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109-755: The park derives its name from the Great Basin , the dry and mountainous region between the Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Mountains . Topographically, this area is known as the Basin and Range Province . The park is located about 290 miles (470 km) north of Las Vegas and protects 77,180 acres (31,230 ha). The park is notable for its groves of ancient bristlecone pines , the oldest known living non- clonal organisms; Lehman Caves ; Wheeler Peak Glacier , below 13,063-foot (3,982 m) Wheeler Peak ; and some of

218-413: A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry aircraft at Elmendorf AFB , Alaska , struck a flock of Canada geese on takeoff, losing power in both port side engines. It crashed 2 mi (3.2 km) from the runway, killing all 24 crew members. The accident sparked efforts to avoid such events, including habitat modification, aversion tactics, herding and relocation, and culling of flocks. In 2009, a collision with

327-438: A pest species because of its excrement , its depredation of crops, its noise, its aggressive territorial behavior toward both humans and other animals, and its habit of stalking and begging for food , the latter a result of humans disobeying artificial feeding policies toward wild animals . The Canada goose was one of the many species described by Carl Linnaeus in his 18th-century work Systema Naturae . It belongs to

436-711: A flock of migratory Canada geese resulted in US Airways Flight 1549 suffering a total loss of power from both engines after takeoff, forcing the crew of the aircraft to ditch the plane in the Hudson River with no loss of human life. As a large, common wild bird, the Canada goose is a common target of hunters, especially in its native range. Drake Larsen, a researcher in sustainable agriculture at Iowa State University , described them to The Atlantic magazine as "so yummy ...good, lean, rich meat. I find they are similar to

545-462: A good cut of beef." The British Trust for Ornithology , however, has described them as "reputedly amongst the most inedible of birds." The U.S. goose harvest for 2013–14 reported over 1.3 million geese taken. Canada geese are rarely farmed, and sale of wild Canada goose meat is rare due to regulation and slaughterhouses' lack of experience with wild birds. Geese in New York City parks culled by

654-411: A lack of former predators. Males exhibit agonistic behavior both on and off breeding and nesting grounds. This behavior rarely involves interspecific killing. One documented case involved a male defending his nest from a brant that wandered into the area; the following attack lasted for one hour until the death of the brant. The cause of death was suffocation or drowning in mud as a direct result of

763-734: A language in the Numic language group. To close a 1951 Indian Claims Commission case, the Western Shoshone Claims Distribution Act of 2004 established the United States payment of $ 117 million to the Great Basin tribe for the acquisition of 39,000 square miles (100,000 km ). European exploration of the Great Basin occurred during the 18th century Spanish colonization of the Americas . The first immigrant American to cross

872-404: A large population of Canada geese. Canada geese live year-round in the southern part of their breeding range, including the northern half of the United States' eastern seaboard and Pacific Coast, and areas in between. Between California and South Carolina in the southern United States and in northern Mexico , Canada geese are mainly present as migrants from further north during the winter. By

981-558: A marble and limestone solution, for the most part, that forms the many cave decorations throughout the caverns. The cave system became much deeper during the Pleistocene, when a prolonged and increased flow of water eroded through the cave's fracturing bedrock. Eventually, the water level dropped, leaving glare rooms and cavities in the rock, creating the depths of the Lehman Caves system. The park's scenic features include Lexington Arch,

1090-503: A metamorphic core complex, creating mafic and rhyolitic dikes and sills. Extensive volcanism also occurred during the middle to late Cambrian, contributing further to the uplift of the area. This also contributed to a second round of block faulting, in which conglomerates , ash flows, and tuffs accumulated in the Snake Range. Both continuous and intermittent fault movements also occurred, with individual fault surfaces on both sides of

1199-401: A mixture of B. c. minima , B. c. occidentalis , and B. c. parvipes . The holotype specimen of taverneri is a straightforward large pale cackling goose however, and hence the taxon is still valid today and was renamed "Taverner's cackling goose". In addition, the barnacle goose ( B. leucopsis ) was determined to be a derivative of the cackling goose lineage, whereas

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1308-584: A permit which can be used from March 11 through August 31 to destroy nests, conduct a goose roundup or exterminate geese. Canada geese have reached Northern Europe naturally, as has been proved by ringing recoveries . The birds include those of the subspecies B. c. parvipes , and possibly others. These geese are also found naturally on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Siberia , and eastern China . Canada geese have also been introduced in Europe in

1417-771: A pet dog. Once they reach adulthood, due to their large size and often aggressive behavior, Canada geese are rarely preyed on, although prior injury may make them more vulnerable to natural predators. Beyond humans, adults can be taken by coyotes and grey wolves ( Canis lupus ). Avian predators that are known to kill adults, as well as young geese, include snowy owls ( Bubo scandiacus ), golden eagles ( Aquila chrysaetos ) and bald eagles ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ) and, though rarely on large adult geese, great horned owls ( Bubo virginianus ), northern goshawks ( Accipiter gentilis ), peregrine falcons ( Falco peregrinus ), and gyrfalcons ( Falco rusticolus ). Adult geese are quite vigorous at displacing potential predators from

1526-458: A problem in some areas by fouling pastures and damaging crops. They were protected under the Wildlife Act 1953 and the population was managed by Fish and Game New Zealand , which culled excessive bird numbers. In 2011, the government removed the protection status, allowing anyone to kill the birds. Like most geese, the Canada goose is naturally migratory with the wintering range being most of

