Tag: rare sighting

Watch: SoCal captain immortalizes rare orca encounter with selfie

Several killer whales from Mexico and points south were spotted off Los Angeles County on Monday, attracting crowds of whale watchers.

Several orcas from Mexico were spotted off Los Angeles County on Monday, attracting crowds of whale watchers.

The Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales (ETPs) were hunting dolphins but became extremely boat friendly at times, riding wakes and interacting with passengers.

One prominent captain, Ryan Lawler of Newport Coastal Adventure and Pacific Offshore Expeditions, capitalized on a rare opportunity to capture a video selfie with one of the mammals. (Footage posted below.)

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Alisa Schulman-Janiger of the California Killer Whale Project was with Lawler and said about a dozen orcas were present, traveling in sub-groups. They included two small calves.

“They mugged every boat,” Schulman-Janiger said, referring to the friendly behavior. (Video below shows mugging behavior.)

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Passengers watched the ETPs ram and kill a large bottlenose dolphin, an adult common dolphin, and a common dolphin calf.

The sighting initial sighting was logged at 8:30 a.m. in the Catalina Channel, seven miles off San Pedro, by Catalina Express Capt. Mike Jackson.

News quickly spread and vessel operators hurried to locate the gregarious mammals.

ETP orcas, which are fairly common in the Sea of Cortez and elsewhere in Mexico, rarely visit Southern California. But when they do it becomes a major event for marine mammal enthusiasts.

Schulman-Janiger said the ETPs were last spotted Monday evening seven miles off Lunada Bay, at the southern edge of Santa Monica Bay.

Extremely rare cougar sighting documented in Missouri

Missouri biologists say the recent sighting of a mountain lion in Shannon County was only the 117th known sighting in the state since 1994.

Biologists in Missouri have confirmed that a mountain lion did, in fact, kill an elk in Shannon County on Sept. 12.

The confirmation is newsworthy because there are no known breeding populations of mountain lions in Missouri.

In fact, the latest sighting – confirmed via trail cameras positioned near the elk carcass – was only the 117th known cougar sighting in the state since 1994.

The Missouri Department of Conservation explained Friday that all sightings likely involved animals that were passing through the state.

The predation of an adult elk, the MDC added, was not considered abnormal.

“Mountain lions are natural predators to elk, and this scenario is nothing to be concerned about,” biologist Nate Bowersock stated in a news release. “Here in Missouri, we have an abundant of natural foods for mountain lions. While we do get questions regarding livestock, there has never been a confirmed instance of a mountain lion killing livestock in Missouri.”

While mountain lions inhabited Missouri at the time of European settlement, “the last known historical specimen was killed in the Bootheel area in 1927.”

The nearest states in which mountain lions do exist include Wyoming, Colorado, North and South Dakota, and Texas.

Biologists collected genetic samples from the site of the Sept. 12 sighting in the hope of learning more about the animal.

–Mountain lion image atop this post is generic

Rare Oregon critter surfaces again, this time on mountain highway

Another rare wolverine sighting – an encounter captured in footage posted below – has been confirmed in Oregon.

Another rare wolverine sighting – an encounter captured in footage posted below – has been confirmed in Oregon.

The footage shows the stocky animal scurrying down a snowy slope and crossing Highway 20 east of Santiam Pass.

According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, this was among several reported wolverine sightings over the last month.

The first confirmed sighting occurred March 20 when two anglers photographed a wolverine on the bank of McGuire Island on the Columbia River near Portland.

That was the first documentation of a wolverine beyond the state’s Willowa Mountains in 30-plus years.

ALSO: Yellowstone guide captures intriguing moment shared by cougar, elk

Wolverines are not suddenly popping up everywhere, however.

The ODFW stated that based on the locations and timing of recent verified sightings, they might involve the same animal.

Wolverine on the bank of McGuire Island. Photo: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Wolverines are solitary, elusive critters that reside in high-elevation, rugged terrain. They are rarely encountered.

However, younger wolverines can travel as much as 30 miles per day while trying to establish new territory.

The ODFW and Cascadia Wild, a nonprofit that conducts surveys for wolverines on Mt. Hood, have been fielding recent sightings reports.

