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Live birth vs. Eggs: A look at Northern Alligator Lizards
Did you know that Northern Alligator lizards are viviparous and will give live birth? This is quite rare for reptiles, and more so for lizards. There are a few snakes and lizards species that give live birth, but it is more common for reptiles to lay eggs. Viviparous is when the embryo is developed in the female and there is live birth. Also nutrients are given directly to the embryo from the mother. Oviparous is when the organism lays eggs, and the embryo develops outside th
osstewardship
4 hours ago


Denning up with Skunks
Did you know that up to 20 skunks can share the same den in the winter! That's a lot of skunk. Skunks are usually more solitary creatures unless the female is taking care of her young or they are trying to keep warm in the winter. Skunks don't go into a full hibernation, but they will hide away in their dens if temperatures drop too low. On warmer days they will come out again to look for food. Skunks will typically use dens from other burrowing species, like ground squirrels
osstewardship
Jan 9


New year, new you: Molting in different groups of animals
Happy New Year! New year, new skin! Molting is when an animal will shed their outer layer for a new one. This happens for different reasons for different species, but mainly it's for growth, or general wear and tear that needs replacing. Here are some different types of molting: Ecdysis: This is a common practice in invertebrates who have a hard exoskeleton. Because the exoskeleton does not grow with the organism, they have to remove the previous one and grow a new one. The o
osstewardship
Jan 2


Grouse: A winter snack for Lynx
You may of heard of the boom-bust cycle for Snowshoe hare and Canada Lynx, but did you know that other species are affected by this cycle too? When Lynx populations have risen and lowered the Snowshoe hare populations, Grouse can be a popular alternative for these cats. Grouse are one of the few bird species that can be seen tromping through the snow in the winter months. They can get through the winter easier than most birds because they are able to digest plants that many o
osstewardship
Dec 26, 2025


osstewardship
Dec 19, 2025


What winter is like for Insects
Did you know that many insects will go through diapause to get through the winter? Diapause can act as a form of hibernation that is genetically pre-programmed into certain species. This can happen during certain times of the year or certain periods in their life cycle. During this time, any development of the organism is put on hold in order to save enough energy for the creature to survive. It is normal for all reproductive functions to stop completely and for the organism
osstewardship
Dec 12, 2025


Happy World Soil Day!
Unless you're a farmer, a gardener, or maybe a worm, you might not be thinking of soil on the regular. But maybe that should change, as soil is EVERYTHING. Soil is a mix of minerals, organic matter, water, gases and living organisms. It provides us with most of the food we eat, filters the water we drink, stores carbon and helps to regulate the atmosphere. Healthy soils protect us from flooding, help to mitigate drought, and increase biodiversity. Healthy soil contains billio
osstewardship
Dec 5, 2025


Helping Western Screech-owls and other Feathered Friends
Female Western Screech-owl and her babies in a nesting box Western Screech-owl When you first think of owls, it is normal to picture the big ones, like Great Horned owls or Snowy owls, but in reality most owls in the Okanagan are small to medium sized. One such owl is our local Western Screech-owls, which is one of the smaller owls in the region, only being about the size of a medium to-go coffee cup. Their name is quite misleading since they don't actually screech. Instead t
osstewardship
Dec 3, 2025


Cultivating Conservation and Collaboration
Nestled on the Naramata Bench, local growers are proving that agriculture and nature can thrive side by side. Along Aikins Loop, Elephant Island Winer y and JoieFarm Winer y are blending the art of winemaking with the science of stewardship—planting native vegetation, attracting beneficial insects, and strengthening their vineyards. Through the Farming With Wildlife initiative, a project led by Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship (OSS), the two vineyards partnered to install
osstewardship
Nov 6, 2025
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