The charismatic otter, a member of the weasel family, is found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Most are small, with short ears and noses, elongated bodies, long tails, and soft, dense fur.
There are 13 species in total, ranging from the small-clawed otter to the giant otter. Though most live in freshwater rivers, lakes, and wetlands, the sea otter and the smaller marine otter are found in the Pacific Ocean.
Witness the wildlife of North America as you’ve never seen it before on #AmericaTheBeautifulSeries, narrated by Michael B. Jordan.
The rugged chaparral of California’s Sespe Wilderness lay hidden under the camouflage of mahogany and sage hues. Nearly a week into her thru-hike on the Condor Trail, Brittany Nielsen surveyed this scraggly landscape. She had already faced a downpour, severe flooding, and hypothermia. Now, she leaned against her pack in the spring sun, scanning the thickets and hoping the trail would emerge like a scrub jay.
“I learned a lesson about being calm while being lost on the trail,” Nielsen says. Earlier, behind on miles and low on her food supply, she had searched for the path in a frenzy, only to find herself exhausted. The trail on the side of Sespe Creek was fiercely overgrown in sections and required strong orienteering skills to navigate.
“When I opened my eyes I was looking at the sky,” Nielsen says, “And up above me—I couldn’t believe it—there was a condor.” She noted the telltale band of white feathers in the shape of a scalene triangle that decorated the bird’s nine-foot wingspan. When the condor drifted out of sight, Nielsen dropped her gaze into the chaparral where, directly in front of her, she discovered a small rock cairn that marked the trail.
Over the course of her 37 days on the hike, Nielsen would lose and gain the trail numerous times as she fought through menacing brush and screamed expletives that no one could hear in the most remote pockets of Los Padres National Forest. She would travel through seven wilderness areas, along the shores of central California, past colonies of elephant seals, and across the ancestral lands of the Chumash, Salinan, Esselen, Tataviam, and Costanoan peoples.
SOURCES: BRYAN CONANT; IUCN REDLIST
Unlike California’s well-established John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails, the Condor Trail is a thru-hiking “route,” meaning its course exists—as a continuous thread of trails and roads and cross-country travel—but that it lacks proper signage and maintenance. While these popular thru-hiking routes receive hundreds of hikers a year, Nielsen took on the Condor Trail alone in 2015. When she finished on June 18th, she was the first thru-hiker to complete it.
Travel with pride to these inclusive destinations
Travel with pride to these inclusive destinations
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Secretary birds are also referred to as Sagittarius serpentarius. The secretary bird is one of the weird birds in Africa and it inhabits the savannah region with a head which is like that of an Eagle and the legs like that of a stork. The secretary bird is popularly known as a bird of prey together with its family. It has got technics of killing just like that of a snake which is fabric of legend. These are the 5 Interesting facts about the Secretary bird;
Survivalist Hazen Audel embarks on a risky journey to escape the Amazon rainforest and travel 500 miles to the Atlantic coast. Of course his voyage won’t be easy and he encounters some of the jungle’s most fascinating and frightening wildlife. From an Anteater and Anaconda to a Tarantula and Tailless Whip Scorpion, this thrilling journey will be one to remember. Join Hazen on this remarkable adventure in Primal Survivor: Escape The Amazon, premieres Thursday 14th April at 9pm, on National Geographic UK.
When it comes to exploration, nothing is off limits for these inquisitive individuals. Join National Geographic as we discover gothic architecture in Portugal, fly above lost cities in Spain and witness Egypt’s most perfect pyramids, on a breathtaking journey you’ll never forget. From exploring Norway’s most scenic car journey in Europe From Above to uncovering Giza’s most iconic monuments in Lost Treasures of Egypt, there’s always another exciting destination for you to explore.
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