Uncategorized
Looking for wolverines in Mongolia
![Avatar photo](https://www.explorebigsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/outlaw-partners-46x46.jpg)
![Avatar photo](https://www.explorebigsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/outlaw-partners-46x46.jpg)
Published
11 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersBy Evelyn Boswell MSU News Service
BOZEMAN – A team of wildlife biologists will soon ski 400 miles through northern Mongolia, searching for signs of wolverines in the rugged, frigid mountains of the Darhad region.
Headed by Gregg Treinish, founder of the Bozeman-based nonprofit Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, the researchers left Bozeman on March 19 and plan to start skiing on March 26.
The biologists hope to find wolverine tracks and collect hair, scat and urine for DNA analysis, helping refine what little is known about the animals’ distribution. They also plan to scout places to set up wildlife cameras in the future, under the direction of a longer-term wolverine research project affiliated with MSU’s BioRegions program.
“We know that a population of wolverines exists in the Darhad region, but understanding the population dynamics, human threat levels, and the ecology of the species in this region will be critical as wolverines begin to feel the effects of climate change due to diminishing suitable habitat,” the collaborators wrote in a project summary.
The expedition may also encounter wild reindeer, wild boars and Siberian musk deer.
“The climate is extreme, the infrastructure is relatively undeveloped, and it takes 100 percent sheer willpower to push yourself forward on a day-to-day basis,” said team member Rebecca Watters, who considers Mongolia her second home. A researcher with the Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative in Jackson, Wyo., and ecological research coordinator with the BioRegions program, Watters has worked in Mongolia since 2000 and run a wolverine research program there since 2009.
Another challenge will be interacting with hunters and herders familiar with the area that may not offer reliable information about wolverines.
“The rules of Mongolian hospitality dictate that one should always try to please one’s guest,” said Watters, who speaks the language well and knows the culture.
At the start of her project in 2009, Watters asked Mongolian friends how she should interview herders and hunters. They cautioned her not to ask directly about wolverines, “because people would want me to feel welcome and would give me information that might not be true.”
She devised an interview technique that first had Mongolians identify wildlife photos, and then answer more targeted questions.
The team hopes to post at least one new photo online each day during the journey, and thousands of students across Montana and the nation are expected to follow the expedition online.
Treinish, who graduated from MSU in 2009 with a biology degree, funded the expedition through a grant from National Geographic. Honored in 2008 as one of the society’s Adventurers of the Year, his research adventures have been featured in the New York Times, Popular Science, Wired and NPR. He has traveled to five continents, hiked the 2,174-mile Appalachian Trail and trekked the length of the Andes, which took more than 22 months and covered 7,800 miles.
To follow the Mongolian expedition, visit mongoliaexpedition.com.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
![](https://www.explorebigsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ebs_logo_white_220px.png)
![](https://www.explorebigsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ebs_logo_white_220px.png)
Upcoming Events
july, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
CALL FOR ARTISTS: Paint anytime from June 1-28EXHIBITION & SALE: June 29 - July 31Calling all artists and nature enthusiasts! Get
more
Event Details
CALL FOR ARTISTS: Paint anytime from June 1-28
EXHIBITION & SALE: June 29 – July 31
Calling all artists and nature
enthusiasts! Get your paintbrushes ready for an unforgettable experience at
Paint Under the Big Sky, a thrilling plein air event set against the stunning
backdrop of Big Sky, MT, Chet Huntley’s “The Last Best Place”. Don’t
miss this chance to unleash your creativity and be part of a vibrant artistic community.
What is Paint Under the Big Sky? PUBS is a plein air event for all painters of any ability (over the age of 16). Sponsored by the Big Sky Artist’s Studio & Gallery and the Big Sky Artists Collective, a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster a strong community of artists in the Big Sky area, the paint-out hopes to introduce painters to our extraordinary landscape for an opportunity to create, meet and have fun. Plein air painters record our landscape for generations to come.
Artists are invited to travel to Big
Sky, MT to paint anytime between Jun 1 – 28, and participate in the exhibition
and sale of paintings from June 29 – July 31.
Come join us! We have a great
place to paint and are welcoming and fun!
Don’t miss out!
Time
June 1 (Saturday) 1:00 am - July 31 (Wednesday) 11:55 pm
Event Details
Embrace the freedom and serenity of movement in nature with our rejuvenating morning yoga class on the Mountain Lawn. Allow the fresh mountain air and gentle guided yoga practice
Event Details
Embrace the freedom and
serenity of movement in nature with our rejuvenating morning yoga class on the
Mountain Lawn. Allow the fresh mountain air and gentle guided yoga practice to
invigorate your day of adventure ahead. Complimentary. Weather
permitting.
Time
June 1 (Saturday) 7:00 am - August 31 (Saturday) 7:00 am
Location
Montage Big Sky
995 Settlement Trail
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
June 10 (Monday) 6:00 pm - August 19 (Monday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
June 17 (Monday) 6:00 pm - August 26 (Monday) 6:00 pm