August 18, 2009
Minnesota's Moose Population
Populations of moose are declining at a rapid rate in Northern Minnesota and the Boundary Waters. In the last 20 years the moose population in Northwestern Minnesota declined from roughly 4,000 to fewer than 100. Rising temperatures and deer populations are the suspected causes of the declining numbers. Researchers are looking for help in their study, you can report moose sightings to the website below.
Learn more about Minnesota's moose populations.
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July 1, 2009
Lake Pepin Monster
Does Lake Pepin have a monster living beneath the surface? Since 1871, reported sightings of a strange creature have popped up in newspapers, radio and on television. Learn more about the history of the creature, above.
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March 10, 2009
Water Oppossum or Yapok
Did you know, the Water Opossum or Yapok is the only living aquatic marsupial? Both the male and female yapok have pouches which can protect their young when diving in lakes, rivers and streams in Mexico, Central and South America....
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November 7, 2008
Migration
As fall slowly turns into winter, and leaves and birds disappear from the trees and lakes of the Midwest, I wanted to share a quote from Rachel Carson. "There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of...Link to this article | Comments (0)
September 12, 2008
Virulent Newcastle Disease
Virulent Newcastle Disease has closed down recreation on lakes in Minnesota. The disease has killed over 1,200 birds in the state. Minnesota Lake, Pigeon Lake, Lake of the Woods, Marsh Lake, Lake Kabetogama and Lake Mille Lacs have all been... Continue reading "Virulent Newcastle Disease"
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September 2, 2008
Freshwater Sponges
Did you know, that there are roughly 300 species of freshwater sponge worldwide? About 30 of these species can be found in North America, and 15 can be found in lakes throughout the Midwest.... Continue reading "Freshwater Sponges"
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July 22, 2008
Birds Found Dead At Lakes In Minnesota
Close to one thousand birds have been found dead at two lakes in Minnesota. Naturalists for the DNR found pelicans, cormorants, gulls and herons dead at Minnesota Lake and Pigeon Lake near the Twin Cities. Bird flu has been ruled... Continue reading "Birds Found Dead At Lakes In Minnesota"
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July 10, 2008
Great White Shark Caught in Lake
A great white shark has been spotted in a lake in Australia. The shark was caught briefly by a commercial fisherman at Tuggerah Lake, and is said to be 21 feet long. The lake is a coastal lagoon north of... Continue reading "Great White Shark Caught in Lake"
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May 16, 2008
Herring Gulls Diet Changes
A team from the National Wildlife Research Center in Ottawa, Canada analyzed 25 years of data on herring gulls and found that throughout the Great Lakes region, the birds were in poor health in many areas. Tests of their fatty... Continue reading "Herring Gulls Diet Changes"
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April 14, 2008
Wolves and the Boundary Waters
Travel to Ely, Minnesota and the Boundary Waters to learn more about the gray wolves that inhabit the region in this story. Or, visit the International Wolf Center's website to learn more about the two other species of wolf in... Continue reading "Wolves and the Boundary Waters"
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March 14, 2008
Trumpeter Swan Video
Signs of spring are popping up around the nation, one of these signs is the arrival of swans on area lakes. Fewer than 100 trumpeter swans were left during the 1940's after overhunting and habitat loss. Now close to... Continue reading "Trumpeter Swan Video"
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November 16, 2007
The Goose Problem
Development throughout North America has resulted in the creation of ideal goose habitat conditions. Geese love large open areas with short grass, adjacent to lakes or ponds. These habitat conditions have created rapidly growing populations of locally breeding geese to... Continue reading "The Goose Problem"
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November 14, 2007
Sandhill Cranes
Video of Sandhill Cranes in Nebraska Sandhill Cranes have a fossil history of 10 million years. Adults are gray and have a red forehead, white cheeks and a long dark pointed bill. They have dark legs which trail behind... Continue reading "Sandhill Cranes"
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October 22, 2007
Cormorants To Be Killed
The Wisconsin DNR wants to cut half the number of birds eating fish from Lake Michigan. Five islands in the lake have more than 12,000 nesting pairs of cormorants, which can eat a pound of fish a day. The DNR... Continue reading "Cormorants To Be Killed"
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September 28, 2007
Naegleria fowleri
An amoeba living in some lakes has been entering humans through the nose and attacking the brain where it feeds. Encounters with the amoeba are rare, though it has killed six people this summer alone. The spike in cases has... Continue reading "Naegleria fowleri"
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September 26, 2007
Phosphorus, Nitrogen and Frogs
Watch this video of the study of vernal pools as it ties into a new study from the University of Colorado. High levels of nutrients used in farming and ranching activities fuel parasite infections that have caused frog deformities... Continue reading "Phosphorus, Nitrogen and Frogs"
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August 7, 2007
