Mammals

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Predator and Prey

A black-tailed prairie dog nibbling on a blade of grass while surveying the scene.

Prairie dogs live in underground burrows in usually large colonies. They are welcome food items for coyotes and other predators. These images were obtained in Wind Cave National Park, in Wyoming.

This adult prairie dog with youngster is sitting upright in characteristic sentinel mode. Facing in opposite directions, the pair have the field covered. Often, prairie dogs will sit atop mounds of soil for better visibility.

I was lucky to spot this coyote on the chase for a meal. I first saw it loping along the side of the road, so followed in the car. There was no one else about. It crossed the road, then went down into a dip. I missed the actual catch, but when the coyote came back into view, its prey was in its mouth. The black tail of this species of prairie dog is diagnostic.

Another activity to watch, was this individual collecting nesting material to take down into the burrow. It is hard to imagine that there is room for a single additional straw in the mouth of this prairie dog. I was impressed that it could hold so much.

Another tasty tidbit.
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A few Southern African mammals

I’ve been scanning some old slides, and picking out a few that interest me. The image above is a wet black backed jackal in Kruger National Park. I like it because it is the only time I’ve seen a jackal out in the rain with its coat looking wet and bedraggled. The plains and deserts where animals are easiest to see generally have low rainfall. In addition, the dry season is often the best time. to visit because animals tend to be concentrated near waterholes, so easier to find. The next few images are from Etosha National Park in Namibia: zebra, a young springbok, and a spotted hyena.

The last two were also photographed in Kruger: a red hartebeest and a male elephant:

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Seals at Ohau Point

There are healthy populations of the New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) all around the coast of the South Island, as well as a few that are establishing along North Island coasts. Seals have been steadily increasing in numbers since being fully protected in the 1950’s and as by-catch during fisheries operations has been reduced. The species is also found in Australia. Unlike leopard seals, which are found on sandy beaches, fur seals prefer rocky shores. Ohau Point on the Kaikoura Coast, is an excellent place to see them.

Rocky outcrops off Ohau Point

The native ice plant, Dysphyma australe, grows in rock crevices.

There is now an extensive lookout area with good parking that has been developed since the road was severely damaged during the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. As almost the entire coastal section of the road had to be rebuilt, it was an opportunity to increase the quality of visitor experience along this wild coastline. All these images were made from points along the walkway.

Seals are still unpopular with some fishermen, and subject to occasional bouts of abuse. However, as city dwellers increasingly appreciate nature, seals are valued by many citizens, especially when wildlife comes to town.  They often join forces to protect seals from dogs when they haul out on popular beaches. The Department of Conservation has provided signage that volunteers can put out to alert dog walkers of the presence of seals. Sorry, I didn’t think to take photos when I accompanied a friend to put signs around a seal on Sumner Beach, in Christchurch. If it happens again, I’ll try to rectify this! There are more seal images from Ohau Point to follow.

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Small creatures of Dinosaur National Monument

Golden mantled ground squirrel: there were many of these active and inquisitive squirrels in and around the Green River campground.

Perched on a cottonwood tree
An empty beer can provided some entertainment, but no nutritional reward.

This national monument is the only place where I have seen white tailed prairie dogs. They live in much smaller groups than their black tailed relatives, so, being used to the large prairie dog towns of the latter, when I first saw this one poking its head out from under a rock I assumed it was a ground squirrel.

White tailed prairie dog