Wisconsin Animals Week

Native Animals of Wisconsin

Wisconsin is home to many great and beautiful animals, we even have animals you wouldn't think twice about, such as cougars. Woodlands, beaches, hills, rivers, wetlands, and lakes are all part of the landscape of Wisconsin. With all of these habitats, it’s no wonder there are close to 700 species of wildlife living in this northern-central state. 

Some of the most well-known animals in Wisconsin include:

• White-tailed deer
• Red fox
• Moose
• Wolves
• Black bear
• Robins
• Badgers

State Animals

In 1957, the American badger was made the official animal of the state of Wisconsin. Though this mammal is small, it can be very dangerous when it feels threatened. This native of Wisconsin has a strong body and powerful muscles in its neck along with sharp teeth. These wild animals are known for their furry black head featuring bright white stripes. 

Wisconsin designated the American robin as the official state bird in 1949. Voted on by the school children of Wisconsin in 1926-27, the robin received twice as many votes as those given to any other bird. Wisconsin did adopt another bird symbol in 1971; the mourning dove as the state's official symbol of peace.

Wisconsin's Dangerous Animals

• The first animal on the most dangerous list is surprising. It’s the white-tailed deer. These mammals definitely aren’t fierce, aggressive, or poisonous. But, when they try to cross roadways they often end up running or jumping in front of vehicles. Unfortunately, these accidents can cause injuries or even death. According to the State of Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation, there were 18,414 accidents reported involving a vehicle collision with a deer. Out of all of those accidents, 556 people sustained injuries and 9 people died.

• Another animal considered one of the most dangerous in Wisconsin is the deer tick. The thin black legs of this tick give it a weird, spider-like appearance. Though ticks usually attach themselves to dogs and cats, they can also bite humans. Unfortunately, their bite can pass along a life-threatening or chronic disease. Lyme disease is the most common sickness passed along by deer ticks in Wisconsin. From 2015 to 2018, at least ten people died in Wisconsin from diseases contracted from deer ticks.

• Black bears also make the list of most dangerous wildlife in Wisconsin. Though they are rare predators of humans, these large, strong mammals can become aggressive if a person approaches their cubs. Many of the injuries people have received from black bears have come as a result of trying to break up an encounter between one of these bears and a pet dog.

What are your favorite Wisconsin animals? Please be sure to let us know!

Podcast coming soon!

The Ecosystem

What Is it?

An ecosystem consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the system through photosynthesis and is incorporated into plant tissue.
How Big Are Ecosystems?

Ecosystems have no particular size. An ecosystem can be as large as a desert or as small as a tree. The major parts of an ecosystem are water, water temperature, plants, animals, air, light, and soil. They all work together.

Who Lives In Them?

Ecosystems have lots of different living organisms that interact with each other. The living organisms in an ecosystem can be divided into three categories: producers, consumers, and decomposers. They are all important parts of an ecosystem. Producers are green plants.
Difference Between Environment and Ecosystem?
Environment: The area where organisms live but the ecosystem is the organized community of living beings where biotic and abiotic elements are in continuous interaction with each other.

The ecosystem is considered the structural and functional unit of ecology. It is a community where the living and nonliving components of the environment are in continuous interaction.

The History of The United States Parks and Public Lands

 How Were The Parks formed?

Yellowstone National Park was created as the first national park in the United States. In 1872, there was no state government to manage it, so the federal government took management of the park. National parks and national monuments in the United States were originally individually managed under the help of the Department of the Interior. This would then cause for movement for an independent agency to oversee these federal lands. This task was taken on by business magnate and conservationist Stephen Mather, as well as J. Horace McFarland.

The ACT That Got Them There

With Mather and McFarland leading this successful campaign. The United States Congress created the National Park Service agency on August 25, 1916, through the National Park Service Organic Act, which was signed by President Woodrow Wilson. The Act states, "shall promote and regulate the use of the Federal areas known as national parks, monuments, and reservations hereinafter specified by such means and measures as conform to the fundamental purpose of the said parks, monuments, and reservations, which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife 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". As of 2018, The National Park Service employed approximately 12,263 employees, who over 423 units (Historical landmarks, Parks, and sites), 63 of thoughts being National Parks. 