The ODFW stated this week in a news release:

“Wolverine are rare in Oregon and these sightings are significant to wildlife conservation. The initial sighting along the Columbia River last month was the first confirmed report of a wolverine outside of the Wallowa Mountains in over 30 years.

“The last documented wolverine in the Central Cascades was killed in 1969 by a trapper near Broken Top Mountain. Wolverine is listed as a state threatened species in Oregon and no hunting or trapping of wolverine is allowed.”

Wolverines are the largest members of the weasel family. The burly carnivores, bear-like in appearance, can weigh as much as 30 pounds.

One of Oregon’s rarest critters spotted near Portland

An extremely rare sighting of a wolverine by two anglers in Oregon on Monday has been confirmed by state biologists.

An extremely rare sighting of a wolverine by two anglers in Oregon on Monday has been confirmed by state biologists.

The sighting, which occurred along the Columbia River near Portland, marked the first documentation of a wolverine beyond Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains in 30-plus years.

“Given the proximity to Portland, we were very surprised when this report came in and elated when we were able to verify the sighting,” Dave Keiter, a biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, stated Wednesday in a news release. “We really appreciate the people who reported this rare occurrence and Cascadia Wild who helped us confirm the report and begin monitoring efforts.”

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Wolverines are the largest members of the weasel family. The stocky carnivores, bear-like in appearance, can weigh as much as 30 pounds.

They’re widely distributed in Canada and Alaska, but less common in Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon.

In their southern range, they reside mostly in high-altitude alpine and forest habitat. Sightings are rare because of the habitat they prefer, but also because wolverines are solitary and elusive.

The anglers who photographed the wolverine on Monday shared their images with Cascadia Wild, which monitors wildlife activity in the Mt. Hood National Forest east of Portland.

ODFW biologists and Cascadia Wild staff visited the observation site Tuesday and discovered wolverine tracks. They placed motion-sensor cameras and hair-collection devices in the hope of obtaining additional footage and samples.

In reference to the wolverine’s proximity to Portland, ODFW stated, “It is likely that this animal was dispersing as the habitat in the area doesn’t meet the life history requirements of wolverines. Wolverines can travel over 30 miles in a day, so it is likely the animal is already long gone from where it was sighted.”

Wolverines were thought to have been eliminated in Oregon by 1936. But sporadic reports of unverified sightings began to occur in several counties beginning in the 1960s.

A wolverine was struck by a vehicle on I-84 near Cascade Locks in 1990, and turned over to ODFW.

In 2010-12, a monitoring project discovered the presence of three wolverines in northeast Oregon, a first for the region.

The most recent documentation of a wolverine in Oregon, before Monday’s sighting, occurred last year in Wallowa County.

–Images courtesy of Cascadia Wild, via ODFW

Rare white bald eagle spotted ‘just in time for World Cup win’

A rare white bald eagle was spotted in Oklahoma “just in time for that World Cup win” by the U.S. soccer team over Iran, the state proudly announced.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation on Wednesday shared footage of a rare white bald eagle that was spotted “just in time for that World Cup win” by the U.S. national soccer team over Iran. (See footage below.)

Bald eagles, the national emblem of the United States since 1782, are majestic birds of prey identifiable by their white crowns and tail feathers. The white feathers are in stark contrast to their dark brown bodies and wings.

The Oklahoma sighting involved a leucistic bald eagle. Leucism is a genetic condition in which normal pigmentation does not develop in animals. Leucistic animals are mostly white, but not considered albino.

“Leucistic bald eagles are rare,” the ODWC emphasized in its tweet.

The footage was captured by Justin Bailey and the ODWC stated that “while there isn’t any way to confirm that this is the same one that pulled through repeatedly along the Illinois River last year, we’re still PUMPED to have this homie hanging around our neck of the woods.”

Bald eagles are large raptors found throughout North America. They prey mostly on fish, and will often steal fish captured by other predators.

A fun fact courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

“Had Benjamin Franklin prevailed, the U.S. emblem might have been the Wild Turkey. In 1784, Franklin disparaged the national bird’s thieving tendencies and its vulnerability to harassment by small birds.”

The U.S. national soccer team defeated Iran, 1-0, in a tense match Tuesday to advance to the knockout rounds of the World Cup.

