Vision acuity eyesight vision correction eye health optical eyecare back to school Child face horizontal poster teenager girl isolated portrait banner with copy space
Vision acuity eyesight vision correction eye health optical eyecare back to school Child face horizontal poster teenager girl isolated portrait banner with copy space
Username: Bongsong Published on 2024-10-14 13:23:09 ID NUMBER: 123360
Wildlife' includes the National Wildlife program, the National Wildlife Ecology program, and Wildlife Research & Development. The national Wildlife Program assists field biologists in attaining the Chief's wildlife priorities and manage wildlife habitat resources from a healthy ecosystem perspective.
Forest Service scientists study fish, wildlife and their habitats in order to inform land management and address existing and emerging threats, such as climate change and habitat fragmentation. Their work focuses on restoration and conservation of wildlife habitats and connectivity across large landscapes; effective management of terrestrial wildlife and their habitats under future climate scenarios; development of innovative protocols for inventory and monitoring of wildlife populations and habitats; and strategies to meet growing demands for water, energy, and other forest‐ and grassland-based commodities while ensuring the sustainability and diversity of wildlife and fish.
Between 2008 and 2015, the U.S. Forest Service and partners removed or upgraded over 1,000 culverts and road-stream crossings for Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) across the country courtesy of the Legacy Roads & Trails Program. One of the best investments our agency can make to help aquatic ecosystems respond to the stresses of a changing climate is to restore the ability of fish to move freely, including beneath our expansive road system. Fish need to be able to access many different parts of a stream network to find cold water during the summer, to spawn, and to feed so they can grow larger. Come explore this story map to see some examples from around the country of some of the outstanding partnership projects that helped the US Forest Service achieve this milestone for fish, aquatic health, flood resiliency and protection of local transportation infrastructure.
Sage Grouse: The elaborate plumage and courtship dances of the male Greater Sage-Grouse were once a common sight in the sagebrush landscapes of the American West. However, a variety of factors, including rural development and invasive species, have contributed to the loss and deterioration of sagebrush habitat. As a result, Greater Sage-Grouse populations have decreased dramatically. The Forest Service is working with the Bureau of Land Management and other agencies to maintain and restore key habitats for the Greater Sage-Grouse and other sagebrush-associated species. Learn more about Sage-Grouse conservation.
Leafy Prairie-Clover: This plant is located in only three areas: central Tennessee, north-central Alabama, and north-eastern Illinois. Leafy Prairie-Clover populations are being lost due to poor management skills as well as competition from invasive species, rock quarrying, and over-collecting. But thanks to a partnership between the Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Leafy Prairie-Clover is making a comeback.
The Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) is a family of models used for predicting forest stand dynamics (tree growth, mortality, regeneration, management, disturbance, etc.) throughout the United States. The Forest Health Assessment and Applied Sciences Team supports a variety of insect and pathogen models that allow FVS users to incorporate forest pest disturbances into their FVS projections.
The family of FVS models comprises 20 different geographic variants, each calibrated to local conditions. Insect and disease models for FVS are developed and maintained in partnership with Forest Health Protection and the Forest Management Service Center. The models take one of two forms: (1) FVS model extensions, which are integrated into and interact directly with the base FVS model, or (2) keyword component (kcp) files, which contain FVS keywords instructing the base FVS model to perform specific calculations and activities (such as mortality) during a simulation. Availability of insect and disease models varies by FVS variant, as summarized below.
Image represents a stand of Douglas-fir in the Fremont National Forest as simulated with the South Central Oregon Northeastern California variant of the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) and the Dwarf Mistletoe Model. View animation (Opens in new window/tab)
The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro is the world’s largest natural habitat zoo and is home to 1,800 animals and 500 acres of developed land. There are incredible animal exhibits here, along with hiking trails, face-to-face animal encounters, and the Kaleidoscope Butterfly Garden. It is also home to an amazing herd of African elephants at Watani Grasslands Reserve.
The reserve has 47 acres of land that is landscaped to look like the African savannah. Currently, seven African elephants live here, including three males and four females. In April 2023, the zoo’s “Zoofari: An African Wildlife Adventure” experience will reopen. This exclusive tour of the Watani Grasslands Reserve allows visitors to ride in an open-air vehicle, seeing and learning about the elephants and other African animals at the zoo.
