Porcupine BioBlitz at Devils Tower National Monument

Porcupine in a tree

NPS/University of Wyoming

News Release Date: April 19, 2016

Contact: Nancy Stimson, [phone]

Centennial Celebration of the National Park Service

National Parks BioBlitz –Devils Tower

Porcupine, At the Center of It All

Devils Tower, WY –

In celebration of the centennial anniversary of the National Park Service, Devils Tower National Monument will host a Porcupine BioBlitz onSaturday, April 30at the park Visitor Center. National Parks BioBlitzes provide opportunities for citizen scientists of all ages to connect with living organisms in their natural environment, through activities and demonstrations. Citizen scientistswill use radio telemetry equipment alongside scientists from the University of Wyoming to track and locate some of the porcupines that make their home in Devils Tower National Monument. There will be two opportunities to track porcupines onApril 30.

• 9:00am - 9:45 am -Program on porcupines –meet at the Devils Tower Visitor Center
• 
  
• 9:45 am- 10:00 am -Q&A with Wyoming Natural Diversity Database scientists
• 
  
• 10:00 am -12:00 noon -Porcupine Hikes -- meet at Devils Tower Visitor Center. Bring good hiking shoes, a backpack and a container for drinking water.

Hike Option 1: Porcupine Evidence:  Join a park ranger for a guided walk on the paved Tower Trail to discover tree scars, scat, tracks, and other evidence of porcupines.

Hike Option 2: Porcupine Tracking: Radio telemetry. Citizen scientists will accompany Wyoming Natural Diversity Database scientists and park biologists, and use radio telemetry equipment to track and locate porcupine. Porcupines could be in steep and difficult terrain, far from roads and trails. 

• LUNCH - On your own
• 
  
• 1:00 pm-- 1:45 pm -Program on porcupines at the Devils Tower Visitor Center
• 
  
• 1:45 pm - 2:00 pm -Q&A with Wyoming Natural Diversity Database scientists 
• 
  
• 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm -Porcupine Hikes -- meet at the Devils Tower Visitor Center.Bring good hiking shoes, a backpack and a container for drinking water.

Hike Option 1: Porcupine Evidence:  Join a park ranger for a guided walk on the Tower Trail to discover tree scars, scat, tracks, and other evidence of porcupines.

Hike Option 2: Porcupine Tracking: Radio telemetry. Citizen scientists will accompany Wyoming Natural Diversity Database scientists and park biologists, and use radio telemetry equipment to track and locate porcupine. Porcupines could be in steep and difficult terrain, far from roads and trails.

The hands-on activities and demonstrations will compile a "snapshot" of biodiversity information which will help protect porcupine habitats in all seasons.

With increasing global threats, national park sites such as Devils Tower are becoming critical reserves of biodiversity. Helping track and record porcupine habitat will ensure the preservation of these living resources.

To learn more about Devils Tower National Monument visitwww.nps.gov/detoorwww.facebook.com/Devils-Tower-National-Monument-Official-NPS-Siteortwitter.com@DevilsTowerNMor Instagram at #devilstowernps

www.nps.gov

About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 409 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.