Rocky Mountain National Park Saturday Evening Programs Continue

Date: May 18, 2011
Contact: Kyle Patterson, [phone]

Saturday, May 21, 7:00 p.m. Science Behind the Scenery: Bears! 

Black Bears call Rocky Mountain National Park home. Only the black bear is known to exist in the park and because they avoid humans, they are not often seen. Their northern cousin, the grizzly bear is no longer found in Colorado.

Bears travel to different areas of their home range as snow recedes, plants sprout, and berries ripen. Black bears are excellent tree climbers. They are fast-moving and can easily outrun the quickest human. Because they have a wide range, many wander through neighborhoods and people's back yards; sometimes looking for garbage, pet food, seeds from bird feeders or other treats which can cause conflict with humans.  Our behavior may have life or death consequences for the park's bear population.

Rocky Mountain National Park is hosting the premier showing of Science Behind The Scenery: Bears produced by the park's Continental Divide and Research Center staff and filmed in cooperation with Nick Molle Productions. Following the video, bear experts will be on hand including park biologist, Mary Kay Watry along with volunteers from the Colorado Division of Wildlife "Bear Aware" program. These experts have many years of knowledge and experience to share on how to coexist in bear habitat and how to avoid conflict with bears.

Saturday, May 28, 7:00 p.m. Investigating Long-term Demographic Trends of White-tailed Ptarmigan in Colorado

In 1966, the Colorado Division of Wildlife began studying populations of white-tailed ptarmigan in Colorado. Populations are still being monitored, including one at Rocky Mountain National Park along Trail Ridge Road. This represents the longest ongoing research study of white-tailed ptarmigan in North America and provides insight into population levels of the species over several decades.

This presentation by Greg Wann will provide information on the natural history of white-tailed ptarmigan in Colorado, trends that have occurred, and findings from recent research investigating the impacts of climate on population demography.

Greg is a graduate student at Colorado State University in the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory. He has worked with many different grouse species including rock ptarmigan in Alaska, and Gunnison sage-grouse and greater sage-grouse in Colorado and Wyoming. Greg was the 2010 recipient of the Rocky Mountain Research Fellowship.

The Rocky Mountain Research Fellowship is an endowed program funded by the Justine and Leslie Fidel Bailey Trust and administered by the non-profit organization Rocky Mountain Nature Association in cooperation with the National Park Service. It is designed to encourage highly qualified graduate students to apply their talents to conduct research in Rocky. It is also intended to convey the importance of communicating park research to the public.

Saturday, June 4, 7:00 p.m. – Rocky Mountain Ranger

Thrilling mountain rescues, dangerous skirmishes with poachers, ski patrols high above treeline, looking death squarely in the eyes … it's just another day at the office for Bob Flame, fictional Rocky Mountain National Park ranger.

Join Pat Washburn, author Dorr Yeager's daughter, as she speaks about "Ranger Bob Flame" and about her father's real adventures as a ranger in Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone National Parks.

Programs are free and open to the public. They are held at 7:00 p.m. at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center auditorium in Rocky Mountain National Park. For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park please call [phone].