Penn State Cooperative Extension wildlife specialists have launched a new website that provides wildlife information for landowners, homeowners, natural resource professionals, teachers and students alike. The Wildlife Outreach Web-center, or WOW, offers in-depth information on a variety of wildlife topics ranging from habitat enhancement to controlling nuisance and damage problems that occasionally occur between people and wildlife. (more)
Green, fuzzy water isn't a given when it comes to Pennsylvania ponds, but aesthetic qualities can go down the drain quickly if water features aren't managed properly. Water quality, wildlife and plant control will be featured in "Managing Your Pond or Lake," a Web-based seminar at noon and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31. It is the third of five water-quality webinars being offered by Penn State Cooperative Extension this spring. Other topics include water testing, septic systems and safe drinking water. (more)
Conservation professionals, wildlife enthusiasts, forest managers and government officials are invited to "Fire in the Eastern United States," a symposium featuring Professor Stephen J. Pyne of Arizona State University who is one of the world's leading experts in fire history and ecology. Sponsored by the Penn State Environmental Law Review, this interdisciplinary event will focus on formulation of fire policy in the Eastern United States. The event is open to the public. (more)
Fragmentation is a leading threat to the survival of many terrestrial animals, and it tends to most affect species that roam far and wide. One solution? Wildlife corridors -- narrow strips of habitat linking bigger wild habitat patches -- can help affected animals. "Corridors are like a sidewalk for animals; they help them to get from one point to another," said wildlife conservation professor Richard Yahner. "But a lot goes into designing a wildlife corridor so that the target animal will actually use it." (more)
Once hunters have bagged their bucks during hunting season, they still have to decide what to do with their meat. While some hunters leave the choices to their local butcher, many are finding that they can save money and increase their personal enjoyment by butchering their own deer, according to a food-safety expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. (more)
Andrew Norton, a graduate student in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, will embark on a two-year study to estimate harvest and survival rates of hundreds of white-tailed deer that Penn State and the Pennsylvania Game Commission captured and fitted with radio collars in several counties. The project will look at what factors -- such as road networks and forest cover -- affect the chances of a deer getting harvested. Results could be used to "test some of the assumptions deer managers make to see whether they are legitimate by comparing them to field observations," Norton explained. (more)
Deer and rabbits can wreak havoc on ornamental plants during the winter, but outsmarting them is easy with some precautionary measures. "These animals are the primary trouble makers in Pennsylvania, though other animals can cause just as much winter damage to plants that are expensive to replace in their hunt for food," says Jim Sellmer, associate professor of ornamental horticulture in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. (more)
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Nature lovers taking in Pennsylvania's fall foliage only have to look up a little farther for another amazing display, as flocks of birds make their autumn migration over the state. An expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences explains why the Keystone State enjoys a unique position in the procession. (more)
At the start of the semester, we invited Penn State Newswire readers to submit their best photos of wildlife on Penn State campuses to us. Several people responded, and the best of the submissions are now posted to Penn State Live. To see what our readers captured in photographs, visit http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/1810 online. (more)
One never knows what one will see on Penn State's University Park campus, but even so a red-tailed hawk caught some passers-by by surprise on Monday afternoon (Aug. 11). The impressive bird of prey stationed itself on a lamppost near the back side of Old Main. Not surprisingly, there was no other wildlife around the area. Wildlife of many different types can be found on all Penn State campuses. What wildlife specimens can you find on your campus? Send your single best photo of animals on your Penn State campus (other than pets, please) by Friday, Aug. 22, to AMountz@psu.edu. Photos must be at least 1250 pixels in size and must include complete caption information, including when and where the photo was taken, and the name of the photographer. We'll publish a selection of what we receive on Penn State Live. For examples of some campus wildlife photos from University Park, visit http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/1774 online. (more)