1635-570: A tendency to spend less time at rest stops and go through the migration much faster. The later birds usually spend more time at rest stops. Some geese return to the same nesting ground year after year and lay eggs with their mate, raising them in the same way each year. This is recorded from the many tagged geese which frequent the East Coast. Canada geese fly in a distinctive V-shaped flight formation, with an altitude of 1 km (3,000 feet) for migration flight. The maximum flight ceiling of Canada geese

1744-459: A variety of grains and other foods by humans in parks. Canada geese prefer lawn grass in urban areas. They usually graze in open areas with wide clearance to avoid potential predators. During the second year of their lives, Canada geese find a mate. They are monogamous , and most couples stay together all of their lives. If one dies, the other may find a new mate. The female lays from two to nine eggs with an average of five, and both parents protect

1853-527: Is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America , and it is occasionally found during migration across the Atlantic in northern Europe . It has been introduced to France , the United Kingdom , Ireland , Finland , Sweden , Denmark , New Zealand , Japan , Chile , Argentina , and

1962-679: Is also colloquially referred to as the "Canadian goose". This name may annoy some birders . The cackling goose was originally considered to be the same species or several subspecies of the Canada goose, but in July 2004, the American Ornithologists' Union 's Committee on Classification and Nomenclature split them into two species, making the cackling goose into a full species with the scientific name Branta hutchinsii . The British Ornithologists' Union followed suit in June 2005. The AOU has divided

2071-426: Is applied to hydrographic , biological , floristic , physiographic, topographic , and ethnographic geographic areas. The name was originally coined by John C. Frémont , who, based on information gleaned from Joseph R. Walker as well as his own travels, recognized the hydrographic nature of the landform as "having no connection to the ocean". The hydrographic definition is the most commonly used, and

2180-419: Is believed because of the long days of flying in migration the thyroid gland sends out more T 4 which help the body cope with the longer journey. The increased T 4 levels are also associated with increased muscle mass ( hypertrophy ) of the breast muscle, also because of the longer time spent flying. It is believed that the body sends out more T 4 to help the goose's body with this long task by speeding up

2289-474: Is generally permitted only during the defined open season . Geese have a tendency to attack humans when they feel themselves or their goslings to be threatened. First, the geese stand erect, spread their wings, and produce a hissing sound. Next, the geese charge. They may then peck or attack with their wings. Canada geese have been implicated in a number of bird strikes by aircraft. Their large size and tendency to fly in flocks may exacerbate their impact. In

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2398-447: Is located on Nevada State Route 487 in the town of Baker. The Lehman Caves visitor center is located on Nevada State Route 488 , about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) from Baker, 1 ⁄ 2 mile (800 m) inside the park boundary. The Forgotten Winchester , a rifle manufactured in 1882 that was found leaning against a juniper tree in the park in 2014, is on display inside the Great Basin visitor center. Both centers feature exhibits about

2507-536: Is nicknamed "The Loneliest Road in America", and Nevada State Route 375 is designated the "Extraterrestrial Highway". The Great Basin is traversed by several rail lines including the Union Pacific Railroad 's Overland Route (Union Pacific Railroad) through Reno and Ogden , Feather River Route , Central Corridor and Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad . There has been a succession of indigenous peoples of

2616-511: Is noted for both its arid climate and the basin and range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin in Death Valley to the highest point of the contiguous United States , less than 100 miles (160 km) away at the summit of Mount Whitney . The region spans several physiographic divisions, biomes , ecoregions , and deserts . The term "Great Basin"

2725-549: Is partially due to the removal of natural predators and an abundance of safe, human-made bodies of water near food sources, such as those found on golf courses, in public parks and beaches, on sports fields, and in planned communities. Due in part to the interbreeding of various migratory subspecies with the introduced non-migratory giant subspecies, Canada geese are frequently a year-round feature of such urban environments. Contrary to its normal migration routine, large flocks of Canada geese have established permanent residence along

2834-419: Is slightly lighter at 2.4–5.5 kg ( 5 + 1 ⁄ 4 – 12 + 1 ⁄ 4  lb), averaging amongst all subspecies 3.6 kg (8 lb), and generally 10% smaller in linear dimensions than the male counterparts. The honk refers to the call of the male Canada goose, while the hrink call refers to the female goose. The calls are similar, however, the hrink is shorter and more high-pitched than

2943-941: Is the only fish native to Great Basin National Park. It arrived in the mountain waters naturally and was eventually isolated by changing climatic conditions. Other trout species, such as Lahontan cutthroat trout , rainbow , brook , and brown trout , were stocked in the lakes and streams of the South Snake Range until the park's incorporation in 1986. Many species of birds can be found in Great Basin National Park, including Canada geese , hawks , sparrows , bald eagles , tundra swans , barn owls , snow geese , killdeer , golden eagles , woodpeckers , mallards , wrens , greater roadrunners , chickadees , great horned owls , ravens , magpies , and swallows . Only two species of amphibians have been positively identified in

3052-603: Is the only one with a definitive border. The other definitions yield not only different geographical boundaries of "Great Basin" regions but regional borders that vary from source to source. The Great Basin Desert is defined by plant and animal communities, and, according to the National Park Service , its boundaries approximate the hydrographic Great Basin but exclude the southern " panhandle ". The Great Basin Province

