New Mexico Wildlife

Collecting Salad Greens: New Mexico’s Edible Plants

admin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

New Mexico offers many edible plants thriving in its lands. These plants can be foraged in your yard or on public lands in your area. By foraging your own greens, you can save money, have fresh, healthy foods available to you and your family, and you can be more connected to the land where you live. Important things to remember when you are gathering your own food is to wear gloves to protect your hands and to know what you are looking for, to prevent accidentally grabbing something inedible.I found some more information here.
One native plant is the prickly pear cactus, which has both cactus paddles and a sweet pear part, both of which are delicious. The paddles should be cooked and the pear can be eaten peeled and raw. Elderberries are also abundant, and can be used in a way similar to blueberries. They are excellent in pancakes or made into jam to be used in many other ways. Pigweed, or verdolaga, is another excellent green to forage. It is often considered a weed, but the stems and leaves are both edible and have a slightly salty-sour taste. It can be cooked in a stir-fry, eaten fresh, or cooked like your favorite vegetable.

Take An Herb Walk: Identifying New Mexico’s Medicinal Plants

admin — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There is a growing popularity in “herb walking”, an activity that is used to identify medicinal plants and their uses. It is likened to what can be called an “herb crawl”, highlighting where certain herbs can be found, and how they might best be used. This is beneficial information for gardeners, health enthusiasts, and even members of the medical community who deem this kind of complementary healing modality to be beneficial. An herb walk in New Mexico is sure to yield some interesting information on specific rare and ubiquitous herbs found native to that area and how they best might be used for herbal and homeopathic medicine and even beauty treatments.

Railyard Park in Sante Fe, New Mexico has several tours available throughout the year and is reputed to have the largest event for herb walks, Here those who embark on the walk become acquainted with many types of common as well as rare herbs and how they are prepared for medicinal use.

Chanchkos Remedios is another entity that offers localized guided herb walks, tours, and teaching informational weekends on the uses and preparations of medicinal herbs. These events usually are over a weekend, and are geared for novice and experts alike.

An herb walk can be a life renewing, life refreshing, event.Can’t get enough? There’s more: Herb Walk in the Railyard Park

High cholesterol? Check Out The Prickly Pear Cactus!

admin — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

High cholesterol is one of the most common health problems that people today face. The Center for Disease Control has stated that almost half of adults have elevated blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a serious condition because it increases one’s chances of having a stroke or heart attack.

Many doctors prescribe medications to treat that condition, but many are reluctant to take medicine because of the possible side effects. That is why more people are choosing to switch to natural remedies. One of the natural remedies that has been shown to be effective at treating high cholesterol is prickly pear cactus.Want more? Click here/tag

Prickly pear cactus has been used for several years because of its medicinal properties. It has also been shown to potentially reduce a person’s cholesterol levels. There are virtually so side effects to taking prickly pear cactus in the form of food. However, side effects are possible if a person eats the leaves and stems from prickly pear cactus.

Even though prickly pear cactus can be very effective for treating high cholesterol, it is wise to consult with a doctor before using it. Prickly pear cactus may not be safe for people who have certain conditions such as diabetes or are pregnant.

Your Trip to New Mexico

admin — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Planning a trip to New Mexico soon? You can use your Get Wild Blue internet to book the trip of a lifetime but when you come don’t forget to hit up some of the best spots in the state for getting a taste of natural beauty…
Ten Thousand Waves – A Japanese health spa, Ten Thousand Waves is set in the scenic mountains of Santa Fe. There are arts to enjoy nearby but you won’t be able to pull you away from the natural beauty.
Rio Grande Gorge – Talk about natural beauty! The Rio Grande is powerful and huge and the gorge in Taos is a sight to behold. There’s hiking and rafting available to tourists but be sure to take a local guide in case you get lost.
Albuquerque Biological Park – There are three sections to the park including a large botanical garden and the Albuquerque Aquarium…a great spot for kids and nature lovers alike it’s a must-see if you land anywhere near Albuquerque.
Have fun on your trip to New Mexico and take lots of pictures!