Best times to visit the North Carolina Zoo:
Winters are a great time to visit the North Carolina Zoo. The weather is typically mild, and many animals are more active in cooler temperatures. However, when temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, many of the African animals go indoors where it is heated.
Spring and fall are also cooler, so you have a better chance of seeing more animals. If you come in the summer, mornings or late afternoons are best since temperatures are lower.
The Birmingham Zoo is quite unique because it is the only zoo in the United States with an all-male herd of African elephants! This is very unusual, as other zoos have all-female herds or herds with more females than males. Elephants live in matriarchal groups, and for many years, it was believed that male elephants were anti-social loners. However, researchers now know that male elephants often form powerful, long-lasting bonds with other males, and even come together in groups of up to 15!
However, males are difficult to study in the wild. These powerful bulls are gigantic and can be rather bad-tempered. Birmingham Zoo has dedicated its entire enclosure to housing only male elephants so researchers can better understand the social dynamics of males. This provides scientists with a greater understanding of how these majestic creatures interact, which helps zoo staff provide better care for them.
Best times to visit the Birmingham Zoo:
The Birmingham Zoo is open all year round. However, there are some exhibits and areas that are closed during the winter months, like the splash pads and the giraffe encounter.
The weather in Birmingham is typically moderate throughout the year. However, it does get hot and sticky in the summer, and the zoo animals spend more time in the shade to keep cool. Fortunately, winters are pretty mild, and the animals tend to be more active in these cooler temperatures.
The Indianapolis Zoo is renowned for its pioneering research on elephant reproduction. The very first African elephants to have been conceived and born through artificial insemination were born here! One of the zoo’s elephants, Kubwa, was the first African elephant to give birth to one of these miracle babies in 2000. Kubwa can be seen in the Plain Exhibit, along with the rest of her elephant herd.
The exhibit is structured as a large savannah with trees and tall grasses surrounding it. It’ll make you feel like you’re on a safari in Africa! In addition to the elephants, you can also spot other African animals like cheetahs and giraffes. And during the summer, you can visit the Wild Encounter Station at the exhibit’s entrance. Here you can meet some of the zoo’s animal ambassadors like hedgehogs, turtles, parrots, and snakes.
Best times to visit the Indianapolis Zoo:
The ideal time to visit the Indianapolis Zoo is in the spring when the temperatures and weather are moderate. During the warmer summer months, animals are more active in the mornings when it’s cooler.
If it’s raining, you may not be able to see many of the outdoor exhibits. However, there are still plenty of indoor exhibits to enjoy, like the zoo’s daily dolphin presentations, the Deserts Exhibit, and the Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center.
Warm-weather animals may not be available during the winter. However, you can still see many other animals that love the cold weather. Winter is often the best time to see animals like Amur tigers, Arctic foxes, California sea lions, and Alaska brown bears.
On Colorado’s Cheyenne Mountain southwest of downtown Colorado Springs, you can find the phenomenal Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The Encounter Africa exhibit has an area for viewing elephants indoors and an outdoor sky bridge where you can walk alongside these spectacular mammals! You can also watch seasonal elephant keeper demonstrations in the amphitheater and observe the elephants as they splash around in their pool and waterfall.
The Wilgruen Elephant Center at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo provides optimal care for the zoo’s aging elephants. The six beloved older female elephants are cared for in this state-of-the-art facility. It includes crane-and-hoist systems for disabled elephants, remote video surveillance, and rubberized concrete for achy joints. They may be getting up there in years, but these beautiful girls still have a lot of spring in their step — in fact, each of these girls loves to paint!
Best times to visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo:
Although the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is open all year round, early mornings and overcast days are usually the best time to see the animals, since they are just waking up and eating. Plus, there are fewer crowds!
The Cheyenne Zoo is located on a mountain 6,714 feet above sea level, so if you are traveling from lower elevations, make sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
May and June are some of the best months to visit since it is still sunny but not too hot. Weekends from the last week of May through September are considered “peak days.” Peak days are more expensive and tend to have larger crowds.
The Expedition Tanzania exhibit at the Reid Park Zoo in Tuscon is slightly curved, so no matter where you are, you’ll have a great view of the African elephants! Thanks to the warm and sunny climate in Arizona, these elephants can spend all day outdoors enjoying their vast multi-acre open-air habitat. You can also watch the elephants on the zoo’s live online Elephant Cam! In addition to housing African elephants, the Reid Park Zoo also supports the Tarangire Elephant Project in Tanzania. This project works to research wild elephant populations and protect over 1,000,000 acres of their habitat.
