While on a road cruise in March 2008, I came across an adult female Green frog. This is quite early for a Green frog to be moving around. Their breeding season is June-July. I captured this individual and she will be sent to froggy heaven :(. This frog is not native to this land, and is a threat to native amphibians.
20 March 2008
Green frog
While on a road cruise in March 2008, I came across an adult female Green frog. This is quite early for a Green frog to be moving around. Their breeding season is June-July. I captured this individual and she will be sent to froggy heaven :(. This frog is not native to this land, and is a threat to native amphibians.
Collecting OSF Eggs for Husbandry
3900 eggs were collected for husbandry in March 2008. They will be reared in the same facilities as 2007, which is the Greater Vancouver Zoo, and the Mountain View Conservation and Breeding Center. The top picture is a co-worker collecting eggs from the cluster of egg masses. The bottom picture is a close up of some eggs. From certain egg masses, we collect the eggs for husbandry, collect 3 for DNA, and then set out a cage close to the cluster of egg masses to monitor the embryonic survivorship of that mass. After hatching in the cages, the free swimming tadpoles are then released back with the others. A different number of eggs was collected from certain egg masses so that we can experiment with density and food this year in the husbandry facilities. The Mountain View Conservation and Breeding Center has 31 tubs, and the Greater Vancouver Zoo has 10, but 2 are still being used for frogs that were over wintered from last year.
OSF Egg Masses
Maria Slough Trapping
Spring Bar Gravel Removal
16 October 2007
2007 Seabird Island OSF Release

Seabird Island's Oregon Spotted frogs were released on 5 & 12 October 2007. In total, 846 frogs were released. 863 tadpoles did not metamorphose and will be over-wintered and released in 2008. 139 frogs were too small to be marked and will be over-wintered with the tadpoles at the husbandry facilities.
11 October 2007
07 Aldergrove OSF Release


21 September 2007
Nitrogen in Manure
Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth, and is one of the primary components of manure and commercial fertilizers. However, although nitrogen is very productive when applied to crops, excess nitrogen can have negative impacts in our lakes, rivers, and groundwater.
· Because of its fertilizing properties, nitrogen is a key contributing factor to algae growth in streams and lakes.
· Excess nitrogen in rivers and streams can be toxic to aquatic animals at high levels. This toxicity is due to ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), which is produced at greater rates under conditions that are common where waste spills have occurred (such as low oxygen levels, high pH, and high temperature). Toxic levels of ammonium hydroxide are usually due to pollution from manure and sewage spills, and can result in fish kills and loss of other aquatic organisms.
· Nitrogen pollution also leads to human health concerns about groundwater contamination. Unlike phosphorus, which binds to the soil's surface, nitrogen filters down through the soil easily and can enter drinking wells. Infants less than six months are most susceptible to nitrate poisoning. High nitrate levels in groundwater can reduce the blood's capacity to carry oxygen, causing a fatal condition in infants called "blue baby syndrome." For this same reason, deaths can also occur in livestock that drink from a water supply high in nitrates. Pregnant or nursing women are advised to avoid water with high nitrate levels. Adults with heart or lung disease, certain inherited enzyme defects, or cancer may have increased sensitivity to the toxic effects, and adults with lifetime exposures to high nitrate levels may experience related health issues. The federal safety standard for nitrate is 10 mg/L, and 6.5% of Wisconsin's private wells exceed this safety standard.
How can Nitrogen and Phospherous Levels be Reduced?
For farmers, nutrient management is an integral part of business, and there are important steps that can be taken to reduce their nutrient loss to streams and lakes. The two main ways of reducing the nutrients that enter our waterways from agriculture are 1) decreasing the amount of nutrients applied to the landscape, and 2) preventing spills, runoff, and erosion from transporting those nutrients to our waterways. Decreasing excess nutrients applied to the landscape is the first step necessary for maintaining good water quality.
· Careful nutrient management planning can help farmers determine how much nitrogen and phosphorus is in their manure and how much the crops on each field require to be productive. This planning can help farmers apply only as much nitrogen and phosphorus as their crops will use, preventing excess runoff. In areas that already have phosphorus buildup in the soil or impacted waterways, farmers may need to manage specifically to reduce phosphorus levels.
· One way livestock operators can reduce unnecessary phosphorus in manure is by changing their feed supplements. Phosphorus is typically fed to cattle to ensure reproductive success. However, new research is showing that lower phosphorus levels in feed can be optimal for both maintaining herd health and for cost-effectiveness.