3161-518: Is the result of extension and thinning of the lithosphere , which is composed of crust and upper mantle . Extensional environments like the Basin and Range are characterized by listric normal faulting , or faults that level out with depth. Opposing normal faults link at depth producing a horst and graben geometry, where horst refers to the upthrown fault block and graben to the down dropped fault block. Sediment build-up over thousands of years filled

3270-413: Is unknown, but they have been reported at 9 km (29,000 feet). Flying in the V formation has been the subject of study by researchers. The front position is rotated since flying in front consumes the most energy. Canada geese leave the winter grounds more quickly than the summer grounds. Elevated thyroid hormones , such as T 3 and T 4 , have been measured in geese just after a big migration. This

3379-566: The Branta genus of geese, which contains species with largely black plumage , distinguishing them from the gray species of the genus Anser . Branta was a Latinized form of Old Norse Brandgás , "burnt (black) goose" and the specific epithet canadensis is a Neo-Latin word meaning "from Canada ". According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the first citation for the 'Canada goose' dates back to 1772. The Canada goose

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3488-487: The American Civil War but were reintroduced in 1956 with 10 pairs. The population was estimated at 18,000 in 1979. The geese are considered protected, though a hunting season is allowed from September 1–15, with a daily bag limit of five. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recommends several non-lethal scare and hazing tactics for nuisance geese, but if such methods have been used without success, they may issue

3597-583: The Cui-ui sucker fish (endangered 1967) and the Lahontan cutthroat trout (threatened 1970). Large invertebrates include tarantulas (genus Aphonopelma ) and Mormon crickets . Exotic species, including chukar , grey partridge , and Himalayan snowcock , have been successfully introduced to the Great Basin, although the latter has only thrived in the Ruby Mountains . Cheatgrass , an invasive species which

3706-547: The Falkland Islands . Like most geese, the Canada goose is primarily herbivorous and normally migratory; often found on or close to fresh water , the Canada goose is also common in brackish marshes, estuaries, and lagoons. Extremely adept at living in human-altered areas , Canada geese have established breeding colonies in urban and cultivated habitats, which provide food and few natural predators. The success of this common park species has led to it often being considered

3815-637: The Great Basin fence lizard , longnose leopard lizard and horned lizard are common, especially in lower elevations. Rattlesnakes and gopher snakes are also present. The Inyo Mountains salamander is endangered. Shorebirds such as phalaropes and curlews can be found in wet areas. American white pelicans are common at Pyramid Lake . Golden eagles are also very common in the Great Basin. Mourning dove , western meadowlark , black-billed magpie , and common raven are other common bird species. Two endangered species of fish are found in Pyramid Lake:

3924-712: The Hawaiian goose ( B. sandvicensis ) originated from ancestral Canada geese. Thus, the species' distinctness is well evidenced. Ornithologist Harold C. Hanson, who had rediscovered wild populations of the Giant Canada Goose, proposed splitting Canada and cackling goose into six species and 200 subspecies. The radical nature of this proposal has been controversial; Richard Banks of the AOU urges caution before any of Hanson's proposals are accepted. International Code of Zoological Nomenclature has suppressed Hanson's proposals, based on

4033-694: The Humboldt Sink are a few of the "drains" in the Great Basin. The Salton Sink is another closed basin within the Great Basin. The Great Basin Divide separates the Great Basin from the watersheds draining to the Pacific Ocean. The southernmost portion of the Great Basin is the watershed area of the Laguna Salada . The Great Basin's longest and largest river is the Bear River of 350 mi (560 km), and

4142-456: The Lehman Orchard and Aqueduct , Rhodes Cabin , Stella and Teresa Lakes , and Wheeler Peak Glacier . 39°00′20″N 114°13′13″W  /  39.00556°N 114.22028°W  / 39.00556; -114.22028 The Lehman Caves were originally protected as a national monument in 1922, which was combined with the national park in 1986. The cave is about two miles long, making it

4251-529: The Migratory Birds Convention Act . In both countries, commercial transactions such as buying or trading are mostly prohibited and the possession, hunting, and interfering with the activity of the animals are subject to restrictions. In the UK, as with native bird species, the nests and eggs of Canada geese are fully protected by law, except when their removal has been specifically licensed, and shooting

4360-585: The Netherlands , Belgium , Germany , Scandinavia , and Finland in the 20th Century, starting in Sweden in 1929. Most European populations are not migratory, but those in more northerly parts of Sweden and Finland migrate to the North Sea and Baltic coasts. Semi-tame feral birds are common in parks, and have become a pest in some areas. In Great Britain, they were spread by hunters, but remained uncommon until

4469-513: The Ohio population of Canada geese was reported as roughly 130,000, with the number likely to continue increasing. Many of the geese, previously migratory, reportedly had become native, remaining in the state even in the summer. The increase was attributed to a lack of natural predators, an abundance of water, and plentiful grass in manicured lawns in urban areas. Canada geese were eliminated in Ohio following

