Blogs

 
Wild Turkeys are relatively new to the Columbia Valley & Kootenay National Park. First recored in 1990.
Photo by Larry Halverson Read more »

The Redwall Fault by Larry Halverson

The iron-rich cliffs of this dramatic park entrance are known as the “Iron Gates”. They were formed by intense heat and pressure during the building of the Rockies. It is the best example of fault breccia (shattered and reconsolidated rock) in the Rocky Mountain parks. Read more »

  Redstreak Mountain, March 19, 2012 - by Larry Halverson

The evening light accentuating  the oxidized iron (hematite) that gives this mountain its name. Redstreak is 2,160 m (around 7,000ft.) in elevation. It is the northern peak of the Stanford Range which forms the western edge of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Read more »

          
Northern Hawk Owl in the Vermilion Valley - by Larry Halverson

Northern Hawk Owl, is an owl in hawk's clothing. It is a fitting description considering the bird’s appearance and behaviour. At first glance, the crow sized Hawk Owl resembles an over grown Kestrel. The wings are relatively short and pointed and its flight is swift and direct. The tail is long and wedge shaped. Another hawk-like similarity is its habit of  Read more »

  Bluebirds prefers more open habitats like that found in the Redstreak Restoration - Photo by Larry Halverson

Richard Halverson saw a Mountain Bluebird near Invermere on March 6 which is only four days later than the earliest arrival date recorded for the Columbia Valley.

But what ever day they return, they are a welcome spot of colour against the brown grass or snow.

  Read more »

       Little Brown Bat roosting on the side of the Kootenay office in Radium.
It is one of 6 species of bat found in Kootenay National Park. - Photo by Larry Halverson

COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) has just assessed 3 species of bat as Endangered. One of them the Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) is found in Kootenay National Park. Read more »

Thanks Christian Artuso for your excellent Boreal Owl photo.  For more of Christan’s work go to http://artusophotos.com  and be sure to visit his Birds & Wildlife Blog 

Most species of owls are secretive and nocturnal, making population monitoring difficult. But fortunately owls are very vocal. Read more »

Explore Kootenay National Park's diverse attractions including amazing wilderness, hiking trails, Marble Canyon  and the unique Paint Pots.

From semi-arid grasslands of the Rocky Mountain Trench to glacier-clad peaks of the Continental Divide, Kootenay National Park represents a diversity of landscapes, elevation, climate and ecology. Read more »