News

June 2009 - Habitat restoration underway.

Hoofstock Head Keeper Kevin Bowen has commenced an effort to restore and monitor Mountain View's portion of Davidson Creek, a tributary of the Salmon River. Currently, he has been clearing invasive vegetation and is re-planting indigenous species. To date 17 Douglas Fir trees, 45 Saskatoon berry bushes, 3 salmonberry bushes, and over 20 Sitka willow cuttings have been planted.

June 2009 - Vancouver Island Marmot Update.

Vancouver Island Marmot Head Keeper Marguerite Sans attended the Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery Team meeting in early June. The field crew has been busy monitoring the emergence of wild marmots and planning this summer's reintroductions. At Haley Lake Ecological Reserve the colony still thrives as Haida (born at Mountain View) and her two generations of wild- born offspring have emerged successfully from hibernation.

Mountain View’s loyal Volunteers were a huge help in preparing our marmot facility for the new season this year. Thank you for all of your hard work!

May 2009 - Efforts underway to prepare natural Oregon Spotted Frog environment.

Oregon Spotted Frog Head Keeper Andrea Geilens led a late night frog catch in early May at our own constructed wetland. Checking traps and hand-netting frogs they saw many amphibian and invertebrate species. Attempts are being made to remove invasive species and other potential threats to the Oregon Spotted Frogs as they hatch and mature.

March 2009 - A fun visit with cubs and beavers.

Photo: Head Primate Keeper Julia Grant displays a drawing made by one of the cubs showing Madagascar and the problems caused by clear-cutting and habitat loss.

Head primate/ carnivore keeper Julia Grant and animal care manager Renee Bumpus visited the beavers and cubs of the 2nd Langley Maverick’s scouting group in March to teach them about lemurs and the importance of conservation. They played games and created posters in the process of learning about these endangered primates. The kids showed a great enthusiasm for lemur conservation and decided to help. We would like to thank Volunteer Lisa Stephens for organizing this fund raising effort!

Their groups managed to raise an impressive $600 for ring-tailed lemur researcher Lisa Gould to take to Madagascar this month. Lisa has spent over 20 years working with ring-tailed lemurs in the wild. She spent time at Mountain View, is very supportive of the work that we do and has provided us with many connections in Madagascar.

Lisa will use the funds for a small group of local Malagasy people that have started their own form of eco-tourism with lemurs in a place called Anja. They are actively protecting the lemurs in this area, which is exactly what Mountain View wants to encourage. Lisa will buy something useful for their working lemur team such as uniforms, to help give them a pride in what they are doing.

Check back often for news and announcements.

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