Latest news with #ParksAndWildlife
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Major problem behind seemingly-innocent photo of Aussie fisherman: 'Irresponsible'
At first glance, it's difficult to spot what's wrong with this photo. A man stands with his back to the camera, fishing in the shallows of a river. While it sounds innocent enough, the sight was enough to leave onlookers in disbelief. That's because the photo was taken at Shady Camp in the Northern Territory, part of the Mary River system which boasts the highest density of saltwater crocodiles in the world. 'I was absolutely dumbfounded,' witness Dave Jennings told Yahoo News. 'We first pulled up at the freshwater boat ramp, less than 100 metres away and watch a very big tail swim away.' Shortly after he spotted the man fishing from the barrage. He also watched on as a woman entered the shallows to retrieve lost lures. While most NT rivers average five crocodiles per kilometre, the Mary River is home to around 11 saltwater crocodiles per kilometre, with up to 15 per kilometre at Shady Camp. Fishing from the barrage is 'very dangerous and not recommended', the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory states, and swimming is not allowed anywhere in the Mary River National Park. Dave said there are warning signs in the area and a crocodile viewing platform that's 'there for a reason'. 'They would have to know [about the crocs] unless they live in a complete bubble,' he said. He added he was unable to approach them, as he recently snapped his achilles and is currently in a moon boot. Huge crocodiles have been known to feed on the barrage, right where the man was standing. Dave fears an attack would not only be devastating for the victim and their family, but it could also lead to dire consequences, like a culling or a shut down of the area. Croc expert Damian 'Wildman' Duffy told Yahoo the behaviour is "incredibly irresponsible". "They can't say they didn't know. There are signs everywhere and it's well known that the Mary River, especially Shady Camp, has a very healthy population of saltwater crocodiles," he said. "Croc attacks are rare, and fatalities even rarer (one to two a year), however due to poor human behaviour and complacency, attacks and fatalities are inevitable." Duffy added that people are seen flouting the rules too frequently, and believes more public education is needed. "Crocodiles should not be killed or even removed from the wild in these instances. Removing crocodiles from the wild does nothing to increase public safety," he said. In September, Duffy spotted another fisherman wading in the waters at Shady Camp but his concerns fell on deaf ears after approaching the man. He said he confronted the man nicely about the dangers of being near the edge of the water, but was dismissed. 'If one of these animals attempts to have a go at you, you're going to get killed in front of your missus and kid. And he was like, 'yeah mate, righto, righto'. 'You can't fix stupid.' In another shocking example, charter fisherman Jeff Roscoe previously told Yahoo News he regularly sees people putting themselves and their children in danger. 'There's a crocodile viewing platform there, there's massive big signs but yet people still do it,' he said. 'We'll pull up at the Shady Camp boat ramp and there'll be people standing in the water up to their knees with their kids, every day. Every day. 'I've been abused… people just don't really care. They just think it's not going to happen to them. And it will. Eventually it will.' Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fisherman's wild act at Aussie river leaves witnesses stunned: 'Absolutely dumbfounded'
At first glance, it's difficult to spot what's wrong with this photo. A man stands with his back to the camera, fishing in the shallows of a river. While it sounds innocent enough, the sight was enough to leave onlookers in disbelief. That's because the photo was taken at Shady Camp in the Northern Territory, part of the Mary River system which boasts the highest density of saltwater crocodiles in the world. 'I was absolutely dumbfounded,' witness Dave Jennings told Yahoo News. 'We first pulled up at the freshwater boat ramp, less than 100 metres away and watch a very big tail swim away.' Shortly after he spotted the man fishing from the barrage. He also watched on as a woman entered the shallows to retrieve lost lures. While most NT rivers average five crocodiles per kilometre, the Mary River is home to around 11 saltwater crocodiles per kilometre, with up to 15 per kilometre at Shady Camp. Fishing from the barrage is 'very dangerous and not recommended', the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory states, and swimming is not allowed anywhere in the Mary River National Park. Dave said there are warning signs in the area and a crocodile viewing platform that's 'there for a reason'. 'They would have to know [about the crocs] unless they live in a complete bubble,' he said. He added he was unable to approach them, as he recently snapped his achilles and is currently in a moon boot. Huge crocodiles have been known to feed on the barrage, right where the man was standing. Dave fears an attack would not only be devastating for the victim and their family, but it could also lead to dire consequences, like a culling or a shut down of the area. Unfortunately, Dave isn't the first to spot the risky activity down at Shady Camp. Charter fisherman Jeff Roscoe previously told Yahoo News he regularly sees people putting themselves and their children in danger. 