The second important step is to prevent the nutrients that are stored or applied to the land from getting into waterways.
· In many cases, manure should be stored over the winter while the ground is frozen. Because of this, manure storage facilities are a management option often chosen for operations that handle large quantities of manure. Sound construction and maintenance of these storage structures is essential to preventing leaks to groundwater and overflows that can damage nearby streams and lakes.
· Prevention of erosion and runoff is essential for keeping nutrients out of our lakes and streams. Maintaining good plant cover is one of the most effective ways to reduce the amount of soil and phosphorus that runs off into the water. Plant roots stabilize the soil and help reduce erosion. Buffer strips of grasses or trees along stream banks catch runoff and sediments flowing from upland fields and trap them before they enter waterways. Well-vegetated uplands and buffers are critical for water quality.
By following these practices and using good nutrient management planning, farmers can reduce nutrient-rich runoff from their farms and fields. This, combined with steps taken by all of Wisconsin's citizens and businesses, can help protect our beautiful water resources.
Source: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/wm/nps/ag/waterquality.htm
Coliform and Algae
Fecal coliform is generally used as a water quality measure of bacterial contamination. Coliform is a group of bacteria that, while generally harmless, does have strains such as E. coli (Escherichia coli) that can be harmful. E. coli can cause intestinal disorders, as well as other diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever. Another organism found in manure is Cryptosporidium, a single-celled parasite that causes diarrhea and stomach cramps when ingested. Cryptosporidium was responsible for an outbreak in Milwaukee's drinking water system in 1993.
As algae blooms grow, the mats that cover the water's surface block out sunlight from the larger plants below. These larger aquatic plants are essential for fish habitat, but can't survive without sunlight and start to die off. Before long, the short-lived algae also start to die, and large masses of dead algae and plant matter begin to decay. As a part of this decomposition process, bacteria are produced that use up oxygen from the water. This has major impacts. Since fish and aquatic insects need the oxygen that is dissolved in water to live, when that oxygen is used up by decaying algae massive fish kills can result, damaging fish populations. All of this decaying material has another unpleasant side effect, too-the odor of rotting algae and fish! All of these effects can turn your favorite stream or swimming hole into a stinking, green mess.
Direct access of livestock to streams and ponds can also be a problem if the streambank is not well vegetated. Not only do cattle and hogs "direct deposit" manure into the water, they can also overgraze and trample streambanks, leading to erosion problems. Trampled banks also damage fish habitat, destroying overhangs used for shelter and compacting stream bottoms that are used for spawning and feeding.
An important characteristic of phosphorus that has significant implications for water quality is its tendency to bind to soil particles. Because of this, when phosphorus is applied to fields it stays relatively immobilized and stable on land as long as the soil remains intact. However, when land suffers from erosion, soil is washed into waterways and the phosphorus attached to it is then released into the water. Once phosphorus enters the water, the algae bloom cycle begins. Because of this process, erosion and runoff are key issues that need to be addressed for good phosphorus management.
14 September 2007
Western Toads


Red-legged Frogs

I took these pictures 13 September 2007 at the Greater Vancouver Zoo husbandry. These are both Red-legged froglets. They will be released back into the wild after proven healthy and marking. For more information on Red-legged frogs, visit:
01 August 2007
Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in North America. It stands three to four feet tall and has a wing span of seven feet. The bills are a yellowish color and the legs are green. Great blue herons have gray upper bodies, and their necks are streaked with white, black and rust-brown. They have grey feathers on the back of their necks with chestnut colored feathers on their thighs. The males have a puffy plume of feathers behind their heads and also tend to be slightly larger than females. In flight, the head is held close to and aligned with the body by a downward bend in the long neck. The long legs trail behind. This bird flies with strong deliberate wing beats.
Habitat
Great blue herons always live near sources of water, including rivers, lake edges, marshes, saltwater seacoasts, and swamps. They usually nest in trees or bushes that stand near water, breeding at elevations of up to 1,500 m.
Behavior
The great blue heron migrates in the fall, although some stay in the northern part of their range. The great blue heron usually tucks its head into an S shape when its resting and flying.
