We climbed another mountain today - although not nearly as high as yesterday.  (I know...another day another mountain...but that's what we DO here in Idaho!)  8-)  The dogs were on the trail of the lion, but lost it because the wind had blown the snow away leaving lots of bare rocks, so they lost the scent. The view was incredible!  We were in the Sawtooth National Forest, which is actually in Utah.  It was about 30 miles from the house in Malta.  Even though we didn't tag this lion, Dr. Laundre says "it's always a great walk in the woods", and he's right!  It's beautiful country with very different plants and animals than we have in RI.  We went fairly deep into the forest by snowmobile - now THAT was a new experience for me!.  It sure was cold driving down the road at 40 or 50  miles an hour...do some of you actually do that in the winter?  Wow!   Sorry to say I didn't get a photo.  It was beautiful to see the area, and I would never have had the chance to see so much otherwise.
Along the path into the forest we happened to see a dead coyote.  I was thinking about how much Human/Environment Interaction (HEI) there is in every ecosystem.  Here's one that I'd like you to think about:
There are MANY coyotes in this area.  They are considered pests - almost like we would think of rats - and many people shoot them on sight.   Some (not all) farmers shoot the coyotes and then hang the carcass on the fence.  (Some actually say they're "teaching the coyotes a lesson").  I heard today that at one time over 600 of them were shot in this region, and the population came right back again as if nothing had happened. What does that tell you about this animal?  Do you think it has one source of food or many?  Is it well adapted to its environment? If the number of coyotes declines due to human intervention (HEI), explain why it could cause a "crash" of a food web. Write about it in your journals so we can talk about it when I return.
 
 

	It takes a lot of gear to be out in this weather hiking for long periods of time.  You never know what you'll need and everything has to be carried on your back from the trucks.
	Did you know that water can be one of the heaviest things in a pack?  On a long hike it's not unusual to go through a quart of water in a few hours...and we never know how long we'll be out. In addition, we have to carry gear for when we catch the cats - scales, tranquilizer guns, radio collars, etc.
	The colors and the scenery are similar at first glance, but if you look closely you will be able to see a variety of plant life.
	Look again at the colors and think about the colors of animals.  It would be more difficult to be found if you have colors that blend in with your surroundings.  How does this help the predator and also help the prey?
	No, of COURSE I didn't take this photo in Malta! This was taken last year in Sarasota Bay, Florida.  Look closely at this dolphin photo. Do you notice any HEI?  Compare the HEI of mountain lion habitat to the HEI of this ocean ecosystem. Can you see some similarities? That's the point - it's not just important in remote places, but applies wherever we are.
	There are several examples of HEI here.  How many can you find?