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4578-798: The University of York at the age of 31. In order to survive the extreme winter temperatures, the geese prefer to stay in urban areas rather than in green spaces since industrial areas retain heat. Known predators of eggs and goslings include coyotes ( Canis latrans ), Arctic foxes ( Vulpes lagopus ), northern raccoons ( Procyon lotor ), red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ), large gulls ( Larus species), common ravens ( Corvus corax ), American crows ( Corvus brachyrhynchos ), carrion crows (in Europe, Corvus corone ) and both brown ( Ursus arctos ) and American black bears ( Ursus americanus ). Geese and their goslings are occasionally preyed upon by domestic dogs—these occurrences can be prevented by leashing

4687-462: The cold Great Basin and Oregon High Deserts in the north. The deserts can be distinguished by their plants: the Joshua tree and creosote bush occur in the hot deserts, while the cold deserts have neither. The cold deserts are generally higher than the hot and have more even spread of precipitation throughout the year. The climate and flora of the Great Basin are strongly dependent on elevation; as

4796-408: The fledgling stage any time from six to nine weeks of age. They do not leave their parents until after the spring migration, when they return to their birthplace. Canada geese are known for their seasonal migrations. Most Canada geese have staging or resting areas where they join up with others. Their autumn migration can be seen from September to the beginning of November. The early migrants have

4905-427: The honk of males. When agitated or aggressively defending territory, Canada geese will typically initiate an encounter with a high-pitched hiss. Canada geese communicate with ten different vocalizations, each in response to a different situation confronting them. This species is native to North America. It breeds in Canada and the northern United States in a wide range of habitats. The Great Lakes region maintains

5014-412: The wing chord can range from 39 to 55 cm ( 15 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 2  in), the tarsus can range from 6.9 to 10.6 cm ( 2 + 11 ⁄ 16 to 4 + 3 ⁄ 16  in) and the bill can range from 4.1 to 6.8 cm ( 1 + 5 ⁄ 8 to 2 + 11 ⁄ 16  in). The largest subspecies is B. c. maxima , or the giant Canada goose, and the smallest (with

5123-449: The "true geese" (i.e., the genera Anser and Branta ), the Canada goose is on average the largest living species, although some other species that are geese in name, if not of close relation to these genera, are on average heavier, such as the spur-winged goose and Cape Barren goose . Canada geese range from 75 to 110 cm (30 to 43 in) in length and have a 127–185 cm (50–73 in) wingspan . Among standard measurements,

5232-524: The Basin and Range Province contains the Great Basin, but extends into eastern Oregon , southern Idaho , and the Colorado River watershed and the northwest corner of Arizona ). The Basin and Range region is the product of geological forces stretching the Earth's crust, creating many north–south trending mountain ranges. These ranges are separated by flat valleys or basins. These hundreds of ranges make Nevada

5341-419: The Canada goose's pecking the head of the brant into the mud. Researchers attributed it to high hormone levels and the brant's inability to leave the nesting area. Canada geese are primarily herbivores , although they sometimes eat small insects and fish . Their diet includes green vegetation and grains . The Canada goose eats a variety of grasses when on land. It feeds by grasping a blade of grass with

5450-551: The Fremont built small villages and grew crops like corn and squash. Seven hundred years ago, the Shoshone inhabited the area after the Fremont. They were hunter-gathers and lived in temporary homes to be able to follow animal herds and collect plants. Now, Shoshone descendants live in nearby areas. Other tribes in the area included the Ute , Mono , and Northern Paiute . All of the tribes speak

5559-466: The Great Basin . Paleo-Indian habitation by the Great Basin tribes began as early as 10,000 B.C. . Archaeological evidence of habitation sites along the shore of Lake Lahontan date from the end of the ice age when its shoreline was approximately 500 feet (150 m) higher along the sides of the surrounding mountains. The Paleo-Indians were mainly hunters and hunted bison, the extinct mammoth, and extinct ground sloth. For housing, since they followed

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5668-681: The Great Basin from the Sierra Nevada was Jedediah Strong Smith in 1827. Peter Skene Ogden of the British Hudson's Bay Company explored the Great Salt Lake and Humboldt River regions in the late 1820s, following the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada to the Gulf of California. Benjamin Bonneville explored the northeast portion during an 1832 expedition . The United States had acquired claims to

5777-725: The Great Basin into three ecoregions roughly according to latitude: the Northern Basin and Range ecoregion , the Central Basin and Range ecoregion , and the Mojave Basin and Range ecoregion . Great Basin wildlife includes pronghorn , mule deer , mountain lion , and lagomorphs such as black-tailed jackrabbit and desert cottontail and the coyotes that prey on them. Packrats , kangaroo rats and other small rodents are also common, and are predominantly nocturnal. Elk and bighorn sheep are present but uncommon. Small lizards such as

5886-468: The Great Basin's central Lahontan subregion. The hydrographic Great Basin contains multiple deserts and ecoregions , each with its own distinctive set of flora and fauna. The ecological boundaries and divisions in the Great Basin are unclear. The Great Basin overlaps four different deserts: portions of the hot Mojave and Colorado (a region within the Sonoran Desert ) Deserts to the south, and

5995-500: The HPAI virus, a H5N1 virus, found that the geese were susceptible to the virus. This proved useful for monitoring the spread of the virus through the high mortality of infected birds. Prior exposure to other viruses may result in some resistance to H5N1. The Canada goose is considered part of the Canadian national identity. In North America, nonmigratory Canada goose populations have been on