The Measurements

The entire National Park system encompasses approximately 85.1 million acres, of which 2.6 million acres remain in private ownership. The largest unit is Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. At 13,200,000 acres, it is over 16 percent of the entire system. The smallest unit in the system is Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial, Pennsylvania, at 0.02 acres. In addition to overseeing its units and other public lands, the National Public Service also provides technical and financial assistance to several areas authorized by Congress. The largest affiliated area is New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve at 1,164,025 acres and the smallest is Benjamin Franklin National Memorial at less than 0.01 acres.

The National Parks

These are some of the National Parks we will be focusing on this week. Be sure to follow us on our social media to read more about these parks and to stay in the loop with our most up-to-date information. 

• Wrangell-St. Elias
• Gates of the Arctic
• Yellowstone
• Everglades
• Grand Canyon
• Glacier
• Olympic
• Yosemite
• Rocky Mountain
• Badlands

What You Can Do To Lower Your Carbon Footprint

What is A Carbon Footprint?

The first step in understanding how you can lower your carbon footprint is understanding what the term itself means. A carbon footprint is an amount of carbon dioxide and carbon compounds released into the world by a specific group or person. Things that affect your carbon footprint are, type of transportation, the type of energy you use at home and how much you use, the clothing products you buy and where, as well as the food you consume. When we live our day-to-day lives, we never realize just how many greenhouse gases we are forcing into the air. Far too often we think about how good a delicious hamburger would be from our favorite store or restaurant, but we don't think of the process that it took to get that burger from farm to your plate. The dairy industry continues to cause damage to our environment through its carbon footprint. 

What can be done?

Here are some helpful tips and tricks that can help you lower your carbon footprint at home and the workplace. (Provided by FutureLearn. (2021, January 28). How to reduce your carbon footprint – 20 top tips. FutureLearn. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from https://www.futurelearn.com/info/blog/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint-tips.)

1. Insulate your home 

Heating your home constantly without the proper insulating can not only increase your monthly bill but increase your footprint as well.  By insulating places like your loft and walls, you can make sure your home retains heat during the winter and stays cool in summer. It means you’ll use less energy, reducing your carbon footprint and your household bills.  

2. Switch to renewables 

By switching to a company that provides electricity from solar, wind, or hydroelectric energy, you can reduce your household emissions and save money on your energy bills. You could even install solar panels if they’re readily available where you live. 

3. Buy energy efficient 

Electrical appliances are becoming more efficient by the year. What’s more, many countries now show how efficient particular products are, meaning you can make an informed choice. Whether it’s buying energy-saving light bulbs or choosing appliances with a high energy star rating, you can make your home more eco-friendly. Additionally, make sure to turn off and unplug anything you’re not using. 

4. Use less water 

It takes energy and resources to process and deliver water to our homes. What’s more, it’s also quite energy-intensive to heat it once it’s there. So, by using less, you can help the environment and lower your carbon footprint. Try turning off the taps when brushing your teeth, having short showers rather than baths, and only boiling the water you need. 

5. Change your diet

As mentioned prior, the food that we eat can play a huge role in our footprint, the meat and dairy industry are two that we should lower our consumption on.

What to Look Forward To

Escapade Pioneer

If you're as thrilled to learn about all the great things nature can offer us and how you can help preserve our beautiful planet, you are in the right habitat. Fabian Nature Reserve and Learning Center Blog will provide you with the latest and greatest discoveries of groundbreaking environmentalist news, along with new trips and tricks to help with your everyday nature care. All blogs will be provided with reliable and reasonable sources; To help false news from circulating. 

Our blog topics will always be rivaling, broad and will take our Co-environmentalist suggestions on which blogs they would like to see in the future. Fabian Nature Reserve and Learning Center will provide weekly update blogs on two of our in-home planets and animals; Selected by our Co-environmentalist. Fabian Nature Reserve and Learning Center will always strive to provide the best, most educational information that our Co-environmentalist wish to expand their knowledge on.  

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My name is Alex Fabian, I am a big fan of nature and the great outdoors. I want to bring awareness to the outdoors and the amazing things it has to offer.