Where the Wild Things Are (in your backyard!)

Thanks to my dogs, I am painfully aware of all of the opossums in my backyard, but who knew that the little critters were only 1 out of 53 known species of wildlife mammals that have set up shop? eNature.com did. Not only do they know about all the shrews, bats, and cottontails, but they also list the birds, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, trees, and wildflowers that are in my local zipcode.

Some of the critters listed may be a little surprising. Who would have thought that minks lived right around the corner? On closer inspection, I learn that minks are in most states in the US and tend to live along rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, and marshes. That makes me happy - normally I get sad thinking about minks because of the cruel fur industry. Now I will be sure to scan for them on hikes around water areas! Just think how cool I will sound when I annouce to friends in a casual tone, "oh look, a mink over there sunning on a rock." Then I can go into the litany of information I learned from eNature.com regarding minks and all of their fun facts.

Besides local wildlife facts, the site has information regarding park guides, ask an expert, a fun & games section, and of course the ever-present ringtones. Normally I avoid the later like the plaque, but on this occasion I may just check out the Howler Monkey mating call. Or maybe replace my screensaver with some amusing wildlife images. Or an eCard with a Desert Tarantula. There is enough to strike my fancy for a long time.

If you are like me, then you could spend hours on this informative website looking at all the different wildlife and nature pages. For now, eNature.com has insured that I have a date with a Meadow Vole. Need to make sure my dogs don't increase their endangered status.

Whatever your wildlife preference may be, this is a cool site for wasting a few minutes or planning your next camping trip.