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Tourists spot two of Denali National Park’s rarest critters

Denali National Park and Preserve on Saturday shared images of animals so elusive that even staff and frequent visitors rarely see them.

Denali National Park and Preserve on Saturday shared images of critters so elusive that even staff and frequent visitors almost never see them.

“A rare appearance by two wolverines quickly became the talk of the park this week,” Denali announced on Facebook. “These critters spent part of their day peeking at visitors from a culvert along Denali Park Road.”

The post continued: “Since these animals are so rarely seen, some park staff had to brush up on their wolverine knowledge!”

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The park explained that wolverines are related to weasels, mink, martens, and otters; that they’re super scavengers “that will eat just about any type of meat they can find.”

Wolverines roam expansive territories, often in rugged terrain, and are solitary except for a short mating period during the summer. So the sight of two wolverines was extraordinary for Denali visitors who observed them.

Pregnant females, according to the park, build snow dens for birthing and nursing.

Because of their solitary, wide-ranging nature, wolverines are extremely difficult to study.

The population in Alaska is stable, but numbers have declined in the western contiguous United States and Canada.

In January 2021, Yellowstone National Park shared its first-ever trail-cam footage of a wolverine, and the footage went viral.

Last March at Yellowstone, a father and daughter on their first trip to the park spotted a wolverine walking across a snowy road. MacNeil Lyons, their tour operator, told FTW Outdoors:

“For the rest of the tour, the 9-year-old daughter couldn’t stop saying, ‘Wow… we saw a wolverine today! She told me it was the most amazing day ever in her life.”

Last April, a trail-cam operator in Canada’s Yukon Territory shared a video compilation featuring amusing wolverine footage captured during a six-month period on multiple trails.

To be sure, trail cameras are the most effective means of capturing footage of wolverines in the wild.

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Surreal footage shows rare orca encounter off Cape Cod

Commercial fishermen off Cape Cod were accompanied by a solitary orca Sunday afternoon in what was described as an extraordinary encounter.

Commercial fishermen off Cape Cod were accompanied by a solitary orca Sunday afternoon in what was described as an extraordinary encounter.

The footage posted below, which begins with some salty language, shows the large male orca, or killer whale, surfacing behind the Finlander II as the fishermen dragged for scallops.

The footage was captured in overcast weather by a crewman.

Orcas, while they inhabit all of the world’s oceans, are rarely seen off Cape Cod.

Capt. Asher Molyneaux told Boston.com that he believes the killer whale is “Old Thom,” who generally travels alone and is spotted infrequently.

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The 30-foot mammal was documented off Cape Cod in 2016, according to Boston.com. Sightings of Old Thom also have occurred in the Bay of Fundy off Nova Scotia.

Molyneaux said it’s not unusual for sharks and large whales to appear alongside the boat, but added that Sunday’s sighting was extra special.

“They’ll all come around the boat, that’s not uncommon at all,” he said. “But I’ve never seen a killer whale, that’s for sure.”

Orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family and can measure 30-plus feet and weigh 10-plus tons. They are top predators and prey sources vary depending on the region and the orcas’ ecotype.

Critics take aim after hunter bags rare white turkey

News that a hunter has bagged a rare white turkey at a national recreation area is being met with criticism.

News that a hunter has bagged a rare white turkey at a national recreation area is being met with criticism.

“Would be a lot more beautiful left alone to live,” reads the top comment on a Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area Facebook post, which shows an image of the unidentified hunter posing with the turkey.

“I get white creatures are more prone to predators, but clearly it’s lived this long! Just leave beautiful things alone and let nature be nature.”

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Land Between the Lakes, a U.S. Forest Service property in Kentucky and Tennessee, posted this description:

“Nature comes in all colors and that was proven last week when a hunter got the turkey of a lifetime. It wasn’t the beard or the spurs that were impressive but instead its beautiful white color. The white feathers are caused by a condition call leucism, which causes a partial loss of pigmentation.”

Several types of animals can be leucistic, or partially white, versus albino animals that are all white with pink eyes. These animals are believed to be more vulnerable to predators because they stand out.

