@nationalparkservice

🦡🦡🦡 🍄🍄 🐍 ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 🦡 Badgers are related to weasels, ferrets, otters, and wolverines.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 🦡 They live in underground burrow systems called "setts." On average, about six badgers live in one sett and they split the utilities. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 🦡 They do not like to be touched. No touching. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 🦡 Honey badger don’t care...that it’s not considered a “true" badger. It is a fellow mustelid, but it’s more closely related to weasels. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ 🦡 Badgers are in Hufflepuff.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 🦡 The badger can run up to 19 mph for a short period of time. I can run in short bursts too. ⁣⁣⁣ Image: Badger family emerging from the opening of its den at @badlandsnps. Photo by Glenda Mueller (sharetheexperience.org)⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ #badlandsnationalpark #southdakota #badgerbadgerbadger #hufflepuffpride

“SO BASICALLY, IF YOU SEE BEARS ONLY EATING THE SKIN, BRAINS, AND EGGS OF A SALMON, THEY ARE PRACTICING GOOD ENERGY ECONOMICS. AT THESE TIMES, A BEAR’S PROFIT MARGIN IN CALORIES IS SO HIGH THAT IT CAN IGNORE SOME EXCESS FISH. AS A BEAR FILLS UP ON SALMON, IT CAN “AFFORD” TO NOT EAT CERTAIN PARTS OF THE FISH. THIS BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN NICKNAMED “HIGH-GRADING.” SALMON ARE A HIGH CALORIE MEAL FOR A BEAR. A SOCKEYE SALMON CONTAINS ABOUT 4500 CALORIES, BUT THE FATTIEST PARTS OF THE FISH CONTAIN THE MOST CALORIES PROPORTIONALLY.” Image: Two bears having a chat in the water at Katmai National Park & Preserve. NPS/N. Boak #gonefishing #salmonrecipe #bearlife #alaskalife

Labor Day is a time to commemorate the achievements of the U.S. worker. Every national park has a labor history to tell. This includes the work completed to create and sustain parks over time. Just south of #Chicago, the Pullman District was one of the first and most famous company towns in the U.S. Developed by the Pullman Company, a major manufacturer and operator of railroad cars in the 19th century, the area was also the site of the Pullman Strike of 1894 — a watershed event that foreshadowed the labor and Civil Rights movements of the coming century. In 2015, the district was preserved as Pullman National Monument. Upper Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula was the site of one of the most abundant deposits of pure, elemental copper in the world. In the 19th century, Americans and immigrants flocked here to fulfill the American Dream and improve their own lives. They developed a complex system of mining, processing, smelting, and transporting copper, which supported America's rapid industrialization. The thousands of people from around the world who sought success and the large corporate mining companies eager to make a profit together transformed the Keweenaw Peninsula, forever changing its landscape and cultural makeup. Today, Keweenaw National Historical Park, at its Calumet and Quincy units, preserves and interprets the varied elements of the copper mining industry and tells the stories of the diverse people who settled the area and worked the mines. Find more stories on labor history at: nps.gov Image 1: Historic administration/clock tower at @pullnps Image 2: View of shaft house seen through brick arch at @keweenawnps #LaborDay #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #parks #history

“I'm just a baby” 🐊 Check out these young gators! Hatching typically occurs from mid-August through early-September following an incubation period of approximately 60 days. A baby alligator will grow up to be a very important part of the @Evergladesnps ecosystem. Alligators are generalist predators that eat a wide variety of prey, keeping many species in balance. The holes they dig during the dry season provide critical shelter for other wildlife. Nest mounds built by females during the wet season provide a place for other animals to lay their eggs, as well as a propogation site for young plants. Commonly used gator trails often form sloughs, deeper channels of water that provide aquatic animals space and shelter. If you happen upon a pod of hatchlings while visiting the park, remember to keep your distance (no less than 15 feet). Remember, momma is always nearby and ready to defend young ones when prompted by their calls! Image: A few young alligators rest on some vegetation. NPS/ Andres Del Rio #Everglades75th #Everglades #EvergladesNationalPark #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #gators

Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike! What day is it Mike?! It’s Hump day! 🐪 Riding a camel isn’t as difficult as they say—once you get over the first hump, the rest is pretty easy. Well, we know some folks who might disagree. In 1857, Lt. Edward F. Beale was instructed by the federal government to build a wagon road from Fort Defiance, AZ to the Colorado River. While on the journey, he would test the use of camels as pack animals in the desert Southwest. The Americans soon found that riding and packing camels was nothing like utilizing horses and mules. Camel handlers accompanying the expedition taught the Americans the ropes and helped them see the value of the camels. The expedition found that the camels “were capable of packing one thousand pounds apiece and of traveling with their load from thirty to forty miles per day all the while finding their own feed over an almost barren country.” As they made their way to Fort Defiance, the unique expedition made a stop at what would become El Morro National Monument, leaving their mark on the rocky face. Ultimately, the camel experiment (watch out! They spit!) fizzled out, but this unique chapter of history lives on at El Morro. Join El Morro National Monument, located in western New Mexico, in commemorating the US Army Camel Corps on September 10th and 11th. The weekend will be filled with special programming, living history, and live camels! For more information, visit nps.gov/elmo Image: Visitors standing next to a live camel wearing a Kepi style hat. #HumpDay #CamelCorps #elmorro #newmexico #camel

