

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry mountain beavers genus Aplodontia

Go Get 'Em, Frank Buck!

The adventures of a sagebrush lizard hunter

I've mentioned this (at least) once before, but I have to give credit where credit is due.

By Jim Anderson Sep 26, 2018

Sagebrush lizards Reptiles of the Northwest Al St. John Peter Meyers Deschutes Land Trust Metolius Preserve Brooks-Scanlon Lumber

Fort Rock: a Place of Wonder and Music

There's a story about an old cowpoke from Fort Rock who, having breathed his last, found himself at the gates of Heaven.

By Jim Anderson Sep 19, 2018

Fort Rock Natural Area William Sullivan Reub Long E.R. Jackman Phil Brogan Hunter Noack

At last! A long-nosed snake!

My longtime pal and devoted champion of Oregon's amphibians and reptiles recently sent me an email and photo, declaring: "LONG-NOSED SNAKE CONFIRMED IN THE OWYHEE!"

By Jim Anderson Sep 12, 2018

Alison Davis Rabosky Camp Hancock Oregon Natural Desert Association Carl Kauffeld

Possum Alert!

A hilarious tale of finding possums... well, everywhere

Back during the Great Depression, many people who wanted to work for a salary had a very tough time.

By Jim Anderson Sep 5, 2018

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry Virginia Opossum

Bouyed Up by Volunteers

An innocent-looking buoy with an important mission: tracking water in and under the high Cascades

For those of us who have been looking at the Three Sisters and what's left of the year-round snow on the slopes, it's pretty scary.

By Jim Anderson Aug 29, 2018

Three Sisters Wilderness Larry Chitwood Nate Dachtler OSU Franke Conte Camp Sherman High Lakes Aquatic Alliance Foundation Fondriest Foundation Sisters Ranger District U.S. Forest Service Suttle Lake Dave Huni

Natural World

A Cleanup at Arnold Ice Cave

This month, Arnold Ice Cave—located about 12 miles down China Hat Road from Bend—was the site of a whole bunch of good people helping to remove the old, defunct stairway in the cave.

By Jim Anderson Aug 22, 2018

Phil Coyner Oregon High Desert Grotto Eddy Cartaya Brooks-Scanlon Mill USFS