And while just about any hunting post would generate criticism by anti-hunters, comments beneath the Land Between the Lakes post pertain mostly to the uniqueness of the harvested animal.

“I eat turkey, but I can’t help but look on this with sadness,” reads another top comment. “What a beautiful bird to have been shot.”

Another: “I would have let it walk. Only way I would have shot it was with a camera. Too beautiful and rare to kill.”

The turkey was harvested legally and several comments were congratulatory.

“Congratulations on a once-in-a-lifetime bird!” reads one.

“Awesome harvest!” reads another.

But negative input seemed to dominate the comment thread.

Turkey hunting at Land Between the Lakes continues into May. Permitted hunters are required to check in with harvested birds before leaving the property.

Yellowstone tourists encounter one of park’s rarest animals

A father and daughter visiting Yellowstone National Park for the first time on Saturday enjoyed an exceedingly rare encounter with a wolverine in what their guide described as a period in which time appeared to have stood still.

A father and daughter visiting Yellowstone National Park for the first time on Saturday enjoyed an exceedingly rare encounter with a wolverine in what their guide described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“For the rest of the tour, the 9-year-old daughter couldn’t stop saying, every 15 minutes or so, ‘Wow… we saw a wolverine today!’” MacNeil Lyons, owner of Yellowstone Insight, recalled to For The Win Outdoors. “She told me it was the most amazing day ever in her life.”

Lyons captured several images of the elusive critter, which he shared via Facebook.

In a Saturday post that included a photo showing the wolverine facing the group from the road, Lyons commented on the rarity of the encounter and added:

“It was only 2-3 minutes, but it was as if time stood still. There was for sure a true and focused connection between two sentient beings.”

On Sunday, Lyons detailed how he captured the images and said he and his Southern California clients “felt beyond elated at this chance encounter,” considering that the number of wolverines residing inside park boundaries might be a few as seven. (See Facebook post below.)

Lyons did not disclose the location of the sighting, but explained that it occurred at 11:38 a.m. as he was rounding a corner. The wolverine, in the oncoming lane, was visible as a “low to-the-ground, dark animal loping away from us.”

RELATED: Rare footage shows elusive Yellowstone National Park cougar

One of his guests asked if it was a small bear, but Lyons quickly realized that what they were observing “was, indeed, a wolverine!”

Perhaps the last time a documented wolverine sighting in Yellowstone National Park generated headlines was January 2021. The park shared video footage captured a month earlier by a motion-sensor trail camera and stated:

“Last month, park biologists were excited to find one of Yellowstone’s rarest mammals triggered a remote trail camera outside the Mammoth Hot Springs area!”

It was the first video footage of a wolverine captured by a trail camera inside the park.

Wolverines, members of the weasel family, reside mostly in high-altitude alpine and forest habitat and can weigh as much as 30 pounds.

They prey largely on small mammals and birds, and also eat vegetation. But wolverines can be ferocious and are capable of killing animals many times their size.

Wolverines are mostly solitary except during breeding season. They’re active during the day and den in deep snow or beneath fallen or uprooted trees.

Rare battle between rhino and buffalo caught on video

A ranger in South Africa’s Kariega Game Reserve has captured “extremely rare” footage showing a white rhinoceros in head-to-head battle with a Cape buffalo.

A ranger in a South African game reserve has captured “extremely rare” footage showing a white rhinoceros in head-to-head battle with a ferocious buffalo.

The tale of the tape favors the rhino – they can weigh nearly 6,000 pounds – but the 1,500-pound Cape buffalo proved a worthy and formidable opponent.

“The incredible strength of both species is on display here as well as the obstinate nature of the buffalo!” Kariega Game Reserve wrote on Facebook. “Completed with great commentary by the guests present.”

In the footage, best viewed with sound, other buffalo gather around the combatants as if to enjoy a better view. A female rhino and her calf observe from a safer distance.

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Remarkably, the same ranger and guide, Wayne Deryck Howarth, captured footage three years ago showing a battle involving the same rhino and possibly the same buffalo.

Kariega Game Reserve stated that the male rhino had recently been trailing the female rhino and her calf and “is probably full of romance and testosterone.”

The reserve described what the tour group witnessed as “an extremely rare sighting.”

–Image courtesy of Kariega Game Reserve