January-February 2011

January-February 2011 Issue

Earth Almanac

September 09, 2011 — Walruses in love; winter’s wildflower; fine-tasting butterflies; a rail that’s easy to hail; more.

Pecking Order

September 09, 2011 — Bird beaks are more than nature's ingenious designs. They're wonders of evolution, barometers of how species react to—and sometimes even instigate—changes in their environment.

Saddle Sores

September 09, 2011 — Feral horses are out of control in the American West, laying waste to vast tracts of wildlife habitat and imperiling native species. What’s worse, the public seems determined to keep it that way.

Photo Finish

September 09, 2011 — With thousands of images to consider, the 2010 contest, run in association with Nature’s Best Photography, came down to the wire.

Ready, Aim, Fire!

September 09, 2011 — Along the Florida-Georgia border are 80 quail hunting plantations that make up 300,000 acres of accidental nature reserve. Each year scientists and land managers burn tens of thousands of acres and use various other means to mi

The Enchanted Forest

September 09, 2011 — An ancient cypress swamp thrives in the heart of South Carolina’s Low Country, spared from encroaching urban sprawl by a sweet-talking forest guardian and visitors’ goodwill.