WEEKLY WILDLIFE NEWS
                Wildlife Legislation

Home

 

WEEK OF JANUARY 28, 2010

If you are with the media please call (405) 522-4872 to sign up.   

 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

PAST WILDLIFE NEWS STORIES

 
 
Purchase a License
 
Wildlife Diversity
 
Fishing
 
Law Enforcement
 
Hunting
 
Outdoor Calendar
 
Educational Programs
 
About the Department

Creativity to benefit wildlife at NatureWorks art show
            Every year wildlife and nature artists from across the United States and abroad convene on the Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center to bring visitors the annual NatureWorks Art Show and Sale. This year about 60 artists are expected to display their work Feb. 27-28.
            Art featured at the show includes everything from paintings and photography to sculptures and more. The 2010 featured artist is Kenny McKenna, an oil painter from Guthrie.
            “The NatureWorks art show has been recognized as one of the best wildlife art shows in the country,” said Nels Rodefeld, information and education chief for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “It's widely recognized for its outstanding art and the opportunity it provides for visitors to meet directly with artists.”
            The annual art show is sponsored by NatureWorks, Inc., a Tulsa-based nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting in wildlife conservation efforts and wildlife education opportunities. The NatureWorks Wildlife Art Show and Sale has generated matching grants to assist a variety of state wildlife conservation projects.
            Projects such as the Department's paddlefish management program, duck stamp print program and centennial duck stamp print have benefited from NatureWorks' support along with habitat work at the Harold Stuart Waterfowl Refuge Unit within the Deep Fork Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and the Grassy Slough WMA. NatureWorks also has been an important supporter of the Wildlife Department's Hunters Against Hunger program — in which hunters can donate their legally harvested deer to feed hungry Oklahomans — as well as in funding an effort to put Outdoor Oklahoma magazine in every school and library in the state.
            Hours for the NatureWorks Wildlife Art Show and Sale will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28. Tickets are $5, and one ticket is good for both days. The art show will be held at the Tulsa Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center, located at 6808 South 107th East Avenue (71st and US-169) in Tulsa. For more information about NatureWorks or the art show, log on to natureworks.org.
 
-30-
 
 
Now is prime time to watch Oklahoma's wintering eagles
            As lakes in the northern U.S. and Midwest freeze, eagles migrate south to find open water and food, making Oklahoma a top location for bird enthusiasts to catch a glimpse of the national emblem in the wild.
            Oklahoma has 11,600 miles of shoreline and over a million surface acres of water, and that is part of what makes it one of the top 10 states in the nation for winter eagle viewing.
            During the winter, Oklahoma is home to anywhere from 700 to 1,500 eagles that migrate in from the northern states and Canada. With numbers peaking in January and February, wintertime is a great chance to catch of a glimpse of the bird in the wild. The highest concentration of birds are located at lakes, such as Kaw, Texoma, Tenkiller, Ft. Gibson, Grand, Canton and Great Salt Plains.
            In addition to migrant eagles that winter in Oklahoma, the state also has around 120 bald eagles that live here year-round. While there were no known pairs of nesting eagles in the state prior to 1990, there are now around 60 known breeding pairs.
            Eagle watches are hosted by state parks, lake management offices, national wildlife refuges and local Audubon Society chapters. Event activities will vary, but most are free. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation annually compiles a list of events to help Oklahomans discover where to view this majestic bird. For more information or to view the list, log on to the Wildlife Department's Web site at http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/eagleviewing.htm <http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/eagleviewing.htm> .
            The site provides details on eagle viewing locations and events as well as historical information on the bald eagle. Additionally, tips for eagle viewing and helping protect them also are included.
 
-30-