Diet
The great blue heron fishes for food during the day and at night. It stands in shallow water or at waters edge and waits for prey like frogs and fish to pass by and then it grabs them with its long bill. It also eats salamanders, lizards, snakes, turtles, shrimps, crabs, crayfish, dragonflies, grasshoppers, aquatic insects and occasionally birds and small mammals like mice.
Life Cycle
The female great blue heron lays two to seven pale blue eggs on a bulky nest made of sticks and twigs and lined with a soft material. The nest is usually in a tall tree, but it may be built in the reeds or a cliff edge. They usually breed in colonies close to lakes or wetlands, often with other species of herons. These groups are called ’heronry’ (more accurately than ’rookery’). The eggs hatch in about a month and the chicks will fledge when they are about two months old. Great blue herons nest in colonies. They usually nest in the same spot from year-to-year. They may even use the same nest. Both parents feed the young by regurgitating food.
Burrowing Owl

The Burrowing owl, iccasionally called "Ground owl", is a grayish brown, round-headed owl lacking ear tufts. It has long slim legs and a short tail, and is smallish, about the size of a pigeon. The adults have a white abdomen with brown bars that are lacking on the young, which have a rusty throat instead. The Burrowing owl is active both day and night, and may be seen standing erect on the ground, though its small size and earth-colored plumage makes it difficult to spot. Burrowing owls are able to live for at least 9 years in the wild and over 10 years in captivity. Being one of the smallest owl species, Burrowing owls weigh only five or six ounces and are about 10 inches tall.
Habitat
The Burrowing owl requires treeless plains largely free of visual obstructions, such as grasslands grazed by livestock. It uses burrows abandoned by ground-dwelling mammals (e.g., badgers, gophers and prairie dogs) for nesting, roosting and caching food. Short or sparse vegetation and permanent cover are preferred around the burrows. Grasslands with thicker vegetation support the small mammals that they eat. Thus the owls need a mosaic of grass densities to successfully breed. The species is sometimes found on roadsides and crop lands and in urban areas where mowing keeps expanses of grass short.
Food
Burrowing owls mostly eat small mammals such as moles and mice during late spring and early
summer. Later they switch to insects, especially grasshoppers and beetles. They also prey on birds, amphibians and reptiles.
Behavior
Unlike most owls that only hunt at night, burrowing owls also hunt during the day. In October, they migrate to a warmer climate. Burrowing owls make a tremulous chuckling or chattering call. In summer they are active day and night.
Offspring
These owls inhabit their breeding grounds from April to September. Burrowing owls often nest in loose colonies about 100 yards apart. They lay 3 to 12 eggs in their underground nest from mid-May to early June. The female incubates the clutch for about 28 days while the male provides her with food. The young owls begin appearing at the burrows entrance two weeks after hatching and leave the nest to hunt for insects on their own after about 45 days. The chicks can fly well at 6 weeks old. Eggs and young in the nest are susceptible to predators such as snakes, badgers, skunks, foxes, cats and weasels. In addition many young starve to death
because the male is not able to deliver enough food to the nest. The family breaks up in August, when the young disperse over the prairies.
Threats
They are often killed by vehicles when crossing roads, and have many natural enemies, including badgers, coyotes, and snakes. They are also killed by feral and domestic cats and dogs.
03 July 2007
Did You Know... (Recycling)
It's hard to believe that babies- so small and innocent- are responsible for 2.5% of all residential waste going into the landfills! Yes, in Canada we throw away 1.7 billion dispoable diapers every year. And the manufacture of disposable diapers in Canada consumes approximately 65, 500 tonnes of pulp, 8,800 tonnes of plastic and 9,800 tonnes of packing material. Cloth diapers are a greener alternative. If you don't want to wash diapers, consider a diaper service.
Plastic
Plactics account for 7% of the total weight of a typical landfill. In fact, Canadians take home more than 55 million plastic bags a week! Many plastics are fully recyclable like HDPE and PET. New, interesting products are being made from empty detergent bottles, milk jugs and other plastic refuse. For example, recycled PET is used to make fabric, insulation for sleeping bags and ski jackets; clothing such as T-shirts and uniforms; furniture; luggage; and carpet. And it is used in business equipment and supplies, such as overhead transparencies, covers, briefcases, 3-ring binders, erasable wall planners, chairs, bookmarks, computer bags and business cards. Recycled HDPE is used to make irrigation pipes, garden hoses and plastic trays for greenhouse plants.
