Natural World

Poaching of wildlife is a serious crime in Oregon and around the country. This summer, a 28-year-old poacher from Pendleton pleaded guilty to 22 charges including killing several deer and elk, leaving animals to waste and trespassing. He was sentenced to pay $75,000 in fines, forfeit weapons and meat, and spend the next three, two-week-long […]

As Halloween approaches, neighborhoods across Central Oregon are adorned with festive, spooky decorations. From the eerie glow of jack-o’-lanterns to cobweb-draped porches, this whimsical holiday is celebrated through creative displays. Our spirited designs don’t stop on Oct. 31; they transition into joyful fall and winter holiday décor. However, there is a frightening side to some […]

Inspired by all things batty leading up to Halloween, chiropterologists (“studier of creature with winged hands”) utilize the popularity of “spooky bats,” vampires, Batman, and Batwoman with trick-or-treaters to inspire and educate people about real-life bats, proclaiming October to be Bat Appreciation Month. The last week of October is also Bat Week, an international celebration […]

Wildlife migration is an excellent opportunity to witness the movement of birds, animals, and even insects through Central Oregon. “For birds, migration is triggered primarily by a change in hormones, which results in both physiological and behavioral changes,” said Chuck Gates, Prineville Bird Club president. “In many cases, these hormone changes, brought about primarily by […]

“Are juniper trees native or invasive?” Over the course of my 16-year career working to protect and restore Oregon’s high desert, this is by far the question I am asked the most. And the answer is… both. Western juniper is a native species that exists most extensively in Oregon and northern California, with smaller populations […]

Wildlife rescue takes many forms for Think Wild, Bend’s wildlife hospital and conservation center. Sometimes it’s medical care for injured or abandoned creatures; sometimes it’s a Wildlife Hotline conversation answering wildlife-related questions with the caller. Some situations call for unique solutions, as in the recent rescue and release of two orphaned badger cubs. This tale […]

Recent construction on the roads around Bend led to an incident that required some help from the local wildlife rescue, Think Wild. Ospreys are fish-eating birds of prey that build a sizeable stick-nest atop a large tree or snag, on a bridge span or on an artificial platform. In Central Oregon, several of these nests […]

Its large size and conspicuous colors could hardly be overlooked, even if it were shy and retiring,” wrote renowned ornithologist Arthur C. Bent in “Life Histories of North American Shorebirds.” The American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) is one of the most distinctive shorebirds in the Great Basin. Known as waders in the avocet and stilt family, […]

Found from the Canadian Yukon to the Andes, mountain lions have the greatest of range of any living mammal in the Americas and are the most wide-ranging cat species in the world. No surprise then that mountain lions inhabit Central Oregon. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, mountain lion populations experienced a significant decline […]

Butterflies and moths share characteristics that make them Lepidoptera (meaning scale-winged insects) but they are miles apart in public perception. Consider this: When a butterfly lands on someone, everyone wants a photo or video. If a moth were to land on someone, the general result is a frantic, spasmodic dance to rid oneself of this […]