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My Digital What? - Iowa Wildlife Photography

Snow Leopard

Snow LeopardPhoto by: Jeremiah Stai

With Spring now arriving here in Mid-west America, and in celebration of our blog being 1 years old this month. I thought it would be appropriate to do a final winter blog, and kick off a month long celebration! And what better animal then the Snow Leopard.

The snow leopard is one of my personal favorites. This amazing and very unique cat lives 3,000 - 5,000 feet above sea level in the rugged, rocky mountain ranges of Central Asia. This solitary and secretive animal is already a rare sight with only approximately 6,000 left in the wild and declining fast due to herders killing them to protect there domestic animals, poachers killing them for (illegal) trading of their furs and some are killed for there bodies in general as some Chinese use snow leopard body parts in there medicine. 

There is not a lot known about snow leopards because of there decline and there solitary lives. Most facts come from those protected by Zoos. Well equipped for life in an extreme environment, these magnificent animals are agile, quick and can jump up to 50 plus feet; for prey and crossing over the mountain terrain.

Anatomy:

They range from 4-5 feet in length and have a very long and large tail. They weigh anywhere from 60 - 120lbs. They have extremely warm, thick fur for isolation and wide paws to help walk on snow. Like most cats, their tail is used for balance, but also as a blanket covering exposed parts of the body when bad weather is present. These cats are unable to roar like most, they hiss, chuff, growl and meow.
Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
Reproduction:

 Snow leopards generally mate once a year in late winter. After a gestation period of about 100 days, the female gives birth to 2-5 cubs. Snow leopards live up to 15-18 years in the wild and up to 20 in captivity.

Diet:Photo by: Jeremiah Stai

Snow leopards are carnivores (meat eaters). They hunt their prey, but wont pass up the chance for a easy meal from carrion. Their general diet consist of mainly wild sheep, goats, hares, deer, boars, and even monkeys, but they also have been known to have a taste for domestic animals as well.


Habitat:

Their habitat covers an area of over a million square miles in twelve countries including the Himalayas and Karakoram. Living on mountain tops generally above the forest lines in the spring, and move down closer for food in the winter.

Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
Interesting Facts:

- Snow leopards use sounds and scrapes against the dirt to communicate.
- A snow leopard's tail can wrap around its whole body.
- Snow leopards are not related to leopards at all, they are actually in a classification all to them selves.
- Snow leopards are one of the top predators on the food web.

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All images and video are copyrighted. It is illegal to use any images or video with consent from Jeremiah Stai.

Lion

The LionLion

The Lion is the most recognized animal figure in human culture, and has been through out time. Carvings of Lions have been dated back some 32,000 years ago and their ancestors have been unofficially dated much further back then that. 

Lions are one of the four "Great" (or roaring) cat species alive today. It is the second largest cat, beat out only by the Tiger. Lions were the largest widespread land mammal after humans that used to roam free across most of Africa, and 
much of Eurasia from Western Europe to India, and 
Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
the Americas from the Yukon to Peru. Now today they are on the endangered list living wild only in Sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia, their is also a critically endangered remnant population in Gir Forest National Park in India.



Lions spend much of the day resting (about 20hours a day), although they can be active at anytime, they generally begin to move about after dusk, and hunt at dawn.



Photo by: Jeremiah StaiAnatomy:
This impressive beast is really the "King of the Jungle" standing around 4ft. from the shoulder to the ground, and a length of 5ft. 7inches to 8ft.
2 inches. They have massive 3.5 inch long canine teeth, and most notably their large manes (males only) and their tuft, (the ball of hair at the end of their long tails, which both male and
 female have). The manes on the males come in different sizes and colors. They are used as intimidation and are also used in judging maturity, climate, testosterone and health. The healthier the lion the fuller and darker the mane is. (Please note Lioness sizes are generally a little smaller then that of males.)