Shake, rattle, and roll: New Mexico rattlesnakes

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:28:38 +0000

New Mexico is home to a number of animals that you wouldn’t want to get near, from stinging scorpions and tarantula hawks to the oddly peanut-scented New Mexico spadefoot toad. However, rattlesnakes still get the worst press.The rattlesnake will actually flee from humans if possible, unless it feels trapped or physically threatened. If you do happen upon one, simply back away. A threatened rattler can strike more than two-thirds of its total length away.In New Mexico, there are seven different types of rattlesnakes: the rock rattlesnake, western diamondback, western prairie rattlesnake, Mojave rattlesnake, black-tailed rattlesnake, Massasauga, and ridge-nose rattlesnake. Each of them have distinctive markings and live in different areas, but you can commonly recognize them by their triangular head, and a pit on either side of their heads. While you might think the rattle would be the simplest way to identify them, non-rattlers will often attempt to mimic the sound by shaking their tail on dry leaves or grass. Also, the rattle may not make noise if it’s absorbed too much water. Certain types of snakes will also attempt to flatten their heads to mimic the triangular shape.We can’t be too hard on the rattlesnake, though. The Arizona coral snake also makes its way down into New Mexico on occasion, and is just as dangerous. You can recognize the coral snake by the pattern of rings on its back. Red rings touch yellow rings on this and other poisonous snakes, while non-poisonous snakes have red touching black. Being able to recognize danger will help you in removing yourself from harmful situations, and prevent you from having to kill a snake in self-defense. Remember that this is their world just as much as it is ours.

New Mexico state pride: the official state animals

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:19:01 +0000

Is it just our imagination, or are New Mexico’s state animals particularly proud of their designation? (Answer: it’s probably just our imagination). Still, they all do their part to reflect the wide range of wildlife in the state.Animal: Black Bear — The black bear, while the smallest of all North American species, is by no means less majestic. Plus, “smallest” still means they can reach weights of 880 pounds in the wild, and 1,000 pounds in captivity. Most of their food comes from trees and bushes, although they also enjoy insects, salmon, and deer and elk.Bird: Roadrunner The Greater Roadrunner is the species found in the United Statesthe Lesser Roadrunner inhabits Central and South America. They’ve gained the nickname “snake killer” for their habit of killing rattlesnakes, along with scorpions, centipedes, and millipedes. Braver roadrunners will even take down small mammals by beating them in the back of the neck with their beak.Reptile: New Mexico Whiptail Lizard This lizard is notable for its parthenogenesis, or asexual reproduction. The species is all female, and produces up to four eggs at a time without mating. You can recognize them by their distinctive pattern of seven yellow stripes with light spots in between.Amphibian: New Mexico Spadefoot Toad Named for the projections off their hind legs which they use for digging, the New Mexico Spadefoot is a nocturnal species which can secrete a peanutty scent when threatened. Don’t get too close, though, as it can cause tearing and runny noses.Insect: Tarantula Hawk Wasp The wasp is named not for its similarity to a tarantula (or hawk), but because the large spider is its primary prey. Luckily for the wasp, its sting is considered one of the most painful in the world among insects. These wasps will actually lay their eggs on paralyzed tarantulasthe wasp larva later eats the spider alive.Fish: New Mexico Cutthroat Trout — Highly sought after by fly fishermen, the cutthroat trout can reach 40 inches and exist in different locations across the country. Its name comes from coloration on its lower jaw.Butterfly: Sandia Hairstreak This butterfly was made a state insect in 2003, and is only found in certain locations in the southeastern U.S. The bill which made the butterfly official commented on how it does not migrate from the state and can be found at any time of the year.

