In other national park news, Here’s Park Ranger Pam Tripp sharing concerns about taking your pet inot the national park…
Imagine hiking a beautiful mountain in Joshua Tree National Park, and while taking in the scenery, you spot them. Big Horn Sheep. There is a herd nearby and you watch in wonder from afar. A breeze picks up the scents around you and suddenly the herd moves off, away from the view of the hikers. Why did they leave? You then see a hiker with a dog on the trail. The sheep smelled the scent of a canine, predator to our wildlife.
This scenario is not imaginary and happened recently on the Ryan Mountain trail. Wildlife get used to humans in the area, but they will not get used to the scent of canines, and this can drive wildlife out of many of the areas that provide wildlife viewing opportunities for the 1.6 million annual visitors to the park. Please help keep wildlife safe by not bringing pets on trails. There are many alternative areas to take a pet and the park staff are happy to guide you to these areas.