Reproduction:
Lions become sexually mature around the age of 2 to 3 years and live 10-14 yrs in the wild. They can copulate up to 40 times in a 24 hour period. Lions give birth to 1 - 6 cubs after a gestation period of about 15 weeks. Cubs are born blind and begin hunting at 11 months but will remain with their mother for at least 2 years.

Photo by: Jeremiah Stai













Diet:
 The females (Lionesses) are the hunters, they hunt in packs with other females, some say the even communicate with each other in a hunt.  Adult females require an average of 11lbs. of meat and the males require about 15.5lbs. The pride provides food to its sick and wounded members but not to the males.
Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
The male uses his size to take what he wants from the lioness kill.

A typical diet consists of Zebra, Giraffe, Buffalo, Wildebeest, Gazelles and Impalas. Lions are opportunistic and will readily scavenge on the kills of others.

Habitat:
As most Lions seen now are captive, wild ones typically inhabit grasslands and savannas. They live together in prides usually consisting of 5 - 6 related females, their cubs and 1 - 2 males.

Interesting Facts:

- Lions are known to communicate through physical contact.
- Lions are not typically "man-eaters" but few have been known to prey on humans.
- The Lions that have preyed on humans all generally had tooth problems
- Lions are the only social cats, living in groups called prides

Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
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All images and video are copyrighted. It is illegal to use any images or video without permission from Jeremiah Stai.

Hello Everyone

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all have been enjoying the blogs, photos and videos! So I just wanted to update everyone on some new things happening!

So we are coming up on our 1 year anniversary this May, which is pretty exciting! Mydigitalwhat? has gone through some pretty big changes getting off the ground and thank you to you guys for hanging around in that process. Even though its taken a lot of work, it has been very beneficial, and there is still more changes to come!

As of today we have had over 3200 visits from 36+ countries and its growing rapidly everyday, we have also had some great responses and emails from other Wildlife foundations, so its been pretty exciting to say the least. Oh! We have started a Facebook page! Which I encourage you to check it out and become a fan, if you havent already. You will find a lot more photos and other stuff there that you wont find here, as one person stated "Facebook exclusives"  So click here to become a fan!
Facebook Fan Page .

Oh let's see what else do we have going on? Oh yea, we are working on getting some new equipment to get better photos and video and looking at maybe starting a website! And the most exciting thing thats going to happen is..::drum role ::...wait, yea, I dont want to let that fly yet, so your just going to have to wait and see! =)

So I think thats about it for now! Again, I really appreciate everyones patronage and support. Lord willing there's going to be a lot more to come in this next year!

God bless,
Jeremiah

Elk

ElkPhoto by: Jeremiah Stai

The elk is the second largest species of deer in the world, the largest being the moose. This animal once roamed most of North America, stretching from Northern Canada down to Mexico, and are now mainly found on the western half of North America through out the Rocky Mountain range. They can also be found in scattered places around the United States.

Elk are native to Europe. Fossils have been dated back to 12 million years ago, they do not however appear in North America until some time later, leading to believe during migration they crossed over the Bering land bridge.



Photo by: Jeremiah Stai


Anatomy:
These large animals can weigh between 325 - 1,100 lbs. and from head to hoof are about 6ft. tall. The average life span in the wild is about 8-12 years. The coats (fur) are a very interesting type, its a lot like a Polar Bear believe it or not. Although it is not transparent like a Polar Bear, the hairs are hollow, this allows them to be better insulated from the rain and extreme cold temperatures. Bull elk (males) are the only ones with antlers, they shed them each year in early spring and grow them back in preparation for mating season.



Photo by: Jeremiah StaiReproduction:
Mating season, or rut, begins in late summer. The males strip the velvet off their new antlers using them in violent clashes that determine who gets to mate with whom. Males with the bigger antlers, typically older animals, usually win these battles and dominate small herds. After mating, the female, when close to giving birth, she isolates herself from the heard and gives birth to a single calf weighing 33-35 lbs.


