England RFI

My parents are planning a family trip to England including my wife, brother and I. They are going to London and various tourist sites.  I think we will be staying in either the Cotswolds or near Salisbury part of the time.  I would love to look for some mammals while I’m there. I would be happy with any UK species. I have a special interest in ungulates so roe deer, Reeves muntjac and Chinese water deer would top my list.  I’d be happy with rabbits, hares, badgers, hedgehogs, or anything else. I won’t have a lot of time but if anyone could recommend good areas, a guide or be willing to show me some spots, let me know. –Matt Miller

Washington State RFI

I will be in Seattle next weekend and will have a couple of days to look for mammals.  Does anyone have any tips for good spots for any of the NW endemics within a few hours of Seattle where animals might be active in February? 

And are there any Northern Fur Seals in the area?

thanks

Jon

Oregon Mammal Information

I am taking a short trip to Oregon in early March, to Portland and the North Umpqua River. The main purpose of the trip is fly fishing for steelhead, but I’d like to look for mammals while I’m there. I’m particularly interested in seeing western gray squirrel, Douglas squirrel, Townsend’s chipmunk and mountain beaver.

Any information appreciated. –Matt Miller

No Joy In Discoveries Of New Mammal Species, Only A Warning For Humanity, Paul Ehrlich Says

This is an interesting article.  Does anyone know where I can find the full paper online?  (Gerardo Ceballos and Paul R. Ehrlich. Discoveries of new mammal species and their implications for conservation and ecosystem services.)

ScienceDaily (Feb. 16, 2009) — In the era of global warming, when many scientists say we are experiencing a human-caused mass extinction to rival the one that killed off the dinosaurs, one might think that the discovery of a host of new species would be cause for joy. Not entirely so, says Paul Ehrlich, co-author of an analysis of the 408 new mammalian species discovered since 1993.

Thailand Trip Report

Coke Smith was back in Thailand over Christmas and submitted a trip report which is at the bottom of this page. Highlights include a Southern Serow.

Jon

Indri Tour Trip Reports – China, Antarctica and Spitsbergen

Indri Tours - who specialise in mammal trips – have just sent three trips reports which are on my site: Antartica, Spitsbergen and Giant Pandas in the Qinling Mountains.  They all sound like good trips – with Bowhead Whales in Spitsbergen, Southern Bottlenose Whales in the Antarctic and Pandas in the Qinlings.

 

Jon

Jaguar Spotted In Central Mexico For First Time In 100 Years

(February 11, 2009) — The jaguar (Panthera onca) has become an animal in danger of extinction over recent decades, due to the fragmentation and deterioration of its habitat, as well as hunting and illegal animal smuggling. As a result of this vulnerability, no individuals have been seen in the centre of Mexico since the start of the 20th Century. However, Mexican and Spanish scientists have now managed to photograph a male jaguar in this region. … > full story

Chile Trip Report

I have just got back from Chile where the mammal watching was good.  I saw 19 species including Pumas, Darwín’s Foxes and Southern River Otters.

A report is here http://www.mammalwatching.com/Neotropical/neotropicchile.html

Jon

Rocky Mountain Wolverine Redux

Wolverines are one of the least studied animals in the U.S. Rocky Mountains. Their numbers, ranges and travels are little known. But lately wolverines have been showing up in some surprising places in the state of Idaho.

I previously reported on this blog on a wolverine photographed by a camera trap in the Boise National Forest.

Recently, the one pictured above was accidentally caught by a recreational trapper near Idaho Falls, a city of 50,000 people and considered well outside the range of the wolverine. The wolverine was checked out by a veterinarian and safely released in more suitable habitat. See more photos and the rest of the story here.

Seeing a wild wolverine in Idaho is still the longest of long shots. Probably the best bet to see one is in Finland, as reported in Jon Hall’s excellent trip reports.  But if you’re on a wilderness trip in the Western United States, you never know–wolverines are out there.–Matt Miller

Photo courtesy Idaho Department of Fish and Game.