Latest news with #NationalParkService
Daily Record
an hour ago
- General
- Daily Record
People left 'scared' after struggling to spot wild animal hiding in the forest
A photo of a mountainous forest area was shared on Reddit as users were asked to spot the large wild animal hiding within the snap - but some struggled to see it which made them 'terrified' When you're out exploring the countryside or going on a hike, it's important to be aware of what wildlife might be lurking in the area, especially if there's anything that could pose a threat. Mountain lions, also known as cougars, is a large small wild cat native to the North, Central, and South America. While some claim to have spotted similar big cats, including pumas, out in the wild, there's no credible evidence to suggest they are established in the wild. Despite this, it's still important to be on the lookout for any type of dangerous animal when you're walking in nature. The National Park Service states that mountain lions are seldom encountered by people, even when trekking along isolated paths, as attacks on humans are "incredibly rare," the Mountain Lion Foundation confirms. Nevertheless, it's still handy to know when to keep your eyes peeled for them, given their exceptional ability to blend into their surroundings. On Reddit, one user posted to the SpotTheSniper subreddit, sharing a picture of a mountainous woodland scene where the rear end of an unidentified, substantial creature can be spotted in the bottom left of the image. However, there's apparently a second animal also concealed somewhere within the photograph. "Find the Mountain Lion," they captioned the post alongside a picture where an animal appeared to be camouflaged within the scenery. Users quickly flocked to the comments section to offer their theories, though some admitted the image made them appreciate just how terrifying mountain lions can be. "It's pictures like these that remind me if I lived in mountain lion country, I'd be some big cat's dinner," one person commented. In response to this, another individual said: "I did for a while and the expression was if you see one it's too late." Where is the mountain lion hiding? Yet, some sharp-eyed individuals have succeeded in spotting the mountain lion within the image, noticing its gaze fixed on the animal depicted, with its entire face in clear view – if you know just where to cast your eyes... "By the base of the tree on the right side of the picture. He's above the big rock by the deer's(?) butt," someone helpfully indicated, sparking a debate over whether the creature in question was a deer, an elk, or even a donkey. Another user chimed in: "Found big kitty by the tree on the right follow it down to the left side of tree's branches." A third commenter, familiar with the presence of Mountain Lions, expressed their unease: "Having lived in an area where Mountain Lions are not unheard of, that has to be one of the most frightening sentences to hear(read)."
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
People left baffled after struggling to find wild animal hiding in forest
People have been left baffled and 'horrified' after failing to spot a wild animal lurking in the forest within the photo. So do you think you've got what it takes? If you're walking around in nature, it's important to have some knowledge in what kind of animals may be found in the area, especially if there's something you should be cautious about. Mountain lions, also known as cougars, is a large small wild cat native to the North, Central, and South America. While some claim to have spotted similar big cats, including pumas, out in the wild, there's no credible evidence to suggest they are established in the wild. Despite this, it's still important to be on the lookout for any type of dangerous animal when you're walking in nature. According to the National Park Service, mountains lions are rarely spotted by humans, even if you're walking on a remote trail, as mountain lion attacks on humans are 'incredibly rare,' according to the Mountain Lion Foundation. Despite this, it can still be useful to know when to be on the lookout for them, as they can be masters at camouflaging. Taking to Reddit, one user took to the SpotTheSniper subreddit to share a photo of a mountainous forest area, where the back of an unknown, large animal can be seen in the bottom left corner of the photo. But apparently, there's a second animal also hiding somewhere within the photo. "Find the Mountain Lion," they wrote on the post as the shared a photo where a mountain lion was seemingly hiding within. People soon took to the comments to share their guesses, but some also said the photo made them realise just how scary mountain lions can be. "It's pictures like these that remind me if I lived in mountain lion country, I'd be some big cat's dinner," one person wrote. To this, another person said: "I did for a while and the expression was if you see one it's too late." Where is the mountain lion hiding? However, some eagle-eyed users managed to spot the mountain lion in the photo, as they spotted it looking at the animal in the photo, as its whole face was visible. So long as you know where to look... "By the base of the tree on the right side of the picture. He's above the big rock by the deer's(?) butt," one person pointed out, which started a discussion about whether the animal in the photo was a deer, and elk, or a donkey. Another person said: "Found big kitty by the tree on the right follow it down to the left side of tree's branches." "Having lived in an area where Mountain Lions are not unheard of, that has to be one of the most frightening sentences to hear(read)," a third user wrote.