In addition to the African elephant herd, the Reid Park Zoo is also home to more than 500 other animals. You can see amazing animals like a pack of female African wild dogs, rescued grizzly bears, black-and-white ruffed lemurs, Andean bears, capybaras, Baird’s tapirs, and giant anteaters. In fact, the zoo has housed giant anteaters for over 50 years and features one as part of its official logo.
Best times to visit the Reid Park Zoo:
Mornings are the best times to visit the Reid Park Zoo since the temperatures are much cooler and the animals are more active. The ideal months to visit the zoo are from October through April, as the weather is still mild with moderate temperatures.
The summer months can get really hot for both visitors and the zoo’s animals, which can make it hard to see and enjoy the exhibits. However, summer is still a fun experience, especially if you come in the mornings and evenings when it’s a bit cooler — just be sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and protective gear!
Located in Wichita, Kansas, the Sedgwick County Zoo has the third-largest elephant habitat in the U.S. The African elephants at the zoo roam freely across more than five acres of space. There is also an indoor facility, complete with a 550,000-gallon pool! The herd’s 51-year-old matriarch Stephanie is the zoo’s oldest elephant and has lived here since 1972. In 2016, the zoo expanded the Zambezi River Valley habitat and brought six more elephants rescued from droughts in Swaziland to join Stephanie in her new home.
The Sedgwick County Zoo has achieved global recognition for its commitment to the conservation and breeding of rare and endangered species. In addition to the African elephants, over 3,000 animals that represent 400 different species also call the zoo home. With the influx of visitors each year, the zoo has created a multi-phase plan for even more expansion, with the eventual goal of becoming a multi-day destination. This 25-year master plan will include things like expanding animal habitats, adding an electric train, creating a hotel and waterpark, and providing an aquarium with a stingray touch experience.
Best times to visit the Sedgwick County Zoo:
Spring and fall are some of the best times to visit. Summers can get quite hot, so make sure to plan accordingly. However, there are plenty of shady areas and concessions areas to help keep you cool as well.
It gets pretty cold at the Sedgwick County Zoo in the winter, so be sure to bundle up! Winter is still a great time to visit though, as many of the animals are more active, and there are heated indoor exhibits you can visit as well.
Wildlife' includes the National Wildlife program, the National Wildlife Ecology program, and Wildlife Research & Development. The national Wildlife Program assists field biologists in attaining the Chief's wildlife priorities and manage wildlife habitat resources from a healthy ecosystem perspective.
Forest Service scientists study fish, wildlife and their habitats in order to inform land management and address existing and emerging threats, such as climate change and habitat fragmentation. Their work focuses on restoration and conservation of wildlife habitats and connectivity across large landscapes; effective management of terrestrial wildlife and their habitats under future climate scenarios; development of innovative protocols for inventory and monitoring of wildlife populations and habitats; and strategies to meet growing demands for water, energy, and other forest‐ and grassland-based commodities while ensuring the sustainability and diversity of wildlife and fish.
Between 2008 and 2015, the U.S. Forest Service and partners removed or upgraded over 1,000 culverts and road-stream crossings for Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) across the country courtesy of the Legacy Roads & Trails Program. One of the best investments our agency can make to help aquatic ecosystems respond to the stresses of a changing climate is to restore the ability of fish to move freely, including beneath our expansive road system. Fish need to be able to access many different parts of a stream network to find cold water during the summer, to spawn, and to feed so they can grow larger. Come explore this story map to see some examples from around the country of some of the outstanding partnership projects that helped the US Forest Service achieve this milestone for fish, aquatic health, flood resiliency and protection of local transportation infrastructure.
Sage Grouse: The elaborate plumage and courtship dances of the male Greater Sage-Grouse were once a common sight in the sagebrush landscapes of the American West. However, a variety of factors, including rural development and invasive species, have contributed to the loss and deterioration of sagebrush habitat. As a result, Greater Sage-Grouse populations have decreased dramatically. The Forest Service is working with the Bureau of Land Management and other agencies to maintain and restore key habitats for the Greater Sage-Grouse and other sagebrush-associated species. Learn more about Sage-Grouse conservation.