Electrical Waste
As newer and more advanced computer, phones and entertainment equipment keep arriving on the market, older models begin to pile up in landfills. More than 140,000 tonnes of computer equipment, phones, televisions, stereos and small home appliances accumulate in Canadian landfills each year. That's equivalent to the weight of about 28,000 adult African elephants!
The amount of electrical waste is becoming a growing problem for municipalities.
All of this electrical waste does more than just take up land and space- it poses a risk to human health and the environment. Lead, cadmium, mercury and other heavy metals found in electronic equipment need to be properly managed to avoid polluting land and waterways.
Land filling electronic waste is also a lost opportunity because these products normally contain recyclable aluminum, ferrous metals and copper. In 1999, it is estimated that discarded personal computers along contained 4,400 tonnes of ferrous metal, 3,050 tonnes of aluminum and 1,500 tonnes of copper. In 2004, Alberta Environment estimated that more than 190,000 televisions and 90,000 desktop computers were discarded from Alberta households.
Other Recycling Tips
Clinical Waste
- Clinical waste such as nappies, sanitary waste and medical supplies have the potential to be infectious so must be disposed of using special methods.
- Be careful when disposing of needles and syringes.
- Look for doctors or manufacturer instructions of how to dispose of medical waste on the packaging containers.
- Medicine containers can be recycled accordingly once it is empty.
- Such companies are currently implementing clinical waste treatment schemes, such as Medical Waste Solutions, LTD.
Paint or Oil
- Waste of paint, paintbrushes, car oil and oil filters have to be carefully disposed of, as they can be very damaging to the environment.
- Don't pour oil or paint down the drain.
- Donate unwanted paints and varnishes, as others can reuse them.
- Look for disposal or recycling instructions on the packaging of the product.
- Civic amenity sites often take engine oil for recycling.
- Buy products in bulk whenever possible to reduce packaging waste.
- Use eco-friendly alternatives whenever possible.
Vehicle Recycling
- Up to 80% of a vehicle can be recycled.
- Try and fix your vehicle instead of throwing it away.
- Sell unwanted vehicles.
- Report abandonded vehicles to your local council for removal.
- Engine oil can be recycled at civic amenity sites.
Wood
- Take wood to civic amenity sites for recycling.
- Wood can often be reused to make other items, such as a bird table for your garden.
- Wood can often be added to your compost bin, such as saw dust and wood shavings.
- Buy Recycled wood whenever possible.
Clothes
- Donate old clothes to charity shops or take them to a jumble sale.
- Only donate clothes that are still usable.
- Old clothes can be used to make other textile items, such as cushion covers or cleaning cloths.
- When donating shows, make sure they are tied together so they don't separate.
Electrical Equipment
- Most electrical equipment can be reused or broken down into parts.
- If the electrical equipment is still in full working order, sell it in a car boot sale or donate it to a charity shop.
- Contact your retailer as they may take back old products.
- Always try to repair items rather than throwing them away, others may find a use for the item when you no longer want it.
- Try to buy electrical items that have a long life span.
Furniture
- Donate usable furniture to charity shops, schools, community centers, friends or neighbors.
- Sell furniture at garage sales or in auctions.
- Clean and repair broken furniture before you sell/donate it.
What Can Be Recycled?
- Newsprint.
- Magazines.
- Office and computer paper.
- Juice boxes.
- Aluminum and tin cans.
- Glass bottles and jars.
- Boxboard containers (cereal and shoe boxes).
- Flattened corrugated cardboard boxes.
- Milk cartons and jugs.
- Plastic containers.
- Plastic bags.
Steel
- Recycling Steel from construction products, vehicles and mechanical equipment can save a lot of energy pollution.
- One tonne of recycled steel saves 1.4 tonnes of iron ore and 3.6 barrels of oil.
- It takes four times as much energy to make steel from virgin ore as it does to make it from scrap.
- A stell mill using recycled scrap reduces related water pollution, air pollution and mining wastes by 70%.
- Recycled steel cans are used to make new steel cans. Scrap metal can easily be recycled into a wide range of new products.
Battery Recycling
- All waste batteries are classified as hazardous waste and recycling is always the best option.
- Ordinary household batteries do contain some harzardous chemicals so ideally should not be thrown out with the day to day rubbish.
- Rechargeable batteries contain harmful metals, so should never be thrown away with daily rubbish, they should be returned to manufacturer for disposal or recycled elsewhere.
