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Tag: Wildlife
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Word from the Smokies: Meet the Wild Creatures Native to Appalachia’s ‘Sky Islands’
by Aaron Searcy, Publications Associate
A new study is taking a closer look at the startling forms of life that exist only on some of Appalachia’s highest mountaintops—some of which are in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On these ancient peaks, dubbed ‘sky islands,’ are the last living remnants of the region’
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Save the Date and Save Wildlife
What is it about the humble wall calendar that explains its enduring popularity well into the digital era?
I guess in the same way that physical mail now feels more novel than emails, or our printed photos have become more precious than the thousands of files stored on our phones, a wall calendar hanging in the kitchen or office has a much-appreciated presence we just don’t want to let go of yet. Even if I rarely use mine for actual scheduling purposes, I like to hang one just for its aesthetic qualities and look forward to flipping the page each month.
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Great Smokies wildlife technician one of few Hispanics working in WNC outdoors careers
September 15 to October 15 is celebrated nationwide as National Hispanic Heritage Month. Great Smoky Mountains Association shares this article by Karen Chávez of Asheville Citizen Times to honor the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans as they pertain to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
by
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The Obscure Tale of the Appalachian Cottontail
By Frances Figart, Creative Services Director
What’s that cute, fluffy animal with long ears hopping at top speed across the top of Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Is it the common eastern cottontail, or could it be the rare Appalachian cottontail?
The Appalachian cottontail (Sylvilagus obscurus) is a
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Fun Ways to Visit The Smokies From Home
By Hayley Benton
While you may not be able to visit us at Great Smoky Mountains National Park right now, your kids can have their favorite park characters and critters delivered for a Smokies adventure in compliance with all shelter-in-place rules.
Powered by all-terrain imagination, this U.S. Park Ranger truck races to save the day,
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Curiosity Cabinet: Hickory Horned Devils become Regal Moths
By Peyton Proffitt
This month, curiosity drew me to the remarkable collection of insects housed at the Twin Creeks Science and Education Center. At first, I was overwhelmed by the number, age and diversity of the specimens, but after a few minutes, I decided to focus on specimens that made me think, “Oh, how pretty!”
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Studies Offer Insights into Behaviors of Park Bears
By Steve Kemp
Four research projects focused on bears in the Great Smoky Mountains are currently underway or have recently been completed. Of the four, the results of two are troubling, one is encouraging, and on the last, it’s too early to tell.
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Science at Sugarlands Features Wildflowers
By Frances Figart
You couldn’t pick a more perfect month than May to head out on the trails to spot wildflowers. to help you learn more about them, Discover Life in America will host Wildflowers: Gems of the Smokies at the Sugarlands Visitor Center Friday, May 17, from 1–3 p.m.
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Presidential Pets & the Great Smoky Mountains
The White House has been home to more pets than people over its long history. First Pets have ranged from the commonplace, like Bo, President Obama’s Portuguese water dog, to the Scottish terriers, English springer spaniel, and cat that President George W. Bush. Others have included the bizarre and downright dangerous, such as the zebra kept by Theodore Roosevelt and the alligator, a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette, that John Quincy Adams kept in a White House bathroom.
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Gearing up, Branching out
Every spring people flock to the Smokies to view our park’s spectacular displays of wildflowers that begin blooming at the lower elevations and creep uphill as the temperatures warm and days grow longer.
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