POV: You're standing amongst the sequoia trees watching a winter sunrise. Life is good.

Photo at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, by Jelieta Walinski (sharetheexperience.org).

Photo description: Tall snowy trees stretch up towards a twilight-colored sky.

Awwwww-ters!

One of nature’s most social and playful creatures, river otters have big personalities and even bigger appetites. Otters most often eat fish, frogs and crawfish, but will also consume worms, insects, mice, bird eggs, nestlings, crabs, and more.  

Often seen in groups, or romps, they can be observed hunting and frolicking year-round at Grand Teton National Park. Most of the year, they are active at night, dawn or dusk but they become more diurnal during the winter. Observing them is a rare treat.

Photo by Joel Brown (sharetheexperience.org). Photo description: Three otters walk along the edge of a snowy lake.

Please take a paws to thank and appreciate all our Interior law enforcement personnel (even the furry ones) who help protect our public lands and wildlife.

We are grateful for your service and your dedicated professionalism. Thank you. #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay

Photo of K-9 high fives at Pinnacles National Park, by NPS. Photo description: A German shepherd dog and a park ranger in a uniform give each other a high five.

Got any new year’s resolutions for 2022?  

🌄Watch more sunrises?   🌲Get outdoors more?   🥬Eat more kale?  

We highly recommend that first and second option. Photo of Olympic National Park by John Donofrio (sharetheexperience.org). Photo description: Several large pointy rocks, some with trees growing on them, sit in the ocean just on the edge of a beach at sunset.

We know this coyote at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in Texas doesn’t look thrilled, but trust us, it is. 

Why? Because Texas national wildlife refuges expanded by 7,000 acres in 2021! With the busy holidays, you might have missed this good news. http://ow.ly/u2Y650HpGBp 

Photo by Steve Sinclair (sharetheexperience.org). Photo description: A close up view of a coyote.

It’s National Bird Day...that’s it...that’s the tweet.

Photo of a yellow-headed black bird, by Augustus Forrest.

The face you make on the first day back to work after the holidays. Gray seal photo at Cape Cod National Seashore by Diane Crowe (sharetheexperience.org). Photo description: A gray seal pokes their head above the ocean water, while looking very unamused and bored.

Each winter, thousands of elk make the journey to the National Elk Refuge in Wyoming. For the Jackson Elk Herd, the refuge is a vital stopover and offers outstanding wildlife photography and viewing opportunities all year long. The Teton Range is the perfect setting for the elk's timeless traditions.

Photo by Gannon Castle, @usfws

Photo description: Elk graze on the side of a snowy hillside. Steep snowy mountains are in the distance.

New Year, New Me...ow. 🎉

From all of us cool cats at Interior and from all the iconic wildlife on our public lands, we wish you a Happy New Year!

Photo of bobcat by Becky Ross McRae. Photo description: A spotted wild cat walks through deep snow.

🎶Came through drippin' (drip, drip) 🎶Icicles on the ledge, they drippin’ (ice)

Frosty and intricate, icicles hang like ornate chandeliers at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Protecting 21 islands and 12 miles of Wisconsin shoreline on Lake Superior, Apostle Islands experiences a dramatic transformation in the winter.

Photo by Michael DeWitt (sharetheexperience.org). Photo description: Hundreds of delicate icicles hang from the edge of cliffs next to a large lake.

Nature is the best classroom!  

We've made it easy to turn these amazing places into virtual learning environments. Check out our online resources for public lands. All you need is an internet connection and a sense of adventure. https://www.doi.gov/blog/find-online-resources-your-favorite-public-lands

Photo of snow-covered bison at Yellowstone National Park, by Jacob Frank, NPS.

On this day in 1973, the Endangered Species Act was signed into law. Over the past 48 years, it has helped preserve plants and wildlife for future generations.  

From the bald eagle to the American alligator, we are thankful for this law and the species it has helped recover and save.

Photo by Mark Thonhoff, @mypubliclands

Photo description: Two bald eagles sit on a large rock overlooking a valley. Large snowy mountains are off in the distance.

“Whale,” a poem by DOI.

Whale.

Thank you.

Photo of a whale doing some flippity flops at Kenai Fjords National Park, by Kaitlin Thoreson.

It's near white-out conditions at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge when the snow geese and Ross's geese take flight.

This annual "bird blizzard" occurs when these plump white geese return to this @usfws refuge for food and winter shelter.

Photo by Douglas Croft (sharetheexperience.org). Photo description: Thousands of black and white birds are flying above a marsh.

Shenandoah National Park really knows how to put on a Christmas show!

Whatever your holiday traditions may be, we hope you enjoy a season of peace, joy, and beautiful moments in nature.

Video by Neal Lewis, NPS. Video description: Clouds move across the dark silhouette of forested mountains.

Our countdown of our most popular posts of 2021 concludes!

The people have spoken and the champion is this beauty from Yellowstone National Park. The caption read:

The coldest temperature ever recorded in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming was -66°F on February 9, 1933. When temperatures get that cold and there’s no wind, water vapor will freeze to things like grasses, trees and rocks, known as hoarfrost. Do you get hoarfrost where you live?

Thanks for making this #1. We look forward to sharing more photos and stories with you about our nation’s public lands in 2022!   Photo by Jacob W. Frank, National Park Service.

We’re still counting down our most popular posts of 2021. You all REALLY liked this one and we don’t blame you. Find a tail wag that’s cuter. Go on, we’ll wait...

Wildlife cameras like this one at the National Elk Refuge in Wyoming, are a great way for scientists to study wildlife movements, health, and population.

It’s also a great way to see baby deer or fawns running cutely after mom.

Video description – A mother deer walks on a road, just behind her, a baby deer trots to catch up.

We are counting down our most popular posts of 2021. Coming in hot at number 3 is this amazing photo from Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Mother Nature showing her power with this dramatic lightning storm over the Needles District of the park.

Photo from last summer courtesy of Claudia Castillo. ⚡

Happy first day of winter! 

Across the country America’s public lands are being transformed into winter wonderlands. The days may be colder and shorter, but they are still full of adventure. We hope you find time to explore!

Photo of Yosemite National Park by Jason Hoffmann (sharetheexperience.org). Photo description: A tall waterfall cascades off a steep cliff. The tall stone cliff is surrounded by misty fog and snow.

🎶Rudolph the red-nosed nuthatch 🎶

Break out your binocs and booties, tis the season for “Christmas bird counts.” One of the world’s oldest and longest-running citizen science efforts, this annual bird count has been in effect since 1900. https://medium.com/usfws/tis-the-season-for-the-christmas-bird-count-9d9333980b61 

Photo by Patrick Myers, NPS. Photo description: A small grey and white bird holds a red berry in its beak.