River Otter (Lontra canadensis)

otter pokes its head out of water

River Otter (Lontra canadensis)

The river otter has been navigating waterways in North America for quite some time, and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) is home to the playful little fish eaters. These semi-aquatic mammals are pretty well adapted to water for being half land-dwellers: their eyes are near-sighted for underwater vision, their ears have water-tight flaps, their fur is water repellent and insulated, and they can stay underwater for 2 minutes. Otters eat whatever they can find living in the water when they hunt at night, but they especially love fish. In GYE lakes, otters prefer to eat cutthroat trout, and in rivers or streams they eat longnose suckers when cutthroat trout are not available. Since the introduction of lake trout to the GYE about 25 years ago, these native cutthroat trout populations that river otters depend on have been declining. This is problematic for otter populations because otters do not eat lake trout, so competition between invasive lake trout and cutthroat trout is resulting in their food becoming more limited.

River otters are quite social mammals that are tightly wound into the ecosystem. They live in burrows close to water with an opening above ground, but in winter the only available opening is into the water. They are inherently stealthy because they have both land and water predators, including humans who trapped them for their fur. Otters grow up to 30 pounds and just over 2 ft long, so their size helps them defend their large dens. The male otter typically does not help with raising pups. It’s often just the mom that raises the litter of 6 or less pups in underground dens, making sure they are ready to swim at just two months old. Otters tend to live in social groups; some groups are all related individuals, some are all unrelated males, and some are couples. They play games with each other, catch and release fish for sport, and talk to each other with whistles, chirps, chuckles, and growls—would you believe that they are considered shy? Even though they are active all year round, it is super lucky if you get to see them in many GYE waterways and lakes—common otter hangouts are Oxbow Bend and the Yellowstone River.

Written by Celia Karim
PC: Brian Gratwicke on Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/cXuY8j

Snake River

a shining river twisting in between trees and prairie beneath jagged mountains

Snake River

The Snake River starts in Yellowstone National Park and wraps through Grand Teton National Park for 50 miles out of its total 1,056 miles—414 miles are celebrated as wild and scenic. It feeds into Jackson Lake before going on through Bridger-Teton National Forest. The Snake River was named after the Snake Indians (Shoshone) around 1812 and has had many names; there are even names for different parts of the river. It is the largest tributary (feeder river) of the Columbia River, which is famous for being the largest river in the Pacific Northwest. There are many recreational opportunities that the Snake River provides, including fishing, rafting, wildlife spotting and sight-seeing. Ansel Adams even visited the Snake River and took the famous picture, “The Tetons and Snake River.”

The Snake River is unique because the river is a result of the Two Ocean Plateau on the Continental Divide where two creeks, the Atlantic Creek and the Pacific Creek, split off from Two Ocean Creek and feed into their corresponding oceans: the Atlantic and the Pacific. The Snake River is fed by the Pacific Creek, eventually making it to the Oregon coast via the Columbia River. Jim Bridger, a mountain man, was the one that found this “northwest passage” in 1827 after people had been searching for a path flowing from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans for centuries to no avail. However, it could not benefit North American commerce because of this geographic phenomenon causing the water to flow in opposite directions. Jefferson’s Lewis and Clark expedition along with the many others searches for a connection between the Atlantic and Pacific did not account for this possibility. Fish are the only ones who can use this passageway, this is also how the Cutthroat trout and other fish species came to Yellowstone.

Written by Celia Karim
PC: weesam2010 on Flickr: https://flic.kr/p/YcgPfo

Moose (Alces alces)

two moose half submerged in a pond with woody plants around them

Moose (Alces alces)

Eurasian elk, more commonly referred to as moose in North America, are large members of the deer family found in boreal forests of the northern hemisphere from Canada to Russia and down into the Rocky Mountains. As the largest member of the family Cervidae, moose are comparable in size to horses, standing up to 7.5 feet tall at the shoulders. Like most other members of the deer family, the males sport impressive, paddle-shaped antlers for much of the year that they use to fight for the affection of females. These antlers can have a spread of up to 6 feet across and weigh as much as 75 pounds! The range of the moose is primarily limited by forage and snow depth. Moose are known as browsers; they forage on shrubs, trees, and other broad-leafed plants, preferring early succession stage forests after a fire or logging with an abundance of forage sprouting up. A favorite food of moose in the park is willow trees, so if you want to see a moose, explore riparian areas along the river and marshy expanses in mountain meadows.

Moose are incredible swimmers! They have been known to dive to depths of almost 20 feet and spend as much as 2 minutes underwater foraging on aquatic vegetation. So, the next time you are taking a dip in Jackson Lake, be sure to keep an eye out for a submersible, horse-sized deer lurking beneath you! Learn more about these colossal cervids here.