Photo by: Jeremiah Stai

Diet:
Elk have a four chambered stomach. Unlike white-tailed deer and moose which are primarily browsers, elk have a similarity to cattle as they are primarily grazers, but like other deer, they also browse. Elk have a tendency to do most of their feeding in the mornings and evenings. Their diets vary depending on the season with native grasses being a year round supplement, tree bark being consumed in winter and forbs and tree sprouts during the summer. Elk consume an average of 20 pounds of various foods daily. Particularly fond of Aspen sprouts which rise in the Spring, elk have had some impact on Aspen groves which have been declining in some regions where elk exist.


Habitat:
Elk were once found across much of North America. They were killed off and now take refuge in more remote locations in the western North America, especially in mountainous areas.


Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
Photo by: Jeremiah Stai

Predators:
A wolf pack will take on an adult elk, but, surprisingly, more adult elk are killed by mountain lions then wolves. The biggest predator is man.

Interesting Facts:

 - Scientists believe the elk's ivories (large canine teeth) are rudimentary tusks.

- Blood flows through the antlers, helping them grow as much as 1inch/day. This blood flow also acts as "air-conditioning," cooling the large male through the heat of the summer.

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All images and video are copyrighted. It is illegal to use any images or video without permission from Jeremiah Stai.

Red Tailed Hawk

Red Tailed HawkPhoto by: Jeremiah Stai

The Red Tailed Hawk is probably the most common hawk in North America. Widely seen soaring above open fields in a circular fashion spending little to no energy as they glide on their broad and rounded wings. If your paying attention the odds are in your favor to see one if you are on a long car ride. It is also common to see them sitting atop of telephone or light poles gazing at the ground looking for it's next meal; voles, mice, wood rats, rabbits, snowshoe hares, jackrabbits, and ground squirrels as well as other birds, snakes and carrion.


Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
Anatomy:

The Red Tailed Hawk is the second largest hawk. They stand about 3ft tall, weigh in at about 2-4lbs. and a wing span of 4 1/2 ft. They have eyesight that is 8 times better than humans and razor sharp talons.

Reproduction:
Mating begins around March and ends in May, staying in the spring season. Nest are located 35 - 75 feet high in the forks of trees. There is evidence that hawks mate for life, so you will find there nest used over and over. The female usually lays 2 dull-white to bluish-white eggs. The incubation period is 28 - 32 days, the young leave the nests at about 45 days and begin breeding at around 3 years of age.


Photo by: Jeremiah Stai


Diet:
As stated earlier Red Tailed Hawks feed on a variety of animals; voles, mice, wood rats, rabbits, snowshoe hares, jackrabbits, and ground squirrels as well as other birds, snakes and carrion.

Habitat:
Living through out most of the U.S., Canada and Alaska, they can usually be found in grasslands or marsh- shrub habitats, but it is a very adaptable bird, being equally at home in deserts and forests, and at varying heights above sea level.

Photo by: Jeremiah Stai

Interesting Facts:

- Most "large bird" screeches you hear on movies are actually the sound of the Red Tailed Hawk.

- Red Tailed Hawks are actually categorized as Raptors.

- The oldest Red Tailed Hawk lived to be 28 years of age.

All images and video are copyrighted. It is illegal to use any images or video without permission from Jeremiah Stai.

Bald Eagle

Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
The American Bald Eagle.

 The American Bald Eagle, our national bird, is the only Eagle unique to North America. It is a symbol of freedom, courage, power and respect.

Once a common sight in much of the continent, the Bald Eagle was severely affected in the mid-20th century by a variety of factors, among them the thinning of egg shells caused by our use of the pesticide DDT. Bald Eagles, like many birds of prey, were especially affected by DDT due to bio magnification.



