UWSP Wildlife Society

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page for the UW-Stevens Point Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society🦉
2024 National TWS Student Chapter of the Year!

We are the student chapter at the University of Stevens Point Wisconsin for The Wildlife Society. We are about all things nature which include but are not limited to: research, meetings, guest speakers, education, conferences and more. We like to explore nature and question the behaviors we observe. This is a public student organization and welcome all UWSP students to join or check us out! You may find more information within our Facebook photos, posts, and updates, website, as well as the UWSP SPIN page to learn more about what we do!

11/04/2026

Pointers REPRESENTED at TWS Nationals this year! We had six undergraduate posters, three graduate posters, two graduate talks, and even a featured photographer!

Congrats to all our brilliant, hardworking students. We are so proud to support your research and learning. ROLL DAWGS WOOF WOOF WOOF

11/02/2026

We’ll miss ya :( but stay tuned for conference pictures I’m sure there will be plenty!

(As in, I will be running around making everyone humor me by taking photos.)

10/30/2026

Happy and Halloweekend! Today let’s learn about moose. Mooses? Meese? Moose (Alces alces).

Moose are the largest member of Cervidae (the deer family) and the second-largest land animal in North America, only smaller than the American bison. They are typically six feet tall at the shoulders and often weigh over 1,000 pounds.

Moose live in northern areas of the U.S. like Alaska, Washington, Maine, and North Dakota. They are quite widespread across Canada. Moose require cold environments. They also prefer forested regions with wadable bodies of water (ponds and streams).

Moose are herbivorous, preferring woody plant matter from willows and aspens. They eat abundant aquatic vegetation as well. It is often more digestible than terrestrial vegetation.

Moose are known for their impressive palmate (hand-shaped) antlers. Autumn marks the moose breeding season, but bulls begin growing antlers in spring to prepare. Bulls may compete using their antlers to battle opposing males. Moose are polygynous, meaning one bull will breed with several cows. Eight months after breeding, a cow will have one or two calves which stay with her for about a year.

Despite being such immense animals, moose face many conservation threats. Because their thick coats and large size make them heat-intolerant, they are sensitive to climate change and are gradually moving north. Overheating can kill moose! Warmer climates also favor tick populations. Blood-sucking ticks can easily cause a moose to die of anemia. We need to work together to mitigate climate impacts to help our moose friends!

Information: https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Moose

Dakota Longsine took this picture in the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming.

10/23/2026

Happy everyone! Today we’re talking about the common loon (Gavia immer). There are five species of loons in the world, and the common loon is the most widespread. Common loons are found across North America and in some northern parts of Eurasia.

These birds are found in lakes and ponds, preferring large, clear bodies of water. They nest in secluded shore regions. Some overwinter along ocean coasts while others occur inland on slow rivers and large flowages. North American birds migrate south and return north for the breeding season.

Adult loons are surprisingly large, ranging in weight from 2.5 to 6.5 kilograms (5 to 14 lbs.). Their breeding plumage is iconic, with striking black-and-white patterns. Nonbreeding adults are muted gray with white underparts. Chicks are downy and dark brown.

Common loons hunt fish and occasional invertebrates. Unlike most birds, loons have solid bones which help them dive. Their large, webbed feet propel them quickly through the water to chase prey. The feet are positioned far back on their bodies, providing a powerful force that pushes their bodies forward. However, they struggle to walk on land with such an imbalance.

Common loons have strong pair bonds lasting several years, and they are strictly monogamous. Males defend the pair’s territory with loud “yodeling” call. Chicks hatch in summer, and their rearing takes roughly 12 weeks. Loon chicks are well-known for riding on their parents’ backs before they can swim well. Young loons migrate in flocks several weeks after their parents leave.

The oldest known common loon was at least 29 years old!

Information: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Loon/overview

Elizabeth Grove took these pictures during her summer tech job at the Whitefish Chain of Lakes in Crow Wing County, MN.

btw stream bird boy he makes cool lofi with bird sounds

10/16/2026

Happy ! Hope everyone’s semester is going ok 🤞 Let’s learn about the red fox (Vulpes vulpes).

Red foxes are in Canidae, the dog family. They are found across the northern hemisphere and in Australia (where they are a problem invasive!) Red foxes live in a variety of habitats, from deserts and tundras to cities and suburbs. They have the widest distribution of any canid species.

Red foxes are opportunistic omnivores, and can survive off many foods. They may forage insects, worms, fruits, and human scraps. They are agile hunters, catching rodents, rabbits, birds, and reptiles. Red foxes are known to cache food and can relocate these caches easily.

Red foxes are quite communicative, using vocalizations, facial expressions, and scent to relay information to one another. However, they are mainly solitary animals. Individuals will den alone, but a family unit will den together. Families often use the same den over generations. Kits may disperse as they mature, or they may stay with the family and help raise younger siblings.

Information: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Vulpes_vulpes/

Meredith Myers took this video in Schmeeckle Reserve during Small Mammal Project trapping 😬

10/09/2026

Happy ! Today is all about the painted lady (Vanessa cardui), the world’s most widespread butterfly species. Painted ladies belong to Nymphalidae, the brush-footed butterflies.

They live on every continent except Antarctica, and only rarely in South America. They use many kinds of open habitats. Temperate-zone painted ladies migrate to warmer regions in cooler months and return for the breeding season. In North America, many overwinter in northern Mexico and return to the U.S. and Canada. They travel great distances every year.

They mate continuously, even while overwintering, and have numerous broods annually. Female painted ladies lay eggs on various host plants. They prefer to deposit eggs near nectar-heavy flowers. This lets them increase sugar intake which improves egg production and overall lifespan. Painted ladies follow a typical butterfly life cycle. The caterpillars create silk nests on host plants to protect them while they grow.