New Mexico’s mountains teem with life

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:13:32 +0000

You might be surprised to learn about New Mexico’s mountain ranges, given its reputation as an arid desert. The Sangre de Cristo mountain range is actually the southernmost range of the Rocky Mountains, and runs through both New Mexico and Colorado. The New Mexico part of the range contains the 13,161 ft Wheeler Peak, previously named Taos Peak for the nearby town.Snowy peaks aren’t the only mountains to be found in the state, either. New Mexico also has several volcanoes, including the shield volcanoes Mount Taylor and Sierra Grande, and the cinder cone Capulin Mountain. The Guadalupe mountain range, which runs through both New Mexico and Texas, has one of the most interesting backstoriesit’s the remains of a limestone reef from a dried-up sea.Given the variety of New Mexico’s ranges, it is little surprise that they should be home to their own distinctive wildlife. The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep is found in the Sangre de Cristo mountains especially, and is known for its speed (20 miles an hour in some cases) and horns, which can reach weights of 30 pounds. The whistling rodent, the marmot, is also found throughout some of the ranges. You may have seen one particularly plump one’s star turn in this video where he eats a graham cracker.It’s also not uncommon to catch sight of the coatimundi, or Brazilian aardvark. They have been known to survive in a variety of climates, from rainforests to grasslands and colder mountain slopes like the Andes in the South America. If you’re even luckier, you may see two distinctive large cats: the arctic lynx or the semitropical jaguar. As you can see, New Mexico boasts both a varied landscape, and a wide variety of animal species that are definitely worth a look.

“Be vewwy vewwy quiet”: hunting in New Mexico

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:05:42 +0000

Hunting fans in New Mexico have the opportunity to track down some truly majestic game animals. In addition to elk and deer, there are antelope, turkey, bears, and oryx, which are only found in America in the states of New Mexico and Texas. The New Mexico Game & Fish site is the starting point for all prospective hunters, and includes license and permit applications, records, population information, and more.Hunting in New Mexico is done via a draw process, where hunters apply based on their location, type of sporting arm, dates, species, and more. Applications must be done early in the year: February 3 was the cutoff this year for bear, population reduction, oryx, and turkey hunts, and April 7 marked the deadline for deer, elk, antelope, bighorn sheep, ibex and javelina hunts. Javelinas are pig-like mammals which originated in the American Southwest and below.Hunting lands and species vary across the state. Scattered across the state are National Grasslands and forests. The east is where you’ll find shortgrass prairie and scrublands, as well as private ranches like Rancho Rojo Outfitters. These private ranches offer hunters guaranteed licenses without having to go through the draw process, and feature many of the top game, such as mule deer, pronghorn antelope, and oryx.New Mexico keeps its hunting seasons short to keep pressure from getting too great at any one time. Most elk and deer seasons last for only 5 days, with rifle seasons occurring later in the year than muzzleloader and archery seasons. This should keep the species populations high for many generations to come. If you’re planning on going out for a hunt in New Mexico, make sure you follow all laws and regulations, and keep an open mind if you don’t get your first choice of hunt. After all, there’s always next year.

It’s a plane, it’s Superman, it’sthe birds of New Mexico

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:03:05 +0000

New Mexico has one of the largest state bird lists of any U.S. state. There are so many birds, in fact, that the state has named several Important Bird Areas, where multiple species of birds breed or migrate. These sites are voluntarily protected during land-planning, and are also used to educate the public about conservation and other bird species. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is one such site, made up of around 2,000 acres of wetlands and uplands. You’re likely to run across waterfowl like Wilson’s Phalaropes and Northern Pintails, along with Black-necked Stilts, Least Terns, and Snowy Plovers. A list of the top ten key New Mexico IBAs for 2009 and 2010 can be found here: http://nm.audubon.org/Protect_Restore_Species.html10IBAs.The state bird of Mexico is the Greater Roadrunner, which looks little like its Looney Tunes counterpart (apart from the crest on its head). It is nowhere near the size of a wolf, reaching little more than 2′. The roadrunner is a powerful predator in its own right, though–its prey includes snakes, lizards, scorpions, and mice.The New Mexico Ornithological Society publishes a twice-weekly report highlighting rare birds seen across the state. Between August 23 and August 26, a number of uncommon birds were sighted. A Tricolored Heron was seen in Chaves County. These usually have blue-grey heads, white stomachs, and blue plumes on the head and neck. The Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron was also glimpsed in Sierra County. These birds are usually found in coastal regions, and are related to the now-extinct Bermuda Night Heron.There’s obviously a lot to admire for ornithologists in New Mexico, and even those with little birding experience can enjoy the chance to see such a variety of species in flight. Make sure to bring a checklist with you, though.