While DDT itself was not lethal to the adult bird, it interfered with the bird's calcium metabolism, making the bird either sterile or unable to lay healthy eggs. Females laid eggs that were too brittle to withstand the weight of a Photo by: Jeremiah Staibrooding adult, making it nearly impossible for the eggs to hatch. At one point there were as low as 42 breeding nests in the U.S. and now today, after 3 decades, what was once on the brink of extinction has fully recovered with an estimated population of over 90,000 + and growing yearly, removing it from all endangered lists.

Anatomy:
Immature Bald Eagles are brown with white speckles until become sexually mature at the age of four or five. Adult Eagles are brown with a white head and tail, and yellow talons and beak. Adult Eagles weigh-in at 5-17lbs. (depending on location), with a wing span of 5.9 - 7.9 ft. And stand about 3ft tall.



Reproduction:

Bald Eagles can live up to 30 years in the wild. When they are old enough to breed, they often return to the area where they were born. It is thought that Bald Eagles mate for life. However, if one member of a pair dies or disappears, the other will choose a new mate. Bald Eagle courtship involves elaborate calls and flight displays. The flight includes swoops, chases, and cartwheels, in which they fly high, lock talons, and free fall, separating just before hitting the ground.

Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
Diet:

Bald Eagles are birds of prey. They feed mainly on fish, spotting fish in the water from a great distance, they swoop down and grab the fish right out of the water. They may also feed on a variety of animals if there main food (fish) is not available.


Habitat:
The nest is the largest of any bird in North America; it is used repeatedly over many years and with new material added each year may eventually be as large as 13 ft deep, 8.2 ft across. One nest in Florida was found to be 20 ft deep, 9.5 ft across.Eagles produce between one and three eggs per year, but it is rare for all three chicks to successfully fly. Both the male and female take turns incubating the eggs. The other parent will hunt for food or look for nesting material.

Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
Interesting Facts:


- Bald Eagles have powerful talons and have been recorded flying with a 15-pound Mule Deer 
  fawn.

- The scientific name for Bald Eagles is "Haliaeetus leucocephalus", which means "Sea bird
  with a white head." At one time the word
  "bald" meant "white", not hairless.

- They can see 6 -7 times better than humans, they can see up to one mile.




Photo by: Jeremiah StaiPhoto by: Jeremiah Stai

You can view more images of these eagles at: www.jeremiahstai.com

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All images and video are copyrighted. It is illegal to use any images or video without permission from Jeremiah Stai. Copyright 2010.




Polar Bear

The Polar BearPhoto by: Jeremiah Stai

Since we have entered into the winter months, what better blog to do then on the mammal that lives in some of the coldest environments on the Earth,
the Polar Bear.


Native to the Arctic circle this giant is the world's largest carnivore species found on land. Although most are born on land and are considered a land animal, the Polar Bear spends most of it's life roaming the Arctic ice sheets and swimming in it's coastal waters.


Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
The Polar Bear is classified as a vulnerable species.  Endangered by decades of unrestricted hunting, they have slowly began to rebound with new hunting regulations in place, since humans are there only predator.


But even now they still face there biggest threat of all, global warming. If climate trends continue at the current rate, they may become extirpated from most of there natural range within 100 years. Due to the ice sheets melting.

Anatomy:Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
Head and body are 7.25 - 8 ft. and the tail 3 - 5 in. These enormous beasts weigh in at 900 - 1600 lbs, the largest one ever recorded weighed over 2,000 lbs.

Living in the coldest environment they depend on a thick coat of insulated fur, that is actually two layers, and it covers a layer of black blubber almost 4 inches thick.

They also have partially webbed paws, which help them swim great distances. Some have been tracked at swimming over 100 miles.


Reproduction:

Females give birth in the winter season and usually have twins. They give birth in dens that they dig out in snow drifts. Polar bear's cubs stay with their mothers for about 28 months, and they are very aggressive about protecting their cubs.

Diet:
Polar bears are Carnivores (meat eaters). They mostly feed on seals.
Photo by: Jeremiah Stai

Interesting Facts:

- Polar Bears fur is not white, it is actually transparent.

