Wildlife
Catching up with Grizzly 399 … again
Not pictured: Grizzly 399. A grizzly bear, but not 399. If you’ve been following our blog for a while, you know we’re fans of the world’s most famous bear. No, not Smokey or Winnie the Pooh. We're talking about Grizzly 399. Last spring we wrote about the 28-year-old mama bear emerging from her den with her first cub since 2020. Let’s catch up with her and see how she’s doing this year. For context, grizzly bears usually live between 20-25 years and rarely make it to their 30s...
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Bison vs. Buffalo: What’s the Difference?
Image credit: Jack Dykinga You know those big, humped mammals with curved horns? The ones in the picture above? Yeah, those. Some call them bison, and some call them buffalo. Is one right? What’s the difference? Okay, okay—we’ll answer your questions. What is a bison? A bison (bison bison—and yes, that is its Latin name) is the proper name of the animal we’re referring to, scientifically speaking. There are two distinct species of bison: the plains bison and the woods biso...
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The Legend of the Jackalope
Photo by CGB Grey Picture this: You’re hiking along a solitary trail at dusk when suddenly, the bushes rustle. A strange creature bounds into the path, the glow of your flashlight gleaming on the white of its antlers. Its eyes shine up at you, full of mischief, and then—as quickly as it appeared—the creature vanishes into the brush, never again to be seen except in your imagination. You’ve just had an encounter with a jackalope, the great antlered rabbit, one of the West’s f...
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Sleigh Ride through the National Elk Refuge
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening? In the elk refuge, snow is glistening. Winter is upon us and there’s snow place better to be than in Jackson! (We deeply apologize for that pun.) If you’re looking for a magical start to the holiday season, look no further than a sleigh ride through the National Elk Refuge. About the Elk Refuge First, a bit of background. It all started in the nineteenth century when the arrival of settlers in Jackson Hole resulted in a major disruption to elk migra...
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Beavers in Jackson Hole
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Beaver. Beaver, who? Beaver-y glad that beaver restoration in Jackson is well underway! (And be very glad you won’t have to suffer through another joke like that, too.) After decades of trapping in the early to mid-1800s that decimated the beaver population, wildlife biologists and conservationists are happy to report that the restoration of this keystone species is going well. (We’re sure you’ve been on the edge of your seat wondering.) What is a keystone s...
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