Louisiana Ecological Services Office

02/08/2021

02/04/2021

01/27/2021

Raise your hand if you’re brave enough to dive into freezing cold water! 🙋 If you raised your hand, then you’re as bold as a North American river otter. River otters have two layers of fur (warm under layer and waterproof outer layer) and two sets of eyelids that allow them to see underwater.

Photo: North American river otters at Seedskadee and Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuges by Tom Koerner/USFWS

01/25/2021

Happy Sunday! Let's have some fun this morning and create a fun winter fox from a paper plate. Thank you to our intern Sophie for designing this fun activity!

Materials you will need:
Paper plate (unwaxed), scissors, black pom-poms or construction paper, glue, tissue paper, googly eyes (optional) and your favorite adult.

Directions:
1. Cut paper plate in half. Place one half of the plate aside for the body and using the other half, cut a triangle for the fox's head, two ears, four legs and a tail.
2. Take the tissue paper and cut or rip up into smaller pieces - this will be for your fox's fur.
3. Assemble your fox by using glue to attach the head, ears, legs, tail and nose.
4. Next glue tissue paper pieces all over for the fox's fur.
5. Last glue on googly eyes or create your own from construction paper.
6. Enjoy!



USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System USFWS Southeast Region

USFWS infographic on how to create your own winter fox paper plate craft created by refuge intern.

01/19/2021

Red-tailed hawks are the most common hawk in North America and the second largest, after the ferruginous hawk. Despite their large size, red-tailed hawks only weigh about 3 pounds but will hunt prey as large has 5 pounds!

Photo: Red-tailed hawk by Mark Bohn/USFWS.

01/13/2021

Thanks to over 3 decades of conservation partnerships we're celebrating the delisting of the due to recovery!

The tern will continue to be protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

http://ow.ly/2WyC50D6WHC

📷: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Headquarters, a baby least tern laying in the sand beside an unhatched egg.

01/11/2021

Opossums have toes that act as opposable thumbs, allowing them to climb almost anywhere. They forage all year round, feeding on anything from berries and nuts to slugs, snakes and carrion.

Photo: Opossum courtesy of Per Verdonk/Creative Commons. https://flic.kr/p/4ghDD8

01/08/2021