6104-527: The Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center was built near Jamestown, North Dakota. Its first director, Harvey K. Nelson, talked Forrest Lee into leaving Minnesota to head the center's Canada goose production and restoration program. Forrest soon had 64 pens with 64 breeding pairs of screened, high-quality birds. The project involved private, state, and federal resources and relied on the expertise and cooperation of many individuals. By

6213-738: The Pacific coast of North America from British Columbia's Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island area south to the San Francisco Bay area of Northern California. There are also resident Atlantic coast populations, such as on Chesapeake Bay , in Virginia 's James River regions, and in the Triangle area of North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill), and nearby Hillsborough. Some Canada geese have taken up permanent residence as far south as Florida, in places such as retention ponds in apartment complexes. In 2015,

6322-532: The Snake Range thinning and stretching. Glaciation , mostly during a series of ice ages in the Pleistocene , heavily eroded the peaks of the Snake Range, leaving canyon walls, U-shaped valleys, cirques , and moraines throughout the range. The Lehman Cave system began forming around 550 million years ago (during the Cambrian), while it was still submerged in a relatively warm, shallow ocean. The caves are made up of

6431-485: The United States . The "section" is somewhat larger than the hydrographic definition. The Great Basin culture area , or indigenous peoples of the Great Basin , is a cultural classification of indigenous peoples of the Americas and a cultural region located between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. The culture area covers approximately 400,000 sq mi (1,000,000 km ), or just less than twice

6540-447: The United States, the Canada goose is the second-most damaging bird strike to airplanes, with the most damaging being turkey vultures . Canada geese can cause fatal crashes when they strike an aircraft's engine. The FAA has reported 1,772 known civil aircraft strikes within the United States between 1990 and 2018. The total cost of these bird strikes to general and commercial aviation has been reported to exceed $ 130 million. In 1995,

6649-469: The United States. The calls overhead from large groups of Canada geese flying in a V-shaped formation signal the transitions into spring and autumn. In some areas, migration routes have changed due to changes in habitat and food sources. In mild climates from southwestern British Columbia to California to the Great Lakes , some of the population has become nonmigratory due to adequate winter food supply and

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6758-492: The Wheeler summit trail starting at 10,160 feet (3,097 m). The Wheeler Summit trail is quite strenuous, and the altitude presents significant hazards for unprepared or inexperienced hikers. Backcountry routes are occasionally maintained throughout the more remote southern portion of the park. A number of these trailheads are accessible by the road that terminates at the primitive Shoshone campground. The Great Basin visitor center

6867-592: The animals they were hunting, they had no permanent villages. The next group to live in the area was the Great Basin Desert Archaic, from approximately 9,000 to 1,500 years ago. They hunted animals like mule deer and antelope and gathered onions, wild rye, and pinyon pine nuts. Then, from 1,500 to 700 years ago, the Fremont lived in the area. Unlike the Paleo-Indians, who moved around to follow bison herds,

6976-428: The annual summer molt also takes place during the breeding season, the adults lose their flight feathers for 20–40 days, regaining flight about the same time as their goslings start to fly. As soon as the goslings hatch, they are immediately capable of walking, swimming, and finding their own food (a diet similar to that of adult geese). Parents are often seen leading their goslings in a line, usually with one adult at

7085-524: The area of the hydrographic Great Basin. The hydrographic Great Basin is a 209,162-square-mile (541,730 km ) area that once drained internally. All precipitation in the region evaporated, sank underground or flowed into lakes (mostly saline). As observed by Fremont, creeks, streams, or rivers find no outlet to either the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific Ocean . The region is bounded by the Wasatch Mountains to

7194-447: The basin experiences a semi-arid or arid climate with warm summers and cold winters. However, some of the mountainous areas in the basin are high enough in elevation to experience an alpine climate . Due to the region's altitude and aridity, most areas in the Great Basin experience a substantial diurnal temperature variation . Canada goose Anas canadensis Linnaeus, 1758 The Canada goose ( Branta canadensis )

7303-421: The bill, then tearing it with a jerk of the head. The Canada goose also eats beans and grains such as wheat , rice , and corn when they are available. In the water, it feeds from aquatic plants by sliding its bill at the bottom of the body of water. It also feeds on aquatic plant-like algae, such as seaweed . In urban areas, it is also known to pick food out of garbage bins. They are also sometimes hand-fed

7412-598: The cave, but must leave to forage for food. These include chipmunks , mice , pack rats , and several species of bats . Only insectivorous bats occur in the Great Basin. At least 10 species of bats have been found in the vicinity of Great Basin National Park, including the Townsend's big-eared bat . The park has 12 trails ranging from 0.3 to 13.1 miles (0.48 to 21.08 km). Trails range from short nature trails at 6,825 feet (2,080 m) (Mountain View Nature Trail), to

7521-547: The criticisms of Banks and other ornithologists. The black head and neck with a white "chinstrap" distinguish the Canada goose from all other goose species except the cackling goose and barnacle goose (the latter, however, has a black breast and gray rather than brownish body plumage). Some Canada geese come with a pepper-spotted or brown neck with brown plumage, and these are assumed to be a leucistic variety. The seven subspecies of this bird vary widely in size and plumage details, but all are recognizable as Canada geese. Some of