Los Angeles Times
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Trump ordered purge of ‘unpatriotic' signage from national parks. How one California spot complied
Four years ago, National Park Service employees seeking to provide a more robust look at the history of Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County began the 'History Under Construction' exhibit. The concept of the work was to expand an existing sign featuring a timeline detailing the preservation of Muir Woods. Employees placed caution tape on the sign within Founder's Grove and used yellow sticky notes to add facts and dates that were missing from the original timeline. Among the information added were the efforts of Indigenous people who originally maintained the land, as well as the role of women in creating the national monument. A letter on the plaque assured passersby that 'everything on this sign is accurate, but incomplete. The facts are not under construction, but the way we tell history is.' But, as of this month, the yellow notes are no more. The expanded exhibit became the first in the nation to be altered following an executive order by President Trump in March to rid park signage of any language he would deem unpatriotic. The president's aim was to restore federal sites that he said had been changed since 2020 to perpetuate a 'false reconstruction of American history' including 'improper partisan ideology.' The Muir Woods change was first reported by SF Gate. Elizabeth Villano, a former park ranger who helped create the new version of the sign, criticized the move, writing in a post on Medium that the Trump administration 'is actively censoring American history from the public.' She said the goal of the project was to make sure nothing on the original sign was erased, but to add details so people could see the difference in how history was told and how it could be expanded to include more voices. 'We wanted to tell the true story of the woods in a way that helped people learn from the past, and apply those lessons towards a brighter future,' she wrote. 'Despite this care not to erase history, here I am, watching history be erased.' A spokesperson for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes Muir Woods, could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday. Before the notes were added in 2021, the first date included in the sign's timeline, called 'Path to Preservation,' was the establishment of the first national park in the United States, Yellowstone, in 1872. The next was 1892 when the Sierra Club was founded in San Francisco with John Muir as the first president. But staff at the time found that some key information was missing from the timeline, namely the work of the Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo people who tended to the land before Europeans arrived in North America. They also included the first campaign to save the region launched by a women's club in 1904. Of course, not all the information added to the timeline was positive. Staff detailed Spanish missionaries exploiting the work of Indigenous people in the Bay Area to build California missions and congressional actions stripping Coast Miwok people of title to their ancestral lands, including Muir Woods. The revised timeline didn't shy away from pointing out the complex legacies of key figures who helped spearhead the creation of the national monument. It noted that John Muir referred to Indigenous people using racist language in his diary, which was published years before his death, and pointed out William Kent's vote in Congress to prevent non-citizens from owning or leasing land. The rangers didn't cast blame for the omissions, saying that the expanded narratives were reflective of increasing diversity among park service employees in the years since the timeline was first unveiled. 'From redwood conservation to the legacy of the country's founders, American stories are enriched by complexity, dimension, and challenge. It's not our job to judge these stories or promote a singular narrative. As national park rangers, it is our mandate to tell complete stories that reflect who we are as a society. And as Americans, it's important that we hear them,' according to a National Park Service post about the changes. Trump's executive order directed the Department of the Interior to identify any public monuments, memorials, statues or markers that had been removed or changed since 2020 to 'perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history,' minimize the value of historical events or figures or include 'improper partisan ideology' and to reinstate prior monuments. The order also directed officials to ensure that monuments do not contain content that disparages Americans. Instead, the monuments should focus on 'the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people or, with respect to natural features, the beauty, abundance, and grandeur of the American landscape,' the order states. Critics have said Trump's directive demands a rose-colored view of more complex events that make up American history. Villano, the former park ranger, wrote in the Medium essay that it's disparaging to Americans to take away people's ability to think critically and have a better understanding of history. 'Why doesn't the White House want you to see a more complete version of history? Maybe it's because, when we see ourselves in history, we realize that we can reshape it,' she wrote. 'For a government like this, that must feel like a threat. It doesn't benefit people in power to understand that anyone can be a part of history.'
