For several years I’ve wanted to know what caused the Chukar population on Antelope Island to crash. Recently State Park Assistant Manager Wendy Wilson provided some answers.
Coyote populations on Antelope Island have declined dramatically over the last few years and recent disturbing events had some of us wondering if Utah State Parks was practicing predator control on the island. Yesterday afternoon I was on a mission to find out.
There are no easy answers for the dilemma of barbed wire and its effects on wildlife and even domestic animals, especially if you’re a farmer or rancher. But we can certainly improve our track record if we realize there’s a problem. A big one.
Critters use sunflowers for a variety of reasons. They don’t have to be in bloom to be useful to birds and wildlife but when they are they sure brighten up some of my photos. When they aren’t they allow me to photograph feeding behavior like I did yesterday.
Yesterday I was very lucky to find these pups with their mother outside their burrow because youngsters are weaned at 22 days of age and their mother almost completely abandons them after weaning. Then they’re on their own so they disperse to establish their own territories. And try to survive.
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