Like most butterflies, adult painted ladies eat nectar from many flower species. Caterpillars prefer to eat thistle leaves but also consume many asters and other nonwoody plants. One of the reasons that painted ladies are so widespread is because their diet is so variable.

While these butterflies are of least-concern conservation status, it is important that we protect and support all native pollinators. They are vital members of their food webs, and we rely on them for pollination.

Information: https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/painted-lady

Ellie Peters took this picture in a neighbor’s pollinator garden.

10/02/2026

Happy ! Today we’re highlighting the white-tailed ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura), also known as the snow quail.

The white-tailed ptarmigan is a member of Phasianidae, which includes grouse, pheasants, turkeys, and peafowl. They are the smallest species of grouse in North America, just about the size of a crow. These birds live year-round in northwest regions of North America including British Columbia, Alaska, and Washington (see range map on slide 3).
They live at high elevations, primarily in alpine habitats with rocky landscapes. They are the only North American bird to live in the high mountains year-round, for their entire lives. In the coldest parts of winter, these alpine birds will conserve energy by roosting in snowbanks and limiting their movement. Their bodies are very cold adapted, with thick, fluffy feathers. They even have feathered feet to safely walk in the snow.

White-tailed ptarmigan are known for incredible camouflage that changes with the seasons. They are completely white against the snow in their non-breeding season. When the snow melts and exposes the rocks, they molt into inconspicuous brown-and-white mottled birds (slide 1: female breeding plumage, slide 2: male breeding plumage). The name “white-tailed” comes from the fact that their tail feathers remain white all year, unlike other ptarmigan species.

Plant matter composes most of the white-tailed ptarmigan diet. They travel to windswept areas where vegetation is exposed. They forage short tundra plants, scratching at bare ground for seeds and nipping buds, flowers, and fruits with their sharp beaks. They also catch insects when available in the warmer months.

Information and range map: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Ptarmigan/overview

Molly Murr took these pictures at Mount Ranier National Park in Washington!

09/25/2026

Happy ! This week we’re celebrating the spring salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus).
The spring salamander is found throughout the eastern U.S. and into Quebec. There are four subspecies: northern (G.p. porphyriticus), Kentucky (G.p. duryi), Carolina (G.p. dunni), and Blue Ridge (G.p. danielsi). They belong to Plethodontidae, the lungless salamanders.

These salamanders live near creeks and streams, primarily in the Appalachian Mountains. In the daytime, they shelter under logs and rocks. At night, they hunt a wide variety of small invertebrates. They may also eat smaller salamander species, or even their own kind!

Spring salamanders hatch from aquatic eggs, often deposited on the undersides of rocks in running streams. Hatchlings emerge in late summer/early fall, right about now! They remain in their larval stage for ~4 years. Larvae grow to 3.9-5.5 inches before they metamorphose. As they transition to living on land, adults lose their gills and develop cutaneous respiration (breathing through the skin). Fully grown adults are relatively large, reaching 4.3-8.3 inches in length.

Information: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/spring-salamander

Avery Ambrogio took this picture in Sylva, North Carolina!

09/18/2026

Happy ! Today we’re talking about the red panda (Ailurus fulgens). Its scientific name roughly translates to “fire-colored cat” in Greek.
Red pandas are not classified as bears. They are genetically closer to raccoons. Interestingly, the red panda is the only living species in its family, Ailuridae.

Red pandas live in remote territories across the Himalayan mountain range (parts of Bhutan, Burma, China, India, and Nepal). They prefer forests with lush understories, which provide abundant food. Red pandas share one stark similarity with true pandas: they primarily eat bamboo. They will also forage for acorns, fruits, flowers, and the occasional rodent or bird.

These animals are well-adapted to life in the forest. Strong jaws and teeth help them chew through tough bamboo stalks. Long tails and claws give red pandas balance and stability when they travel through the treetops. A crimson coat blends into the mosses and lichens of their habitat.

Though mostly solitary, red pandas communicate plenty through urinary and glandular signals. They breed from January to April and raise cubs together in small groups.

Habitat loss, hunting, and the illegal pet trade threaten red pandas, but many conservation efforts exist. These include an AZA Species Survival Plan and habitat protection.

Information: https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/red-panda

Jasper Tichelaar took these pictures at the Omaha Zoo in Nebraska!

09/12/2026

It’s our first (super late) ! Today, let’s learn about the Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum).

Double-crested Cormorants are large waterbirds related to bo***es, shags, and frigatebirds. They get their name from the two feathered crests that adults grow during the breeding season. These birds are found across North America and are a migratory species. Wisconsin hosts them in the spring and summer. They live in large breeding colonies near bodies of water.

Cormorants mainly eat fish, alongside some amphibians and aquatic invertebrates. They dive and kick their webbed feet to chase prey underwater. Their bills have a hooked tip, which helps them catch slippery fish and crack hard exoskeletons. After a hunting excursion, these birds find a high perch on which to rest, digest, and dry their wings.

Male cormorants select nest sites in treetops, on rock formations, or even on the ground. They spread their wings, lift their heads and tails, and grunt to attract females. The females then assess the quality of males’ vibrant orange faces, bright turquoise eyes, and gaping blue throats. A mated pair will work together to build a nest (the male collects the materials while the female arranges them).

Funnily enough, double-crested cormorants often steal nesting materials from one another. Because they breed in colonies, they have easy access to neighboring nests.

Information: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Double-crested_Cormorant/overview

Photo submission: Jules Vnuk

Address

800 Reserve Street, Room 359a
Stevens Point, WI
54481

Website

https://spin.uwsp.edu/wildsoc/home, https://www.uwsp.edu/wisconsin-center-for-wildlife/, https://www.instagram.com/uwsp_

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