7630-748: The darkest night skies in the contiguous United States. President Warren G. Harding created Lehman Caves National Monument by presidential proclamation on January 24, 1922. The monument and its surroundings was designated a national park on October 27, 1986, following the advocacy of Congressman Harry Reid . A number of developed campsites are within the park, as well as backcountry camping opportunities. The Highland Ridge Wilderness lies adjacent to Great Basin National Park. These two protected areas provide contiguous wildlife habitat and protection to 227.8 square miles (590.0 km) of eastern Nevada's basin lands. Eleven species of conifer trees and over 800 species of plants are found in Great Basin National Park and

7739-672: The down-faulted basins between ranges and created relatively flat lacustrine plains from Pleistocene lake beds of the Great Basin. For example, after forming about 32,000 years ago , Lake Bonneville overflowed about 14,500 years ago in the Bonneville Flood through Red Rock Pass and lowered to the "Provo Lake" level (the Great Salt Lake , Utah Lake , Sevier Lake , Rush Lake , and Little Salt Lake remain). Lake Lahontan , Lake Manly , and Lake Mojave were similar Pleistocene lakes. The Great Basin physiographic section of

7848-440: The eagle is displaying active hunting behavior. Canada geese are quite wary of humans where they are regularly hunted and killed, but can otherwise become habituated to fearlessness toward humans, especially where they are fed by them. This often leads to the geese becoming overly aggressive toward humans, and large groups of the birds may be considered a nuisance if they are causing persistent problems to humans and other animals in

7957-651: The early 17th century by explorer Samuel de Champlain who sent several pairs of geese to France as a present for King Louis XIII . The geese were first introduced in Great Britain in the late 17th century as an addition to King James II 's waterfowl collection in St. James's Park . By the middle of the 18th century, the Canada geese have established populations in France and Great Britain , but also in Ireland. They were also introduced in

8066-531: The early 20th century, overhunting and loss of habitat in the late 19th and early 20th centuries had resulted in a serious decline in the numbers of this bird in its native range. The giant Canada goose subspecies was believed to be extinct in the 1950s until, in 1962, a small flock was discovered wintering in Rochester, Minnesota , by Harold Hanson of the Illinois Natural History Survey. In 1964,

8175-506: The east, the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges to the west, and the Snake River Basin to the north. The south rim is less distinct. The Great Basin includes most of Nevada , half of Utah , substantial portions of Oregon and California , and small areas of Idaho , Wyoming , and Baja California, Mexico . The term "Great Basin" is slightly misleading; the region comprises many small basins. The Great Salt Lake , Pyramid Lake , and

8284-704: The eastern regions of the 1848 California Gold Rush , with its immigrants crossing the Great Basin on the California Trail along Nevada's Humboldt River to Carson Pass in the Sierras. The Oregon Territory was established in 1848 and the Utah Territory in 1850. In 1869 the First transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory Summit in the Great Basin. Around 1902, the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad

8393-402: The elevation increases, the temperature decreases and precipitation increases. Because of this, forests can occur at higher elevations. Utah juniper / single-leaf pinyon (southern regions) and mountain mahogany (northern regions) form open pinyon-juniper woodland on the slopes of most ranges. Stands of limber pine and Great Basin bristlecone pine ( Pinus longaeva ) can be found in some of

8502-638: The end of 1981, more than 6,000 giant Canada geese had been released at 83 sites in 26 counties in North Dakota. With improved game laws and habitat recreation and preservation programs, their populations have recovered in most of their range, although some local populations, especially of the subspecies B. c. occidentalis , may still be declining. In recent years, Canada goose populations in some areas have grown substantially, so much so that many consider them pests for their droppings, bacteria in their droppings, noise, and confrontational behavior. This problem

8611-414: The era before it became a National Monument note its use and popularity among recent settlers to the region. Several species occupy the Lehman Caves. Bacteria are the most common. Crickets , spiders , pseudoscorpions , mites , and springtails may live their full lifecycles in the cave. They are dependent on organic material packed in by other animals or washed in from the surface. Other animals use

8720-410: The front and the other at the back. While protecting their goslings, parents often violently chase away nearby creatures, from small blackbirds to lone humans who approach: first giving a warning hiss, and then attacking with bites and slaps of the wings. Although parents are hostile to unfamiliar geese, they may form groups of a number of goslings and a few adults, called crèches . The offspring enter

8829-502: The geese obtrusive or object to their waste. Addling goose eggs and destroying nests are promoted as humane population control methods. Flocks of Canada geese can also be captured during molt and this method of culling is used to control invasive populations. Canada geese are protected from hunting and capture outside of designated hunting seasons in the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act , and in Canada under

8938-508: The higher ranges. In riparian areas with dependable water cottonwoods ( Populus fremontii ) and quaking aspen ( Populus tremuloides ) groves exist. Because the forest ecosystem is distinct from a typical desert, some authorities, such as the World Wildlife Fund , separate the mountains of the Great Basin desert into their own ecoregion: the Great Basin montane forests . Many rare and endemic species occur in this ecoregion, because

9047-584: The individual mountain ranges are isolated from each other. During the Last Glacial Period , the Great Basin was wetter. As it dried during the Holocene epoch, some species retreated to the higher isolated mountains and have high genetic diversity. Other authorities divide the Great Basin into different ecoregions, depending on their own criteria. Armen Takhtajan defined the "Great Basin floristic province". The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency divides