Leafy Prairie-Clover: This plant is located in only three areas: central Tennessee, north-central Alabama, and north-eastern Illinois. Leafy Prairie-Clover populations are being lost due to poor management skills as well as competition from invasive species, rock quarrying, and over-collecting. But thanks to a partnership between the Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Leafy Prairie-Clover is making a comeback.
The Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) is a family of models used for predicting forest stand dynamics (tree growth, mortality, regeneration, management, disturbance, etc.) throughout the United States. The Forest Health Assessment and Applied Sciences Team supports a variety of insect and pathogen models that allow FVS users to incorporate forest pest disturbances into their FVS projections.
The family of FVS models comprises 20 different geographic variants, each calibrated to local conditions. Insect and disease models for FVS are developed and maintained in partnership with Forest Health Protection and the Forest Management Service Center. The models take one of two forms: (1) FVS model extensions, which are integrated into and interact directly with the base FVS model, or (2) keyword component (kcp) files, which contain FVS keywords instructing the base FVS model to perform specific calculations and activities (such as mortality) during a simulation. Availability of insect and disease models varies by FVS variant, as summarized below.
Image represents a stand of Douglas-fir in the Fremont National Forest as simulated with the South Central Oregon Northeastern California variant of the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) and the Dwarf Mistletoe Model. View animation (Opens in new window/tab)
The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro is the world’s largest natural habitat zoo and is home to 1,800 animals and 500 acres of developed land. There are incredible animal exhibits here, along with hiking trails, face-to-face animal encounters, and the Kaleidoscope Butterfly Garden. It is also home to an amazing herd of African elephants at Watani Grasslands Reserve.
The reserve has 47 acres of land that is landscaped to look like the African savannah. Currently, seven African elephants live here, including three males and four females. In April 2023, the zoo’s “Zoofari: An African Wildlife Adventure” experience will reopen. This exclusive tour of the Watani Grasslands Reserve allows visitors to ride in an open-air vehicle, seeing and learning about the elephants and other African animals at the zoo.
Best times to visit the North Carolina Zoo:
Winters are a great time to visit the North Carolina Zoo. The weather is typically mild, and many animals are more active in cooler temperatures. However, when temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, many of the African animals go indoors where it is heated.
Spring and fall are also cooler, so you have a better chance of seeing more animals. If you come in the summer, mornings or late afternoons are best since temperatures are lower.
The Birmingham Zoo is quite unique because it is the only zoo in the United States with an all-male herd of African elephants! This is very unusual, as other zoos have all-female herds or herds with more females than males. Elephants live in matriarchal groups, and for many years, it was believed that male elephants were anti-social loners. However, researchers now know that male elephants often form powerful, long-lasting bonds with other males, and even come together in groups of up to 15!
However, males are difficult to study in the wild. These powerful bulls are gigantic and can be rather bad-tempered. Birmingham Zoo has dedicated its entire enclosure to housing only male elephants so researchers can better understand the social dynamics of males. This provides scientists with a greater understanding of how these majestic creatures interact, which helps zoo staff provide better care for them.
Best times to visit the Birmingham Zoo:
The Birmingham Zoo is open all year round. However, there are some exhibits and areas that are closed during the winter months, like the splash pads and the giraffe encounter.
The weather in Birmingham is typically moderate throughout the year. However, it does get hot and sticky in the summer, and the zoo animals spend more time in the shade to keep cool. Fortunately, winters are pretty mild, and the animals tend to be more active in these cooler temperatures.
The Indianapolis Zoo is renowned for its pioneering research on elephant reproduction. The very first African elephants to have been conceived and born through artificial insemination were born here! One of the zoo’s elephants, Kubwa, was the first African elephant to give birth to one of these miracle babies in 2000. Kubwa can be seen in the Plain Exhibit, along with the rest of her elephant herd.
The exhibit is structured as a large savannah with trees and tall grasses surrounding it. It’ll make you feel like you’re on a safari in Africa! In addition to the elephants, you can also spot other African animals like cheetahs and giraffes. And during the summer, you can visit the Wild Encounter Station at the exhibit’s entrance. Here you can meet some of the zoo’s animal ambassadors like hedgehogs, turtles, parrots, and snakes.
Best times to visit the Indianapolis Zoo:
The ideal time to visit the Indianapolis Zoo is in the spring when the temperatures and weather are moderate. During the warmer summer months, animals are more active in the mornings when it’s cooler.
