Frank Wall on Facebook, linked (I think) to this great platypus pic.
These are difficult to spot in the wild. AND they are one of the few venomous mammals.
bear trashes plane
From 2009.
… When bush pilot Luke Miller, 28, made an overnight stop at a friend’s hunting lodge in Southwest Alaska … he had no way to know that a large and very dedicated menace would, under cover of night, chew and claw his plane to shreds. …
Alaska Dispatch – An appetite for revenge
Yikes.
Patagonian ‘fox’
The road chose me is the account of Dan’s 65,000km jeep trek. He’s nearly reached the southern most point – Tierra Del Fuego.
Here’s a photo of what looks like a fox checking out their camp site:
hmm … Is this a South American Gray Fox? … Or a Culpeo? … neither are true ‘foxes’, actually.
When I was down there we often had “false foxes” roaming camp grounds, usually at dusk.
(via The road chose me – Around Ushuaia)
800-pound grizzly named Brutus
I’ve linked to Casey Anderson before. But this is the best video I’ve seen yet.
800-pound grizzly bear Brutus is the curious best friend to renowned naturalist Casey Anderson, who has raised him since birth. Together, they’ve set out on a yearlong mission to chronicle the lives of Yellowstone’s vulnerable grizzly bears.
National Geographic TV – Expedition Grizzly
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Many predict that Brutus will one day kill him. … Could happen.
(via Trend Hunter)
February Florida Hiking Trails Month
Governor Charlie Crist declared February Florida Hiking Trails Month.
I’ve been shopping (unsuccessfully) for a cheap flight Calgary to Hawaii. … But I may need to change my focus to the Sunshine State.
The best starting place in deciding where to go is the Florida Hikes blog and FloridaHikes.com.
I know what you’re thinking. Florida is pretty flat.
But there are some wilderness attractions.
hiking Tecolote Beach, Baja
trip report by site editor Rick McCharles
Tecolote … (A) is an isolated beach community located in the municipality of La Paz in the state of Baja California Sur, It is 25 km from the city of La Paz …
It is one of the most extensive of the beaches in this area with fine, white sand gentle waves and little undertow. Water skiing and jet skiing are available here as well as a boat that goes to Isla Espíritu Santo.
I’d been here several times in the past, most memorably on my kayak tour of the island (PHOTOS).
You can walk anywhere in this desert. I headed east along the shore, like Graham MacIntosh. Here’s a view looking back to Tecolote.
The highlight is sea birds. Especially Pelicans.
This little lizard is the only other beast I saw.
Seems the area has many wild burros. They were all around. But I never saw even one.
Perhaps the ATVs scare them away.
Here’s the ferry La Paz – Mazatlan.
There are plenty of ramshackle fishing shacks along the coast. Most empty.
I decided to head inland to tent.
Perfect weather, I enjoyed a peaceful sunset and sunrise. Someone had previously tented up here, already clearing a spot.
In the arms of that cactus near my tent, I left a Summit Stone.
Deserts are some of my favourite hikes. But you cannot go out long. Drinking 4 litres, I was already thirsty after 21 hours.
See the rest of my photos from this hike.
President Palin did something STUPID
OK, it’s a slow news day.
In her television show tonight, Sarah Palin casts herself as a can-do superwoman of the natural world. She fishes, hikes across glaciers and preaches “respect for the elements” from a speedboat while clad in a yellow cagoule. But the programme has already plunged the Mama Grizzly-in-chief into controversy after a leading conservationist in her adopted home of Alaska accused her of flagrant irresponsibility by fishing too close to protected brown bears. …
Find out whether she survived the encounter on Guardian – Sarah Palin accused of breaking countryside rules in TV nature show
flying devils – Johnny Rooks
From National Geographic.
Birds destroy a tent. And fly off with the toilet paper.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
(via The Adventure Blog – Beware The Birds of the Falkland Islands)
bear in the birdfeeder, again
protecting the Great Bear Rainforest
After reading The Adventure Blog – Update On Great Bear Rainforest Expedition I dug in and did some research.
I’m all for developing the Alberta Oil Sands. (I live in Alberta.) But it sounds like this is not the best way to transport it to China.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
… International League of Conservation photographers in the Great Bear Rainforest.
… now threatened by a proposal from Enbridge to bring an oil pipeline from the Tar Sands and supertankers to BC’s wild coast. …
What do you think?
… In a preface to your comments on how you don’t like dirty oil, let us know whether or not you drive a petroleum fueled vehicle.
besthike.com 