- Contact the battery manufacturer for further recycling advice.
- Ordinary batteries require a lot of energy to make, so in order to savew energy, use rechargeable batteries and electricity mains instead of ordinary batteries.
- Rechargeable batteries are the most environmentally friendly option as can last up to several hundred charging cycles resulting in less waste being produced.
Metal Recycling
- Metal is usually separated into two groups: aluminum and steel.
- You can test which metal your waste is by using a magnet. Aluminum metal is non-magnetic whereas steel is magnetic.
- There may be a symbol, such as a alu mark, on the product to indicate what metal it is made from.
- Drink cans are usually made from aluminum and food cans are usually made from steel.
- Deposit used cans at your local recycling bank.
- Make sure drink and food cans are clean before recycling.
- Aerosol containers can be recycled, but only when they are completely empty.
- Metallic plastic film, such as chocolate wrappers, cannot be recycled.
Did you know that a littered aluminum can will take 300 years to break down on its own? By recycling aluminum cans, we save landfill space as well as energy. For example, it takes 95% less energy to produce new aluminum from discarded aluminum cans than from raw materials.
Paper Recycling
- Magazines.
- Newspapers.
- Office paper.
- Cardboard.
- Phone directories.
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- Deposit used paper at your local recycling bank.
- Only recycle gummed paper if specified, such as envelopes and stickers.
- Reduce paper waste by cancelling unwanted deliveries, or read news online as opposed to buying the newspapers.
- Put a "no junk-mail please" sign on your letter box to reduce unwanted mail.
- Reuse paper around the home as scrap paper or packing material.
- Set your printer to print on both sides of the paper.
- Buy recycled paper whenever possible.
Recycling one tonne of newspaper saves: 19 trees, 3 cubic meters of landfill, 4000 kilowatt hours of energy, 29000 liters of water and 30 kg of air pollution effluent. Recycled newsprint can be made into new newspaper, kitty litter, shingles for houses, absorbent for oil spills and insulation. Products made from recycled cardboard use 25% of the energy and create half as much pollution as making them from new materials.
Composting
- Adding organic materials to compost bin.
- Micro-organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, break down the soft material.
- This causes the compost pile to heat to around 60°C. This is the ideal temperature for micro-organisms to work at.
- The compost pile then cools to below 30°C.
- Small creatures such as worms and insects then break down the tougher material.
- The whole process usually takes about 3-9 months, and results in a nutrient-rich fertilizer to use in your garden.
- The compost that is ready to use can be taken from the bottom of the pile, leaving the rest to finish the process.
How to Build a Compost Bin
- You can buy a compost bin or build your own. Compost bins are usually sold at gardening stores.
- Build a compost bin by creating a frame out of wood and attach it to the ground using posts.
- Your compost bin should be able to hold about 200-300 liters, try and use a bin with a lid to keep out the rain.
- The compost bin should be placed in a well-lit and well-drained area of the garden.
- Try and keep the compost bin out of the wind.
- Improve drainage by breaking up the soil underneath the compost bin.
What to Add to Your Compost Bin:
- Hair and fur.
- Shredded paper.
- Straw and hay.
- Animal bedding and sawdust.
- Crushed eggshells.
- Grass and plant cuttings.
- Raw fruit and vegetable trimmings.
- Teabags and coffee granules.
- Horse manure.
- Leaves.
What NOT to Add to Your Compost Bin:
- Meat or fish.
- Coal ash.
- Animal waste.
- Nappies and used tissues.
- Dairy products.
- Cooked foods.
- Colored or treated paper.
- Chemically treated wood.
- Diseased plants.
- Persistent weeds.
Glass Recycling Tips
- Deposit glass at your nearest recycling bank by throwing them into the appropriate container.
- Many supermarkets have glass recycling banks, enabling you to recycling glass on your weekly shop.
- Make sure you wash out the bottle or jar before putting it into recycling bins.
- Reuse glass whenever possible. Jars can be used as small conatiners and bottles can be used as vases.
Glass containers can be recycled again and again. However, each year in Canada, six million tonnes of glass are thrown away. A littered glass bottle will take a whopping one million years to break down! And for every tonne of new glass that needs to be produced, 12.6 kg of air pollution is created; recycling glass reduces that pollution by 14-20%. To put it in perspective, one recycled glass bottle saves enough energy to power a 100-watt light bulb for four hours!