Mondays can be un-bear-able! Hey! You got this! Don’t forget to be your best yourself, or something like that. It’s Monday. Check back with us tomorrow. For your educational moment, did you know bear cubs stay with their mothers for 2-3 years before venturing out on their own to find a job and a moderately priced den for rent? During that time, they learn important survival skills such as fishing, hunting, doing their taxes, clamming, foraging for berries, and sedge munching. Help keep this coastline wild by respecting a bear’s food sources. Do not monopolize feeding sites, or displace bears from the sedge meadows, clam beds, and prime fishing holes. Image: A bear at Lake Clark National Park & Preserve with its head covered by paws, most likely after finding out there are more forms to complete. NPS / A. Jones #mondaymotivation #mondaythoughts #lakeclarknationalpark #nationalparklife @lakeclarknps

Hike in groups. Bears like to have options. Don’t we all? Let’s begin. Your safety is your responsibility while hiking in national parks. Planning is an important step in being prepared and ready for any adventure. If you are going to the backcountry, know how to be self sufficient in case you encounter an unexpected hazard or an emergency occurs. It’s generally safer to hike with a companion, but if you prefer to go solo, take a few extra measures, like leaving a trip plan with a trusted friend or family member. Got roped into hiking with a group because this is the year you become one with nature? (Son of a biscuit. Another spider web? Where’s the car?) Rule number one, stick together! You can talk about this rule. It may be tempting to rush ahead or tell the rest of your group “good luck,” sorry, we meant, “you'll catch up,” but for the safety of everyone be sure to stay close and keep your fellow hikers in sight and in communication. If you are hiking in bear country, making noise on a trail can alert a bear to your presence before you have the chance to surprise it. Talk to your partners (you don’t have to go too deep, Carol) and occasionally sing loudly. Yell “hello!” You can add in “it's me…I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet,” or just go with “whoop! whoop!” (You can throw in the classic, “can I get a whoop whoop if you’re feelin’ extra), and don’t forget to clap your hands loudly, (doesn’t even have to be on a beat or in sync) to let any bears know you're going bye, bye, bye. In conclusion, have fun, be safe, and hike smart. Image: A hiker on a trail under towering trees at @redwoodnps. NPS/A.Gran #hikesmart #redwoodnationalpark #californiaadventure #treescollection #traillife

“I am the walrus! Goo goo g' joob” Is it Goo goo g joob or Coo Coo Ca Choo? Oh, we’ll, we will walrus love you! The walrus spends almost its entire life in the sea, primarily relying on sea ice for resting spots. Several adaptations help them with this aquatic lifestyle. Air pouches located in their upper necks keep them afloat when they are sleeping. Vibrissae, commonly known as whiskers, grow under their nose and are used to feel for food in the dark depths of the ocean. Image: Group of walrus showing off their long tusks at @beringlandbridgenps #walrus #alaskalife #sealife #iamthewalrus #upclose #naturelovers

Do as the bison do and let the sprinkles fall where they may. Magical. 🎉 P.S. Never pick up or shake a real bison. (Just want to have that on record.) #NPSBirthday #BisonCookies #cookies #birthdayvibes Video: Bison shaped cookie filled with sprinkles. /Roulett

On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act creating the National Park Service "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." Has a visit to a national park inspired you? What’s the last national park you visited? #FindYourPark #NPSBirthday #birthdayvibes🎉 #nationalparks

Remember when dinosaurs worked the entrance station? The National Park Service remembers. Seems like only 65 million years ago. Anyway, welcome to the park! Hold onto your bu…bu…brochures! As you can see in the picture, this post is actually about traveling with pets. See the sign? To the left of the dinosaur handing out brochures. Watch your fingers! Pets are welcome to visit parks as long as you follow a few rules and regulations. Always check park websites or ask a ranger upon arrival about traveling with pets. Some things to keep in mind to keep you and your pet safe: 🐶 All pets must be on a maximum 6-foot leash or physically restrained at all times. Pets may not be left unattended or tied to an object. 🐶 That is one big pile of 💩All solid pet waste must be promptly collected and thrown away. No trash can available? Well you just got yourself a souvenir. Pack it in, pack it out is what we always say. 🐶 Don’t leave pets inside a closed vehicle for even short periods of time, especially in the summer. (Or next to any dinosaur paddock.) Keep completely still. Wait, you have Dino paddocks? Of course not, haha. 😉 🐶Pets are not permitted on trails other than those open for pets. You may walk leashed pets within developed areas such as roads, parking lots, campgrounds, day-use areas, or boat launches. 🐶 We understand that pets are members of the family, and you want to travel with them on vacation. Unfortunately, pets and wild areas can sometimes result in a dangerous mix. (There’s more wildlife out there beyond the terrible lizards. 🦖) Help keep pets safe and follow park regulations. Image: A large Allosaurus, with a park brochure in its mouth, eats, sorry greets visitors pulling up to entrance station.

A day may come when I no longer procrastinate, but it’s not this day. Maybe tomorrow? Looks a bit hazy. Do you put the “pro” in procrastinate? That’s ok. As long as you do it tomorrow, right? Perhaps you just need something more exciting to focus on, like planning your next park trip? No? Well, we tried. If you are interested, check out nps.gov to find a park near you to get outside and explore! We also offer travel tips and resources to make sure your trip is fun, safe, and enjoyable. That’s the goal, anyway. Is anyone currently planning a park trip? Where ya going? You can tell us later too. Image: Two bear cubs, one labeled “me,” the other labeled “something I’ve been putting off for weeks that wouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to complete,” running down a trail. NPS/A.Ramos