Written by Tim Uttenhove
PC: Anne Guzzo

Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

small white flowers

Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Common yarrow can be found right on the AMK property! These flowers grow in clusters of white, small flowers with five petals. They also have distinct foliage, with feather-like leaves that grow all along the stem. Yarrow has a wide geographic range and it is found all throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as in regions in Europe and Asia. Yarrow not only looks good in the wild, but it is also well-known in home gardens. It can also take on different color variants including red, pink, and yellow, which are popular decorative garden flowers!

Yarrow was historically known for its healing properties. The indigenous people of Canada valued Yarrow for its medicinal purposes, considering high elevation Yarrow more potent than the Yarrow found at lower elevations (Pojar & MacKinnon, 2013, p. 261). Yarrow gets its name specifically because of its usefulness on the battlefield. Its genus name “Achillea” is derived from the namesake of the famous Greek warrior, Achilles, and its nickname, “the military plant” was inspired by legend. As the story goes, our hero is said to have used Yarrow to stop the bleeding of his soldiers in the Trojan War, no doubt contributing to their eventual victory at the Siege of Troy. (Pojar & MacKinnon, 2013, p. 261).

Written by Anna Cressman
PC: Anna Cressman

American Pika (Ochotona princeps)

Fuzzy pika perched on a rock

American pika (Ochotona princeps)

The American pika (Ochotona princeps) is a small mammal that is closely related to rabbits. They live in mountainous alpine terrain above 11,000 feet, preferring to take shelter from weather and predators in talus, the rockfall at the foot of mountains. Some examples of pika habitat in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem are Death Canyon and the Gros Ventre landslide.

Pikas have large, rounded ears, a discreet tail, and a grey-brown coat. Adults grow to be about six inches long, so they are difficult to spot as they are well camouflaged in the talus. However, pikas are easy to hear because their loud, high-pitched call draws attention quickly and alerts others to hide from predators.

Each female pika can have anywhere from two to six pups per litter—possibly two litters a season—and they live anywhere from three to seven years. Their diet consists of wildflowers, sedges, and grasses. After July, feeding activity increases to benefit from the new plant growth. Since they do not hibernate, pikas stockpile food into haystacks to dry and later place it in their burrows for winter. These mammals can eat highly toxic plants! Pikas place the poisonous plants at the bottom of their stockpile because the toxins help preserve the other plants being stored, and the poisonous plant becomes tolerable over time.

Pikas are active in the early mornings and later in the day because they need colder temperatures to survive—six hours of exposure to temperatures over 80℉ will kill the mammal. Pika populations have declined because warming climate is a threat to the most sensitive species in the ecosystem. They move upslope to escape warmer temperatures, forced to abandon their lower elevation homes and start living at higher elevations. Sadly, there is only so much mountain to climb. That is why pikas are the “canaries” of climate change.

Written by Celia Karim
PC: YNP on Flickr: https://flic.kr/p/28ZLLDy

Sources: https://www.nps.gov/romo/learn/nature/pikas.htm, http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/American_pika/natural_history.html  and Personal notes from ENR 1200 taught by Christopher Beltz, Fall 2016, University of Wyoming.

American Marten (Martes americana)

Pine marten looks up, curious

American Marten (Martes americana)

The American marten, also known as the pine marten, is a small, nocturnal member of the weasel family. Martens inhabit mature conifer forests in the northern parts of North America and down through much of the Rocky Mountains, including Grand Teton National Park. These feisty carnivores are frequent visitors to the station and spend their time rustling through the garbage bins. As opportunistic feeders, martens enjoy munching on anything from small animals like squirrels and frogs, to fruit and seeds, and will occasionally scavenge on carrion. Their favorite food, however, is red squirrels, and they will engage in high speed pursuits through the treetops to catch them.

Something rather unique about pine martens is that they utilize a reproductive method known as delayed implantation. Females breed with males from June to August, but the fertilized egg does not actually attach to the uterus and begin development until the following February, after which the gestation period is only 28 days. The youngsters are full grown by 3.5 months and begin having litters of their own by the time they reach 15-24 months old! Learn more about these magnificent mustelids here.

Written by Timothy Uttenhove
PC: YNP on Flickr

Bison (Bos bison)

a herd of bison munches on grass at sunset

Bison (Bos bison)

These massive mammals are a sight to see in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). Bison are North America’s largest land mammal, weighing up to 2,000 pounds if they’re male, similar to the size of a larger car. They can also reach up to 35-40 mph running speed, so be sure to steer clear of these majestic animals. A paper in Journal of Wilderness Medicine looked at injuries caused by animas from 1978-1992 that occurred in Yellowstone National Park, a close neighbor north of GTNP. According to the paper, on average, 3.73 people were injured by bison each year. Visitors are urged to keep a distance of at least 25 yards from wildlife and up to 100 yards in the case of large animals (National Park Service).