If it’s raining, you may not be able to see many of the outdoor exhibits. However, there are still plenty of indoor exhibits to enjoy, like the zoo’s daily dolphin presentations, the Deserts Exhibit, and the Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center.
Warm-weather animals may not be available during the winter. However, you can still see many other animals that love the cold weather. Winter is often the best time to see animals like Amur tigers, Arctic foxes, California sea lions, and Alaska brown bears.
On Colorado’s Cheyenne Mountain southwest of downtown Colorado Springs, you can find the phenomenal Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The Encounter Africa exhibit has an area for viewing elephants indoors and an outdoor sky bridge where you can walk alongside these spectacular mammals! You can also watch seasonal elephant keeper demonstrations in the amphitheater and observe the elephants as they splash around in their pool and waterfall.
The Wilgruen Elephant Center at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo provides optimal care for the zoo’s aging elephants. The six beloved older female elephants are cared for in this state-of-the-art facility. It includes crane-and-hoist systems for disabled elephants, remote video surveillance, and rubberized concrete for achy joints. They may be getting up there in years, but these beautiful girls still have a lot of spring in their step — in fact, each of these girls loves to paint!
Best times to visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo:
Although the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is open all year round, early mornings and overcast days are usually the best time to see the animals, since they are just waking up and eating. Plus, there are fewer crowds!
The Cheyenne Zoo is located on a mountain 6,714 feet above sea level, so if you are traveling from lower elevations, make sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
May and June are some of the best months to visit since it is still sunny but not too hot. Weekends from the last week of May through September are considered “peak days.” Peak days are more expensive and tend to have larger crowds.
The Expedition Tanzania exhibit at the Reid Park Zoo in Tuscon is slightly curved, so no matter where you are, you’ll have a great view of the African elephants! Thanks to the warm and sunny climate in Arizona, these elephants can spend all day outdoors enjoying their vast multi-acre open-air habitat. You can also watch the elephants on the zoo’s live online Elephant Cam! In addition to housing African elephants, the Reid Park Zoo also supports the Tarangire Elephant Project in Tanzania. This project works to research wild elephant populations and protect over 1,000,000 acres of their habitat.
In addition to the African elephant herd, the Reid Park Zoo is also home to more than 500 other animals. You can see amazing animals like a pack of female African wild dogs, rescued grizzly bears, black-and-white ruffed lemurs, Andean bears, capybaras, Baird’s tapirs, and giant anteaters. In fact, the zoo has housed giant anteaters for over 50 years and features one as part of its official logo.
Best times to visit the Reid Park Zoo:
Mornings are the best times to visit the Reid Park Zoo since the temperatures are much cooler and the animals are more active. The ideal months to visit the zoo are from October through April, as the weather is still mild with moderate temperatures.
The summer months can get really hot for both visitors and the zoo’s animals, which can make it hard to see and enjoy the exhibits. However, summer is still a fun experience, especially if you come in the mornings and evenings when it’s a bit cooler — just be sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and protective gear!
Located in Wichita, Kansas, the Sedgwick County Zoo has the third-largest elephant habitat in the U.S. The African elephants at the zoo roam freely across more than five acres of space. There is also an indoor facility, complete with a 550,000-gallon pool! The herd’s 51-year-old matriarch Stephanie is the zoo’s oldest elephant and has lived here since 1972. In 2016, the zoo expanded the Zambezi River Valley habitat and brought six more elephants rescued from droughts in Swaziland to join Stephanie in her new home.
The Sedgwick County Zoo has achieved global recognition for its commitment to the conservation and breeding of rare and endangered species. In addition to the African elephants, over 3,000 animals that represent 400 different species also call the zoo home. With the influx of visitors each year, the zoo has created a multi-phase plan for even more expansion, with the eventual goal of becoming a multi-day destination. This 25-year master plan will include things like expanding animal habitats, adding an electric train, creating a hotel and waterpark, and providing an aquarium with a stingray touch experience.
Best times to visit the Sedgwick County Zoo:
Spring and fall are some of the best times to visit. Summers can get quite hot, so make sure to plan accordingly. However, there are plenty of shady areas and concessions areas to help keep you cool as well.
It gets pretty cold at the Sedgwick County Zoo in the winter, so be sure to bundle up! Winter is still a great time to visit though, as many of the animals are more active, and there are heated indoor exhibits you can visit as well.