9156-463: The largest single watershed is the Humboldt River drainage of roughly 17,000 sq mi (44,000 km ). Most Great Basin precipitation is snow, and the precipitation that neither evaporates nor is extracted for human use will sink into groundwater aquifers , while evaporation of collected water occurs from geographic sinks . Lake Tahoe , North America's largest alpine lake , is part of

9265-456: The longest known cave in Nevada. The park offers two different tours of the cave: a 0.6-mile long tour which lasts approximately 90 minutes and a 0.4 mile tour which lasts approximately 60 minutes. The cave had been known to indigenous peoples long before the arrival of Europeans. In 1885, Absalom Lehman, a rancher in the area, began guiding tours into the cave. Visitors' inscriptions in the cave from

9374-479: The low-elevation sagebrush desert. Pronghorns , coyotes , kit foxes , and badgers are less common inhabitants. In the more rugged areas on the slopes of mountains and in the valley areas nearby, cougars , bobcats , marmots , rock squirrels , and bighorn sheep can occasionally be seen throughout this park. Other animals that can be found here include elk , mule deer , spotted skunks , shrews , ringtail cats , and ermine . The Bonneville cutthroat trout

9483-444: The many subspecies between the two species. The subspecies of the Canada goose were listed as: The distinctions between the two geese have led to confusion and debate among ornithologists. This has been aggravated by the overlap between the small types of Canada goose and larger types of cackling goose. The old "lesser Canada geese" were believed to be a partly hybrid population, with the birds named B. c. taverneri considered

9592-407: The metabolism and lowering the temperature at which the muscles work. Also, other studies show levels of stress hormones such as corticosterone rise dramatically in these birds during and after a migration. The lifespan in the wild of geese who survive to adulthood ranges from 10 to 24 years. The British longevity record is held by a specimen tagged as a nestling, which was observed alive at

9701-434: The mid-20th century. Their population grew from 2,200 to 4,000 birds in 1953 to an estimated 82,000 in 1999, as changing agricultural practices and urban growth provided new habitat. European birds are mostly descended from the nominate subspecies B. c. canadensis , likely with some contributions from the subspecies B. c. maxima . Canada geese were introduced as a game bird into New Zealand in 1905. They have become

9810-523: The most mountainous state in the country. The Great Basin's two most populous metropolitan areas are the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area to the west and the Wasatch Front to the east (with the latter being significantly more populous than the former). The region between these two areas is sparsely populated, but includes the smaller cities of Elko , Ely , Wendover , West Wendover , and Winnemucca . To

9919-476: The mythological figure who stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. Sixty-one species of mammals, 18 species of reptiles, 238 species of birds, two species of amphibians, and eight species of fish are in Great Basin National Park and the neighboring valleys. An abundance of wildlife has taken advantage of the habitat zones in Great Basin National Park. Jackrabbits , pygmy rabbits, mountain cottontails, ground squirrels , chipmunks , and various mice live in

10028-482: The neighboring valleys. The area around the Visitor Center is dominated by plants such as sagebrush , saltbush , single-leaf pinyon , and Utah juniper . Higher elevations are home to mountain meadows, white fir , quaking aspen , Engelmann spruce , and large Ponderosa pine . At treeline is an alpine area of low, delicate plants and rocky outcroppings. There are several endemic species of plants that are found in

10137-459: The nest site, with predator prevention usually falling to the larger male of the pair. Males usually attempt to draw attention of approaching predators and toll (mob terrestrial predators without physical contact) often in accompaniment with males of other goose species. Eagles frequently cause geese to fly off en masse from some distance, though in other instances, geese may seem unconcerned at perched bald eagles nearby, seemingly only reacting if

10246-583: The nest while the eggs incubate , but the female spends more time at the nest than the male. Its nest is usually located in an elevated area near water such as streams, lakes, ponds, and sometimes on a beaver lodge. Its eggs are laid in a shallow depression lined with plant material and down. The incubation period, in which the female incubates while the male remains nearby, lasts for 24–32 days after laying. Canada geese can respond to external climatic factors by adjusting their laying date to spring maximum temperatures, which may benefit their nesting success. As

10355-496: The nonmigratory populations (which tend to be larger and more of a nuisance) as opposed to migratory flocks showing natural behavior, which may be rarer. Since 1999, the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services agency has been engaged in lethal culls of Canada geese primarily in urban or densely populated areas. The agency responds to municipalities or private land owners, such as golf courses, which find

10464-874: The north are; in California Susanville , in Oregon Burns and Hines , in Idaho Malad and in Wyoming Evanston . To the south are Cedar City , Tonopah , and Bishop and the very southern area of the basin has the communities of Pahrump , Palmdale , Victorville , and Palm Springs . Interstate Highways traversing the Great Basin are Interstate 80 (I-80) and I-15 , and I-70 and I-84 have their respective endpoints within its boundaries. Other major roadways are U.S. Route 6 (US 6), US 50 , US 93 , US 95 and US 395 . The section of US 50 between Delta, Utah , and Fallon, Nevada ,

10573-515: The park's geology and natural and cultural history, as well as theaters with orientation films. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Great Basin National Park has a warm-summer humid continental climate ( Dfb ). The plant hardiness zone at Lehman Caves Visitor Center is 6b with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of −3.8 °F (−19.9 °C). The park lies in an arid region and receives very little rainfall during most of

