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30 Wildlife
Wildlife
For those of us who love nature and the great outdoors, nothing proves more exciting than an encounter with any of the abundance of wildlife found in the wilderness areas of the western United States. Whether it be black bears, grizzly bears, foxes, wolves or skunks, each such encounter captivates us with a sense of awe and wonder. The American West still possesses plenty of “wild” as attested by its cougars, coyotes and eagles. With that “wild,” though, comes a certain amount of potential danger. All travelers in these areas need to take with them the precautions for avoiding possible harm and, at times, potentially fatal injury.
The Timber Wolf
Also known as the gray wolf, their color
ranges from white to black, and often gray,
but sometimes reddish in hue or brown. Small packs of these wolves still range through Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
TTTThe Brown Pelican
The Coyote
No sound conjures up images of the Old West quite like that of the coyote howling at the Moon. They are found throughout North and Central America, even in metropolitan areas. Usually hunting in pairs, they sometimes take
their prey in packs of up to six.
TTTWhile larger than most birds, the brown pelican is the smallest of the pelican’s eight species. They weigh 6-12 pounds and possess a wingspan of 6-8 feet. They are found all along the coast
and are noted for their startling, aerial dives for fish.
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