Axios
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Axios
Independence Park exhibit and displays flagged over Trump order
The Trump administration is reviewing several items at Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park as part of a nationwide effort to fight "corrosive ideology" at national parks, the New York Times reports. The big picture: The move follows the president's order from March, which called for the restoration of federal parks, public monuments, statues and the like that have been changed or removed since 2020 "to perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history." Park staff had until last week to flag such displays or materials, per internal documents reviewed by the NYT. The public could also offer feedback through July 18. State of play: At Independence Park, employees marked the following exhibits to be reviewed, per the NYT: A panel at the Liberty Bell that describes the bell's travels across the country during the late 1800s, which employees noted addresses racism and sexism at the time. The President's House outdoor exhibit itself, which highlights nine of Washington's slaves and includes descriptions of brutality against slaves. And displays addressing the federal government's strained relationship with Native American tribes. Meanwhile, Independence Park received fewer than 20 comments through public submissions, U.S. Department of the Interior spokesperson Alyse Sharpe tells Axios. All public feedback will be reviewed and evaluated before being referred to a subject-matter expert, she added. The White House and the National Park Service didn't immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment. Catch up quick: Trump has called for focusing on the greatness of the achievements of the American people or grandeur of the landscape, per his March order. He also directed the secretary of the interior to make sure federal monuments, markers and sites don't "inappropriately disparage Americans past or living." Zoom out: National Park Service employees from across the U.S. have also submitted content and displays at their parks and historic sites stemming from Trump's order, the NYT reports. Those sites include the National Mall in Washington, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. What they're saying:"This effort reinforces our commitment to telling the full and accurate story of our nation's past," Sharpe said. The other side: Philly preservationist Faye Anderson, a founder of PHL Watchdog, worries that any attempts to alter or remove materials at Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were signed) could "erase Black history and whitewash American history." "In Philadelphia in particular, you cannot tell the story of America without telling the story of slavery," she tells Axios. "Our history is complicated and messy." What's next: The deadline to remove all "inappropriate" content from parks is Sept. 17, per the NYT.
Fox News
a day ago
- Fox News
Police officials host 'bear drills' following string of bear attacks
A string of bear attacks have spread across towns in Japan, prompting officials to host practice drills. Last month, a bear attacked a man in his 70s near an elementary school in Nasushiobara City, Japan's public media organization NHK reported. The nearly five-foot bear wounded the man's neck and head, leaving non-threatening wounds. Another attack took place in Morioka City with a bear attacking an 81-year-old man's head, according to NHK. A school in Aibetsu, Hokkaido, canceled its outdoor classes over what appeared to be bear footprints spotted in the school yard. The events have sparked police in Tochigi Prefecture to partner with a local hunters club to conduct "bear drills," according to The Associated Press (AP). In the drills, a man is seen wearing a bear costume as he runs and chases police armed with shields and helmets. The drill included medical response training following the simulation. The National Park Service (NPS) shares guidelines with park visitors on its website on best practices in a bear encounter. "Identify yourself by talking calmly so the bear knows you are a human and not a prey animal," says the NPS site. "Remain still; stand your ground but slowly wave your arms." If a bear stands up, NPS reminds visitors that "a standing bear is usually curious, not threatening." Park visitors should not allow the bear to access their food. Visitors should not run from the bear — nor should they climb a tree. "Leave the area or take a detour. If this is impossible, wait until the bear moves away. Always leave the bear an escape route," NPS says on its site. The Associated Press contributed reporting.
