As the buds on hardwood trees and shrubs open and New York State’s forests again are cloaked in green, they provide our many herbivores with a welcome change in their diet.
While many plant eaters are able to subsist on woody buds and cellulose laden layers of inner bark throughout winter, leafy matter provides far greater levels of nourishment. The porcupine, a common denizen of the forest, is among our first order consumers of greens when they emerge in spring. [Read more…] about Porcupines And Their Need For Salt
Lake sturgeon can be unintentionally caught by anglers fishing in certain waters in New York during May and June when they’re spawning. The stress incurred from being caught by an angler can inhibit a lake sturgeon’s ability to spawn. It takes many years for female sturgeon to become sexually mature, and they only spawn every 4-7 years, so missing a spawning opportunity can have a big impact on the growth of a population. 
Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute will be providing free boat inspections and decontamination starting Memorial Day weekend at nearly 100 locations across the region to help the public stop the spread of aquatic 
Birdwatchers set a new world record on May 9th for 
It is traditional backwoods wisdom to avoid getting between a mother and her babies, and while this advice usually pertains to the black bear, it could also apply to several other forms of wildlife.
As spring arrives, so do… bats? Like many other naturalists, I spend lots of time during this season looking for migrating salamanders and blossoming bloodroot.
NYS Environmental Conservation Officers Alexander Shea and Brendan Dickson reported that they responded to a complaint about raccoon cubs being kept in an apartment in Manhattan on April 29th.
Spending time outdoors in the Adirondacks during spring is a rewarding experience, as the sounds that emanate from our forests, especially in the early morning, are sure to delight.
Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are probably the most recognized of all broadleaf ‘weeds.’
According to a report issued by DEC, in the early morning hours of May 4th, a young male bear wandered into the city of Poughkeepsie near Mansion and North Hamilton streets.