10682-720: The park, depending on elevation and location. The following data are for the Lehman Caves Visitor Center only. Higher elevations are cooler and receive more precipitation, whereas lower elevations are hotter and drier. Great Basin The Great Basin ( Spanish : Gran Cuenca ) is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds , those with no outlets to the ocean, in North America . It spans nearly all of Nevada , much of Utah , and portions of California , Idaho , Oregon , Wyoming , and Baja California . It

10791-404: The park, some of which include Mt. Wheeler sandwort and Holgrem's buckwheat. The oldest non clonal organism ever discovered, a Great Basin bristlecone pine tree at least 5,000 years old, grew at the treeline near Wheeler Peak in the national park. It was cut down in 1964 by a graduate student and U.S. Forest Service personnel for research purposes. It was given the nickname Prometheus , after

10900-697: The rise. The species is frequently found on golf courses, parking lots, and urban parks, which would have previously hosted only migratory geese on rare occasions. Owing to its adaptability to human-altered areas, it has become one of the most common waterfowl species in North America. In many areas, nonmigratory Canada geese are now regarded as pests by humans. They are suspected of being a cause of an increase in high fecal coliforms at beaches. An extended hunting season, deploying noise makers, and hazing by dogs have been used in an attempt to disrupt suspect flocks. A goal of conservationists has been to focus hunting on

11009-583: The separation of the cackling goose group) is B. c. parvipes , or the lesser Canada goose. An exceptionally large male of race B. c. maxima , which rarely exceed 8 kg (18 lb) , weighed 10.9 kg (24 lb) and had a wingspan of 2.24 m (7 ft 4 in). This specimen is the largest wild goose ever recorded of any species. The male Canada goose usually weighs 2.6–6.5 kg ( 5 + 3 ⁄ 4 – 14 + 1 ⁄ 4  lb), averaging amongst all subspecies 3.9 kg ( 8 + 1 ⁄ 2  lb). The female looks virtually identical, but

11118-512: The smaller races can be hard to distinguish from the cackling goose, which slightly overlap in mass. However, most subspecies of the cackling goose (exclusive of Richardson's cackling goose, B. h. hutchinsii ) are considerably smaller. The smallest cackling goose, B. h. minima , is scarcely larger than a mallard . In addition to the size difference, cackling geese also have a shorter neck and smaller bill, which can be useful when small Canada geese comingle with relatively large cackling geese. Of

11227-673: The southern Snake Range and adjacent portions of Snake and Spring Valleys : the western spadefoot toad (Spea hammondii) and the leopard frog (Rana pipiens) . Many of the rocks formed during the Cambrian , when the region lay at the edge of a continental landmass called Laurentia . These rocks include the Cambrian strata. As the Paleozoic era progressed, several intensified geologic events occurred, including repeated episodes of faulting , and in turn, orogenies which involved upward lifting of

11336-480: The surrounding area. Salinity plays a role in the growth and development of goslings. Moderate to high salinity concentrations without fresh water results in slower development, growth, and saline-induced mortality. Goslings are susceptible to saline-induced mortality before their nasal salt glands become functional; the majority of such deaths occur before the sixth day of life. Canada geese are susceptible to avian bird flus, such as H5N1 . A study carried out using

11445-601: The territory north of the 42nd parallel via the 1819 Adams–Onís Treaty with Spain and 1846 Oregon Treaty with Britain. The US gained claims to most of the rest of the Great Basin via the 1848 Mexican Cession . The first non-indigenous settlement was in 1847 in the Great Salt Lake Valley, leading to the first American religious settlement effort of the Mormon provisional State of Deseret in 1849 in present-day Utah and northern Nevada. Later settlements were connected with

11554-492: The year. Most precipitation is winter snow or summer thunderstorms. All precipitation in this region evaporates, sinks underground, or flows into lakes — i.e., it is endorheic . No water reaches the ocean. Winters are cool and summers are mild to hot. Weather can change quickly, especially in the back country or on Wheeler Peak at high elevations. Lehman Caves maintain a fairly constant temperature of 50 °F (10 °C) with 90% humidity year round. The climate varies throughout

11663-402: Was constructed in the lower basin and Mojave Desert for California-Nevada rail service to Las Vegas, Nevada. The climate varies throughout the Great Basin by elevation, latitude, and other factors. Higher elevations tend to be cooler and receive more precipitation. The western areas of the basin tend to be drier than the eastern areas because of the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada . Most of

11772-771: Was defined by botanist Armen Takhtajan to extend well beyond the boundaries of the hydrographically defined Great Basin: it includes the Snake River Plain , the Colorado Plateau , the Uinta Basin , and parts of Arizona north of the Mogollon Rim . The Great Basin physiographic section is a geographic division of the Basin and Range Province defined by Nevin Fenneman in 1931. The United States Geological Survey adapted Fenneman's scheme in their Physiographic division of

11881-422: Was unintentionally introduced, forms a critical portion of their diets. Feral horses ( mustangs ) and feral burros are highly reproductive, and ecosystem-controversial, alien species. Most of the Great Basin is open range and domestic cattle and sheep are widespread. The Great Basin includes valleys, basins, lakes and mountain ranges of the Basin and Range Province . The basin and range topography

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