Winter Wildlife Wonders

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River otters are the undisputed masters of no-holds-barred snow sliding.
River otters are the undisputed masters of no-holds-barred snow sliding.
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A fully hibernating black bear, while taking in no energy whatsoever, can sustain itself in comfort all winter.
A fully hibernating black bear, while taking in no energy whatsoever, can sustain itself in comfort all winter.
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An eastern screech owl, red phase. Screech owls have big yellow eyes, collapsible ear tufts and cryptic colorations that help them virtually disappear against trees.
An eastern screech owl, red phase. Screech owls have big yellow eyes, collapsible ear tufts and cryptic colorations that help them virtually disappear against trees.
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A winking western screech owl. Screech owls have big yellow eyes, collapsible ear tufts and cryptic colorations that help them virtually disappear against trees.
A winking western screech owl. Screech owls have big yellow eyes, collapsible ear tufts and cryptic colorations that help them virtually disappear against trees.
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Look out below! Coulter pine cones, found in California, have hooked barbs, weigh up to 10 pounds and reach up to 18 inches in length.
Look out below! Coulter pine cones, found in California, have hooked barbs, weigh up to 10 pounds and reach up to 18 inches in length.

Prehistoric pine cones, daredevil otters and sleepy bears are only a few winter wildlife that are part of the season’s natural wonders.

OK, it’s true that December and its solstice signal colder temperatures, a barer landscape and harsher weather. But look at it this way instead: The air is crisp and bracing. Leafless trees reveal wildlife and scenic vistas hidden during warmer seasons. And with snow falling or blanketing the landscape, it’s a wonderland out there. In fact, there are stories to discover all around you, in every bur, bud, bug and burrow. Here’s a sampler of items to help you better enjoy nature’s wintry ways. 

River Otters: Super Sliders

It’s not just people that head for the nearest slippery slope when snow falls. Polar bears congregate on favorite hills to slide down on their backs, then get up and do it again — and again. Ravens, too, are back-sliders, and for reasons unknown to mere humans, they like to hold sticks in their beaks as they zoom downhill.

But river otters are the undisputed masters of snow-sliding, and particularly of no-holds-barred, all-out belly flopping. After getting a good running start, an otter flings itself onto its smooth stomach, folds its legs back alongside its sleek body, and rockets downhill using its foot-long tail as a rudder, chattering or barking excitedly to its companions. At the bottom of the slope, the animal does exactly what you and I do . . . it treks back up for another go.

  • Published on Dec 1, 2007
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