Seed Shrimp
Seed Shrimps or Ostracoda are usually less than .1 inch long, and are clam like crustaceans found in ponds and lakes. They can usually be found in mats of algae or other vegetation, and in mud on the bottoms... Continue reading "Seed Shrimp"
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August 1, 2007
Copepods
Copepods are very small crustaceans found everywhere in shallow waters and in open-water plankton of ponds and lakes. A few kinds are parasitic on aquatic animals; they tend to feed on algae, bacteria and organic debris. There are three...Link to this article | Comments (0)
July 26, 2007
Coot
A coot is a ducklike bird with a distinctive white bill. They are found in bays, lakes and ponds in central North America. You can see them running across the water as they take flight. Coots are strong swimmers...Link to this article | Comments (0)
July 23, 2007
Musk Turtles
Musk turtles are named for the odor the turtles secrete when disturbed. The plastron is hinged at the front, and the carapace is a dull color. They can be found from the Atlantic to Wisconsin and south to the... Continue reading "Musk Turtles"
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July 11, 2007
Freshwater Clam
Freshwater clams include species that live in mud and sand of lakes and streams, but are rarely found in water over six feet deep. Two openings are located at each end of the shell. One siphon takes in water,... Continue reading "Freshwater Clam"
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June 27, 2007
Snakes and Lakes
Snakes live under rocks and other debris along the shoreline of lakes, others spend much of their time in the water. Snakes feed on a variety of species such as frogs, tadpoles, fishes, crayfish, worms and insects. Snakes usually... Continue reading "Snakes and Lakes"
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June 25, 2007
Freshwater Sponge
Porifera are simple colonial animals that grow attached and submerged. Sponges are all members of one family of over 150 species. They can be found in the clear shallow waters of lakes and ponds. They usually appear dull creamy... Continue reading "Freshwater Sponge"
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May 21, 2007
The Spread of Quagga Mussels
The quagga mussel has appeared in lakes Mead, Havasu and Mohave in Arizona. Now, managers at Lake Powell are doing whatever they can to keep the mussels out. If they do show up in the lake, they could cause boat... Continue reading "The Spread of Quagga Mussels"
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March 29, 2007
Endangered Species Act
The Bush administration is moving ahead with its goal to overhaul the nation's landmark law for wildlife protection. A leaked document shows potential revisions to the Endangered Species Act that could give states more authority over imperiled species, limit the... Continue reading "Endangered Species Act"
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March 22, 2007
Crocodiles
Florida's crocodiles have stepped back from the brink of extinction, says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The government agency, which administers the country's endangered species list, has reclassified the Florida population of the American crocodile from "endangered" to "threatened."...Link to this article | Comments (0)
March 9, 2007
Isle Royale
Because of its isolation, the Isle Royale National Park is an ideal setting for wildlife study. Now researchers are noting a troubling development on the island- wolf and moose populations are declining. The population of moose, is at its lowest... Continue reading "Isle Royale"
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February 22, 2007
Endangered Loons
Twenty-two loons were found stranded on ice on Lake Winnipesaukee and most of them were either scavenged by predators or freezing on the ice. Loons are listed as a threatened species in New Hampshire. The population in New Hampshire, which... Continue reading "Endangered Loons"
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January 30, 2007
Great Lakes Timber Wolves
The Great Lakes timber wolves will be formally removed from the federal endangered species list. The decision will be posted soon in the federal register and will become official within 30 days. Pending any lawsuits, wolves in Minnesota, Michigan and... Continue reading "Great Lakes Timber Wolves"
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January 15, 2007
Bald Eagles (Video)
Here is a video of various Bald Eagles along the shores of lakes in Central Minnesota. Crow Wing Lake, Gull Lake, Cross Lake, etc........ Continue reading "Bald Eagles (Video)"
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January 11, 2007
Loons
Some loons calling on a lake in Minnesota. When you hear loons calling across the lake, do you ever wonder what they are saying? Loons have four common calls, each with a different meaning. The wail is a long...Link to this article | Comments (0)
December 18, 2006
Bird Identification
Identifying birds on or near a lake can be tricky, what about in a photo? Can you make out the species of bird in this photo?... Continue reading "Bird Identification"
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December 14, 2006
Swan Guide
Swans are back on local lakes and waterways. So how can you tell the difference between a Tundra, Mute or Trumpeter Swan? It is never an easy task. For a start, follow the link below for some guidelines. Swan...Link to this article | Comments (0)
October 9, 2006
Marine Mammals
If you are interested in or researching marine mammals a good site to take a look at is AquaNetwork Marine Mammal Project; it has news and information on various aquatic/marine mammals from around the world.... Continue reading "Marine Mammals"
