ALMOST to the 10,000 observations milestone!

Get outside! The State Parks NatureFinder Project is very close to reaching 2,000 unique species observations and 10,000 total observations observed in Colorado State Parks! Grab a friend or head out to a Park and make a friend and let’s try to reach those milestones! Just a few helpful hints and reminders to help on your explorations:

Be safe! Don’t get to close to wildlife and be aware of wildlife, plants, or fungi that might bite, sting, or be poisonous. Use binoculars or a spotting scope to get a better view of larger wildlife and birds that might get startled and leave if you get too close. Wear appropriate shoes and clothes and don’t forget that hat, sunscreen, and water bottle!

Have fun! Look for a new species you don’t recognize and try to identify it using the iNaturalist app. And remember, if you cannot identify something, it is still worth posting to the group and other naturalists can help you identify your find!

Tips for good photos: When photographing plants, take pictures of leaves, stems or trunks, and any fruits or flowers to help you identify the correct species. Use your hand or a shoe for size reference and placing your hand behind the leaf, flower, or fruit can help focus the photograph better. When you spot an animal, take a picture from a distance and as you slowly move closer continue to take photos with greater detail. This will allow you to at least get a photo(s) in case the animal leaves and also capture the habitat you spotted the animal in!

Thank you to all our veteran naturalists and welcome to our newest members! We really would not be able to capture all data we use for population and park management without your help. Keep up the amazing work and have fun in our State Parks!

-Resource Stewardship Team
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Posted on August 17, 2018 01:48 PM by coparksandwildlife