Vicariously, us humans engage the animal kingdom. Chatting up dogs, cats, birds, pets—you name it. This dialogue, back-n-forths— even arguments– all self-sided! Legends imbue creatures with human caricatures, emotions– and even hidden agendas. Empathetically we bond, relate, assign characteristics. Eyes, postures, behaviors, and tendencies are our keys. And so we watch. We surmise and we learn. Anecdotal history contributes to an accumulated knowledge.
Anthropologist cites this behavior as anthropomorphism. Such attributes I’ll label Critters. The quirkier the better. Rollover John Ruskin –we just can’t help ourselves!
Paving the Everglades National Park northern boundary on the Tamiani trail created frequent encounters with wildlife.
Mating season for Guanacos is November thru February. Gestation is eleven and a half months producing calfs called Chulengos.
The brown pelican is gregarious around humans and can drink salt water with ability to excrete through salt glands.
The Spider Monkey's prehensile tail can support full weight and is an extra limb while swinging.
Guanaco is a camelid native of South America named from the Quechuan word.
Cormorant are fish-eaters catching prey through diving and propelling themselves underwater with webbed feet & wings.
Damming of the Colorado River controlled river habitat, allowing river beaver expansion. Beavers build stick lodges into vegetated beaches or burrow into the river banks .
The Great Blue Heron is a wading bird & the largest of all North American herons.A Blue Heron is known for quickness & adaptive hunting techniques.
Fish Creek Wildlife Site in the Big Salmon River glacier valley near Hyder Alaska features observation of brown and black bears fishing for chum and pink salmon.