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Program – Wyoming Natural Diversity Database (WYNDD)

MURIE AUDUBON PROGRAM PRESENTS, Dr. George P. Jones, Vegetation Ecologist with the will be our guest speaker at the May program.

First, George will explain why the WYNDD exists, which is to provide information for people to use in resource development, management, and conservation.

Second, what they concentrate on: plants and animals that either are rare in Wyoming or are common only here, and the state’s vegetation – or habitat – or ecosystem-types. This part would be, basically, explaining what the biodiversity of Wyoming looks like from our point of view. Third, how they develop and provide this information. He will explain how, and why, their business has changed over the years to include more focused surveys, better-defined survey techniques, and the like.

WYNDD is a member of a network of similar programs collectively known as the Natural Heritage Network. Each of the 50 US states, most Canadian provinces, and many Latin American countries house a network program dedicated to gathering and developing biological information on species of conservation concern and natural vegetation communities. Programs in the network use the same database methodology and software and receive technical support from a coordinating organization known as NatureServe. Most programs are housed in universities or state agencies; WYNDD operates as a service and research unit of the University of Wyoming.

Please join us on Friday, May 11, 2018 at 7 pm at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd. for this program. As always, the program is free and open to the public!

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Murie Program

The Stinging and the Stingless: Among the Bees of Mayan Mexico Dr. Will Robinson, entomologist in the Biology Department at Casper College, will give a presentation to Murie Audubon Society on April 13th at 7 p.m. at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission at 2211 King Blvd.

Dr. Robinson visited Tabasco State in southern Mexico last December-January as a Fulbright Specialist in apiculture. There he worked with two kinds of local beekeepers: those keeping the notorious “killer bees,” honey bees with the reputation as vicious defenders of the hive, and those keeping “stingless bees.” Stingless bees are fascinating, overlooked social bees of many different species that have been kept by the Maya for thousands of years for honey production and medicinal hive products. Will encountered some eye-opening surprises in both kinds of bees, which he will share with the audience. He also managed to snap a few photos of birds and other wildlife along the way.

Please join us on Friday, April 13, 2018 for Will’s program.  As always, the program is free and open to the public!

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February 9, 2018 Program

Casper native McKenna Paulley is a recent graduate from Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. In May 2017, she received her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Zoology and was acknowledged as the Outstanding Graduate of the Biology Department. Following her graduation, she had the opportunity to travel to the Galapagos Islands, where she was able to experience the diverse flora and fauna the islands have to offer. While exploring the islands, she was able to capture several stunning photographs, one of which won the Galapagos

Conservation Trust’s annual photography contest. One day, she hopes to return to the islands that provided her with such an unbelievable experience.  McKenna will share her experiences of her trip at our February 9 program at 7 pm at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd. for this program. As always, the program is free and open to the public!

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Janurary 12, 2018 Program – Saw-Whets in the Night

Members of Jenny Edwards’ IB Environmental Systems and Societies class will present our program for January 12, 2018.  The class members participated in Zach Hutchinson’s Northern Saw-Whet Owl banding project on Casper Mountain last October.

Many of you may know about Zach’s Bird Banding at EKW State Park during the summer months.  Unlike that program, these nets are set up during the hours after dark.  The 40 foot long and 8 foot high nets are set up in appropriate habitat and are checked every 30 minutes for owls.  An electronic recording of the owl is used to lure the owls into the net.  When a bird is captured its vital statistics are recorded and the bird is banded before being released.  Little is known about the owl population in Wyoming, so it is hoped that the data will shed light on numbers and perhaps migration data.

Please join us on Friday, January 12, 2018 at 7 pm at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd. for this program.  As always, the program is free and open to the public!

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November 2017 General Meeting

Wyoming Game and Fish Wildlife Biologist Stan Harter from Lander will be our guest speaker for our November 10, 2017 program.

Stan will share what Wyoming Game and Fish Department and its partners have learned through recent collaring projects on mule deer in the Lander area and bighorn sheep on and near the Wind River Indian  Reservation.

The Wyoming Migration Initiative is a model for catalyzing science-based conservation and management of wildlife corridors. Founded in 2012 as a project of the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, the initiative collects data needed to effectively conserve migratory wildlife. The Wyoming Migration Initiative also produces risk assessments for managers and stakeholders, and uses multimedia storytelling to promote public understanding of large animal migrations.

Please join us on Friday, November 10, 2017 at 7 pm at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd. for this program. As always, the program is free and open to the public! —–Bruce Walgren