'There's a crocodile viewing platform there, there's massive big signs but yet people still do it,' he said. 'We'll pull up at the Shady Camp boat ramp and there'll be people standing in the water up to their knees with their kids, every day. Every day. 'I've been abused… people just don't really care. They just think it's not going to happen to them. And it will. Eventually it will.' In September, nature expert and tour guide Damian 'Wildman' Duffy spotted another fisherman wading in the waters at Shady Camp. 'There's a fella down there with his missus and kid, and not only is he standing right on the water's edge, every now and then he's walking into the water," he said. 'If your feet are in the water, and one of them has a go at you, you're going to die!' He said he confronted the man nicely about the dangers of being near the edge of the water, but was dismissed. 'If one of these animals attempts to have a go at you, you're going to get killed in front of your missus and kid. And he was like, 'yeah mate, righto, righto'. 'You can't fix stupid.' Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Outdoor equity grant helps Colorado nonprofit that gives children of color a chance to enjoy the outdoors
Jessica Newton knows what it's like to be the only person of color in the outdoors. "I was the only chocolate person on the trails, and my daughter and I used to go out with her friends, and we'd never we never saw anyone that looked like us," said Newton. "Everyone deserves to be in the outdoors." That's why she started Vibe Tribe. It's a nonprofit whose sole focus is teaching young people of color and LGBTQ kids how to get outside and provides them with the opportunity to experience it firsthand. "It really allows for us to drive hundreds of kids into the outdoors, providing education, providing a safe place to explore and opportunities to do to be a kid and to be in the outdoors again," said Newton. But she had some help. For three years now Vibe Tribe has received an Outdoor Equity Grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. It's a program that funds organizations and projects that improve access, representation, meaningful participation, and quality experiences for youth and their families in the Colorado outdoors. Jessica says Vibe Tribe has put the money they received to good use. "We hire staff, we have to have culturally related staff to be able to relate to our youth. Right? So we want them if they're Spanish speaking, we provide adventure guides that are bilingual," said Newton. "We provide gear and equipment for our youth. That way they don't have to worry about backpacks. They don't have to worry about science kits. They don't have to worry about trekking poles. They don't have to worry about boots." She isn't the only one that thinks that. Vibe Tribe was awarded the 2024 Starburst Award from the Colorado Lottery for how the spent the money they received. Jessica says the money and the programs her nonprofit have been able to provide for the community are changing lives for Colorado kids. "It helps them graduate. It helps them explore into career opportunities that are in the outdoors as well," said Newton. If you're a group that's interested in applying for one of those grants the deadline to submit an interest form is June 2, 2025.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Why Colorado Parks and Wildlife wants you to report sightings of this bird
DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife is looking for more of an endangered bird, known as the plains sharp-tailed grouse, and they want the public's help. These birds live in Alaska and east to Hudson Bay and south to Utah. CPW said they're also relatively common in Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and as far east as Michigan. The birds live in Colorado as well, but the population is very small in the state. Video: Man finds approx. 8-foot snake hiding in his Boulder office The small population in Colorado classified the birds as a state-endangered bird, and now, CPW is looking for more to help them collect data. One user on Reddit posted a photo of the CPW sign, which they said was hung up at Roxborough. The sign reads, 'Release Report Sightings of This Bird.' 'Hikers and other park users are often the best eyes and ears for species we want to track. We're asking anyone who spots this bird to please let us know as it helps us collect data on the Plains Sharp-Tailed Grouse,' said a CPW spokesperson. Call Your Mother bagel shop opening deli truck in Denver These birds are differentiated from chickens by their overall brown and white appearance, pointed tail and brown Vs on the breast, according to CPW. The males also have purple air sacs on their necks during the breeding season. The birds are found in Colorado's eastern grasslands, and CPW said they're known to be primarily in northern and central Weld County, with small numbers in northern Logan and Sedgwick counties. Right now, they're found almost exclusively in Colorado at the Conservation Reserve Program grasslands. The poster said pictures and videos would be helpful as well, and anyone who spots one can report it to a local CPW flyer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