If you want to find bison in the park, be sure to keep an eye out in the flat grassland areas but remember to be cautious and keep your distance. Going north on highway 191, just past Cunningham Cabin, the scenery will open up to a flat grassland where there is normally a herd of bison and cattle. If you are also taking a trip to Yellowstone NP, be sure to visit Lamar Valley as well! Although an older post on NPS, check out https://www.nps.gov/grte/blogs/bison-a-summertime-visitor-countdown-29-days.htm to learn more of the life history of bison!

Written by Anna Cressman
PC: Anna Cressman

Boreal Toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas)

fat, dark green toad sits on a sunny log

Boreal Toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas)

The Boreal Toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) is a protected species in Wyoming that prefers mountainous areas at high elevations between 7,000-12,000 ft, and this pictured toad was found on the shore of Swan Lake in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). Populations have been on the decline over the past 20 years due to chytrid fungus—an infectious fungus among amphibians that causes a deadly disease. The fungus is currently being studied all over Wyoming amphibious habitats and in other states that have listed the Boreal Toad as endangered, like Colorado and New Mexico. Specifically, in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), their populations have declined since studies in the 1950s. There is enough concern that a genetic bank and translocation efforts for these little guys is held in the Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Native Aquatic Species Restoration Facility.

Adult Boreal Toads can be anywhere from 2.5-4 inches long, and young toads often lack the distinct light-colored stripe down the middle of their back. Tadpoles hatch late May to late June when they will start their two-month transition to toadlets. Toad skin is rough and bumpy which is the opposite of a frog. Young Boreal Toads generally are diurnal, and adults are mostly nocturnal. During spring and summer, you might find Boreal Toads by water—preferably acidic water for breeding. In winter, they hibernate underground in burrows, but the rest of the year they spend about a fourth of their time burrowing and then the remainder living in forested areas. These toads live in both dry and wet areas when not breeding, but usually near water. If you are looking for a Boreal Toad during mating season and expect to hear a loud chorus call, you may not hear anything because males have no vocal sac that other amphibians attract females with. Instead, they can muster up quiet calls to say they are disturbed. People have compared their call to a tiny chirp!

Written by Celia Karim
PC: Anne Guzzo

Uinta ground squirrel (Spermophilus armatus)

Fuzzy ground squirrel sitting on his haunches in a grassy field

Uinta ground squirrel (Spermophilus armatus)

Uinta ground squirrels are small, burrowing rodents found in mountainous sagebrush meadows in the western US. They occupy a small range, being found in southwest Montana, eastern Idaho, northern Utah, and western Wyoming. They will dig burrows in which they form colonies at very high densities. Along with these mountain meadows, they often frequent lawns and other irrigated areas. After coming out of hibernation, they begin the breeding season, where females will typically produce litters of 4-8 young at a time. Early summer is the perfect time to relax on the front porch of the Berol lodge and watch the younglings frolic about the lawn. These cute critters forage on green vegetation, seeds, and insects. They also enjoy aquatic plants and are surprisingly good swimmers!

While they are undoubtedly fun to watch, timing is key. Uinta ground squirrels are only active for about 3 months of the year, as they are in hibernation all winter before going dormant again in the late summer. Learn more about these rowdy rodents here.

Written by Timothy Uttenhove
PC: Timothy Uttenhove

Western Bumblebee (Bombus occidentalis)

Fluffy bumblebee rests on a green, weedy flower

Western Bumblebee (Bombus occidentalis)

Bumblebees are an important asset to the environment and to humans. While honeybees get a lot of credit for their pollination, native bees, such as bumblebees, are efficient pollinators that can pollinate plants that the honey bee cannot, like tomato plants! The Western Bumblebee is considered endangered as well as several other species of North American bumblebees. Pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change are all possible factors to the decline of bumblebees. If you want to see the Western Bumblebee in action, I have found them on the green gentian plants (Frasera speciosa) that are at the Black Tail Butte trail head.

Western bumblebees have three distinct color variations, depending on their geographic location, but you could possibly see more intermediate color variations in the field. Some scientists do believe that B. occidentalis and B. terricola are the same species, but there are other scientists that say they are two separate species. Because of the color variation in these bees, it would be hard to identify without a microscope. Read more about the Western Bumblebee at https://xerces.org/endangered-species/species-profiles/at-risk-bumble-bees/western-bumble-bee.

Written by Anna Cressman
PC: Anna Cressman