- Polar bear cubs learn to freeze and remain still while their mother hunts. If they move the mother disciplines them with a whack on the head.

- A Polar bear is so strong it only takes with blow with it's paw to kill an animal.

Icelandic Sheep

Icelandic SheepPhoto by: Jeremiah Stai

The lore of this amazing animal can only be matched by its history. These sheep are one of largest descendants of North European Short Tail and consider a mountain breed. These domestic sheep were brought to Iceland by Vikings in 874 AD (receiving their name "Icelandic" sheep). Once there they became a corner stone to the Vikings survival in this rugged terrain.

Located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Iceland is volcanically and geologically active on a large scale, which defines the landscape. Icelandic sheep were able to thrive here because of their development of instinct to find open planes to graze and some say to be able to predict bad weather approaching.

Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
Icelandic sheep were bred in Iceland for a thousand years making them now
one of the oldest and purest sheep in the world. It wasnt until 1984 that it was even possible to import these animals directly from Iceland into the U.S. Even still today, there has only been 2 registered imports; The first batch having a total of 12 and the second having a total of 69. While only a total now of about 5,000 or so are registered in all of North America, they are not a rare breed, with an estimate of around 1/2 million living in Iceland at any given time.



Anatomy:
The male sheep are called "Rams" and the females are called "Ewes" weighing from 150 - 200lbs. Both are primarily horned. These animals come in a variety of colors and patterns. Genetically though, the have only two base colors black or brown.


Reproduction: Ewes are seasonal breeders, most coming into heat in late October. They will continue cycling until spring if not bred. Rams are able to mate all year round and can start breeding at 5-6 months.
Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
Photo by: Jeremiah Stai

Habitat: Grassland farms.

Diet: Icelandic sheep are herbivores and feed mostly on grass and brush.

Interesting Facts:
Icelandic sheep have a gene that allows multiple births, so it is very common for them to have twins or triplets.


These animals are known for having a "triple purpose."
1. Milk
2. Wool
3. Meat (they are considered a delicacy meat)


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All images and video are copyrighted. It is illegal to use any images or video without permission from Jeremiah Stai.

I have been informed that subscribers lately have not been able to read these articles in the email that gets sent out to all my subscribers (the font is to light). I would first like to apologize for any inconvenience of it. Second, I would like to encourage all of you to go directly to the web page to check out the new blog. As of right now I do not have control over the emails that get sent out, but I am working on trying to fix that. - Jeremiah 

Please click Here



The American Buffalo (Bison)

American BuffaloPhoto by: Jeremiah Stai
(Bison)


The American Bison is a story of great honor, respect and tragedy. These majestic animals once roamed free across most of the United States at an estimated 30 - 50 million. Mostly recognized through out the plains and prairies from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River. These large beast could have been seen for miles traveling in herds. Their stampedes were so loud they were given the nickname "Thunder on the plains." In 1806 Lewis and Clark are quoted as saying "The moving multitude...darkened the whole plains."

Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
In the 18th century, adventures began to explore the western portion of what is now the United States. With their swift horses and deadly guns, settlers found the Bison an easy target. Bison hunting came to be associated with the danger and adventure of the Wild West. Bison tongue became a delicacy among Americans and the settlers left tongue-less, rotting carcasses strewn across the prairies bringing the Bison almost to extinction. Between politics, unregulated hunting and settlers moving to the west the the Bison population was reduced to no more than 1,500.

Today the Bison now have legal protection, and with the help of places like Yellowstone Park, the National Bison Refuge in Montana and other individuals raising and allowing reproduction on their own land, the Bison population has increased to around 250,000.

Here is a quick video clip of some Bison eating lunch at a refuge park in Wisconsin.

Anatomy:
This enormous mammal stands about 6 feet tall and can weigh up to 2000 pounds. They are dark brown, with a high hump on it's shoulders that is  usually a pale gold
en brown. The head is massive and both sexes have horns. Long, shaggy hair hangs from the shoulders and front legs.