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September 28, 2006
Jellyfish
A creature rarely seen by most residents of the Midwest is showing up in local lakes, probably because of high water temperatures and low water levels. Freshwater jellyfish have been reported in a ever increasing number of lakes. Most people...Link to this article | Comments (0)
September 26, 2006
Beluga Whales
More than 100 beluga whales could be trapped and die in a chain of lakes between the N.W.T. communities of Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk of Canada if they don't soon head to the ocean. The whales are in the Husky Lakes,... Continue reading "Beluga Whales"
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September 25, 2006
Frog
Amphibians include 2 major groups: the salamanders, which have tails and generally travel by walking or creeping; and the frogs and toads, which as adults are tailless and travel by hopping. With some notable exceptions, both groups pass their...Link to this article | Comments (0)
September 18, 2006
Dissolved Oxygen
The amount of oxygen dissolved in a lake or water is influenced by temperature; the amount of dissolved oxygen determines where in the lake various plants and animals can survive.... Continue reading "Dissolved Oxygen"
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September 13, 2006
Mollusks
Two classes of mollusks occur in fresh water-gastropoda (snails and limpets) and pelecypoda (clams and mussels). As a group, mollusks are soft body animals usually enclosed in a shell of calcium carbonate that they secrete. The muscular part of gastropods...Link to this article | Comments (0)
Flatworms, Rotifers and Roundworms
Among the simplest freshwater animals are flatworms, rotifers and roundworms. Flatworms are known for their regenerative ability, rotifers as microconsumers, and roundworms as important decomposers.... Continue reading "Flatworms, Rotifers and Roundworms"
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August 23, 2006
Migration
White pelicans are stopping at Lake Babcock in Nebraska as they continue their migration south. More and more of the birds are stopping as they migrate to the Gulf Coast so the group keeps growing. Flocks of a few hundred...Link to this article | Comments (0)
July 13, 2006
Lake Ontario
Wildlife scientists are trying to find out why several species of fish are dying off by the thousands in eastern Lake Ontario. Dead carp, smallmouth bass, sturgeon and other species have washed onto the shore of Point Peninsula, a Jefferson... Continue reading "Lake Ontario"
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May 16, 2006
Quagga, Zebra Mussels
The population of zebra mussels in Lake Michigan is declining because a more prolific relative appears to be taking its place. A new study from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Great Lakes WATER Institute says that the quagga mussel seems to... Continue reading "Quagga, Zebra Mussels"
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April 28, 2006
Nutria
Larger than a muskrat, but smaller than a beaver, nutria also are known as swamp rats. About 2 feet long, the nutria has webbed hind feet for swimming and can swim long distances underwater when evading predators or capture. They...Link to this article | Comments (0)
February 23, 2006
Champ
Residents around Lake Champlain say they have their own Loch Ness monster. They call it Champ, and it's a local legend. It is the inspiration for parade floats, T-shirts, key chains, minor-league baseball team mascots, and wild stories. As a...Link to this article | Comments (0)
February 2, 2006
Brook Trout
Brook Trout With an olive back covered by wormlike markings, fiery spotted flanks, and white-trimmed fins, the brook trout is one of the most colorful fish in freshwater. The "brookie" is a char, closely related to the lake trout. Slow-growing... Continue reading "Brook Trout"
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January 26, 2006
Geese Migration
Geese taking a break on a lake, from their yearly migration pattern.... Continue reading "Geese Migration"
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January 11, 2006
Lake Bolac
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in Australia is investigating a large eel kill in Victoria's Lake Bolac. Several hundred eels have washed up on the shores of Lake Bolac, following last years wash up across Victoria. A clean up operation...Link to this article | Comments (0)
January 9, 2006
Leeches
Flattened, worm-like animals that attach to skin of animals and humans and suck blood are leeches. Leeches are typically found in shallow, protected waters, concealed among aquatic plants or under stones, logs and other debris. They are attracted to water...Link to this article | Comments (0)
January 6, 2006
Shedd Aquarium
The Shedd Aquarium unveiled a new exhibit on Great Lakes invasive species which are threatening the Midwest's lakes and rivers. Contained in the exhibit are Asian Carp, Alewife, Round Goby, Zebra Mussels and many others. Over 170 invasive species are... Continue reading "Shedd Aquarium"
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December 22, 2005
Sponges
Sponges are often seen in the ocean, but did you know they also are found in healthy lakes? Greenish spongy-looking clumps attached to submerged sticks and plant stems in clear, well-oxygenated lakes are freshwater sponges. There are 150 species of...Link to this article | Comments (0)
October 27, 2005
Jellyfish
Jelly-like blobs moving freely in the water...are jellyfish! About the size of a quarter, with hundreds of tentacles, the freshwater jellyfish (Craspedacusta sowerbyi) can occur sporadically as populations explode and decline. They are translucent but may have a white or...Link to this article | Comments (1)