National Wildlife Refuges

Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge, Washington, 1971

Located in southwestern Washington and northwestern Oregon, the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge was established in 1971 specifically to protect and manage the endangered Columbian white-tailed deer. The refuge contains over 5,600 acres of pastures, forested tidal swamps, brushy woodlots, marshes, and sloughs along the Columbia River in both Washington and Oregon.

The valuable habitat the refuge preserves for the deer also benefits a large variety of wintering birds, a small herd of Roosevelt elk, river otter, various reptiles and amphibians including painted turtles and red-legged frogs, and several pairs of nesting bald eagles and osprey. Today, about 300 Columbina white-tailed deer live on the refuge.

Another 300-400 live on private lands along the river. The areas upstream from the refuge on Puget Island and on the Oregon side of the river are vital to reestablishing and maintaining viable populations of the species. The refuge works with private and corporate landowners to maintain and reestablish deer on their lands.

Now having built up the refuge with respect to the Columbian white-tailed deer, I have to admit that I have lost all of my Columbian white-tailed deer photos. I had some nice ones, but they were from my only visit in 1994, so 18 years ago. I also had a couple of Roosevelt Elk photos from there that were marginal at best. I don't think I even downloaded them. I do have some Roosevelt Elk photos from the Oregon Coast that I'll show sometime. However, I did manage to save a few photos from JBHNWR. A great Egret and three River Otters eating what looks like a 20-25 pound salmon. 

Great Egret

Northern River Otter

Predators with Their Prey

Life of the predator is not easy. Often unsuccessful, they keep trying until they capture their food. I have seen Coyotes gang up on a rabbit without success. I have seen Bobcats chase after rabbits without success. But, often enough they succeed. Here are a few photos:

American Marten with Squirrel

Bobcat with Desert Cottontail

Coyote with some Carcass

Gray Wolf with Bison Carcass

Grizzly Bears with Elk

Northern River Otter with Salmon

Intermediate Mammals - Part III

My collection of water mammals is somewhat limited. I had both a mink and a couple of nutrias but, cannot find them, so ....  (Thank goodness for Digital and iPhoto now). 

Anyway, starting with the Otters.  The Sea Otter  is found along the northern coasts of the Pacific Ocean. Adult Sea Otters weigh between 30 and 100 pounds making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, although still one of the smallest marine mammals. Unlike most marine mammals, the Sea Otter's primary form of insulation is an exceptionally thick coat of fur, the densest in the animal kingdom. Although it can walk on land, the sea otter lives mostly in the ocean. The Sea Otter inhabits nearshore environments where it dives to the sea floor to forage. It preys mostly upon marine invertebrates such as sea urchins, molluscs, and crustaceans. Sea Otters were hunted extensively for their fur between 1741 and 1911, and the world population fell to 1,000–2,000 (from about 300,000). Oil spills in the North Pacific have also taken its toll. Consequently the Sea Otter is classified as an "endangered species" and there is an international ban on hunting them.

Sea Otter

photo taken in Puget Sound, Washington

The Northern River Otter is a semi-aquatic (equally versatile in the water and on land) member of the weasel family found in and along the waterways and coasts of North America.  An adult River Otter can weigh up to 30 pounds making it much smaller than the Sea Otter. Like the Sea Otter, the River Otter is protected and insulated by a thick, water-repellent coat of fur. The River Ottter makes a burrow close to the water's edge in river, lake, swamp, coastal shoreline, tidal flat, or estuary ecosystems. Their dens have many tunnel openings—one of which generally allows the otter to enter and exit the body of water. Female otters give birth in these underground burrows, producing litters of one to six young. North American River Otters prey mostly upon fish, but also consume various amphibians, turtles, and crayfish. Also like the Sea Otter, the River Otter's population has declined significantly due to trapping and habitat loss. A number of reintroduction projects have been initiated to help stabilize the reduction in the overall River Otter population. The River Otter is more social than the Sea Otter as evidence by this photo of three adult River Otters sharing what appears to be a 30 pound King Salmon:

Northern River Otter

photo taken on the Columbia River

in the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge

in Southwest Washington / Northwest Oregon

Eating: The Carnivores

More photos of wildlife doing what they do. This time eating:

Grizzly Bears eating an Elk that didn't make it through the winter.

A Grey Wolf eating a Bison that didn't make it through the winter.

An American Marten with a squirrel that he had captured.

A Coyote with the remains of a rabbit he had captured.

And three Northern River Otters eating a pretty good size salmon they had just captured.