Reproduction:Photo by: Jeremiah Stai
Mating season; July through September. When mating season begins, male bison move into female groups and select a female.They then "tend" the female. Males tend a female by staying between her and the rest of the herd. Tending can last for a few minutes or for several days. The female will give birth to one calf after about nine months. New born bison are reddish brown and can stand shortly after birth.  At about two months, the calf will begin to develop shoulder humps and horns.

Habitat:
Wild populations are now limited to national parks and refuges. Bison can be found in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, National Bison Range in the Flathead Valley of Montana, the Wichita Mountains, etc.

Diet:Photo by: Jeremiah Stai

The American bison is a grazer. It's diet 
is made up of mostly grasses and sedges. It will occasionally eat berries and lichen. 
In winter, the Bison uses it's head and hooves to move snow off the vegetation.

Interesting Facts:
• Bison are the largest land animal in North America
• The average lifespan is 12 to 15 years
• Bison can run up to 30 miles per hour



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Deer Hunting Season In Iowa

       Photo by: Jeremiah Stai

        DEER HUNTING SEASON IN IOWA

Iowa is a rural place to live with lots of woodland activities and with the winter months just around the corner we all want to take advantage of every opportunity to be outside. Iowa is very beautiful in the Fall with colorful leaves, it's very cool, no bugs, not to mention it's a great time to photograph! But with the beautiful Fall comes Deer Hunting Season. That time is upon us and if you are like me and like to walk, hike, take pictures, or just play in the woods, please be careful!
Although I won't say "Don't go into the woods", it might not be a bad idea to think about. Be careful where you do go, and use your best judgment. Hunting in itself is a very safe and needed sport but if you are not careful the safety of it can turn very, very fast! Again, hunting is a very safe and needed sport, but even for those who don't hunt, you still play a vital role in the safety for you, hunters and others.


Since I live in the state of Iowa, I thought it would only be best to post something about the Fall Deer Hunting Season here. Although for us the Deer Hunting Season started a couple of weeks ago, we are heading into the Muzzleloader and Shotgun part of the season. For those of you who are not from Iowa, you should check with your local or state DNR for hunting dates, regulations, etc as they change from state to state.


Iowa Hunting Dates Coming Up:
2009 Hunting Dates from the Iowa DNR website:

Early Muzzleloader -  Oct. 17 - 25 Aug. 15 - Oct. 25
Late Muzzleloader - Dec. 21 - Jan. 10, 2010 Aug. 15 - Jan. 10, 2010

Shotgun  
 Season 1 Dec. 5 - 9 Aug. 15 - Dec. 9
 Season 2 Dec. 12 - 20


Non Hunter General Safety Tips:


1. WEAR ORANGE. Wear a blaze orange vest, cap, shirt, shorts,whatever. Wearing bright orange, the color hunters wear to avoid being shot, is the best way to make your presence known. This universal hunter safety color will dramatically reduce your chances of being mistaken for game. (Don’t forget to dress your dog in orange, too.)

2. Avoid wearing white during hunting season. A flash of white in the woods can be (and has been) mistaken for the white of a deer’s tail.

3. Avoid wearing dark colors, like black and brown. Humans dressed in brown or black can be mistaken for large game.

4. Stick to established trails. Hunters should be aware of trails popular with hikers and be extra cautious in those areas.

5. Consider hiking in places unpopular with hunters. Check with your local wildlife official, Fish and Game department, or local sporting goods store to see where the hunters are/are not.

6. Make noise while you hike and don’t hike alone. Alert hunters to your presence by talking, whistling, singing, or carrying bear bells.

7. As always, make sure someone knows where you’re going and when you plan to be back.

For more info on Iowa Hunting regulations etc. check out the Iowa DNR web site:  IOWA DNR

I hope everyone is enjoying the Fall season! More pictures are to come soon and don't forget to subscribe!

- Jeremiah Stai

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