As summer dissolves and winter approaches the Okanagan, we’re reminded of the seasonal nature of our valley. Regardless of whether the sun bakes our beaches or snow blankets our mountains, the Okanagan is always a stunning place.
One of the most breathtaking parts of our landscape is the wildlife. It takes patience and talent to capture it's magic in photography. the Instagram hashtag #wildkelowna, initiated by the developers of Wilden, honors all local amateurs and professionals who take wildlife photos in the Okanagan. We've collected an assortment of these photographs to celebrate the beauty and diversity of the Okanagan’s wildlife.
British Columbia is home to more species of black bears than any other part of Canada. An interesting habit of bears is the way they make and use trails. They will often step in the same footprints of other bears, therefore creating well-worn paths that they use year after year.
Osprey are expert fishers, as such, they eat little else. Fish make up 99 percent of their diet. Osprey's hunt by diving to the water's surface from 30 to 100 feet up. Once they hit the water, gripping pads on their feet pluck the fish from their watery home.
The horns of a bighorn ram can weigh 30 pounds, more than all the bones in his body combined! The female (ewes) also have horns, but they are of smaller size. The Rocky Mountain bighorns inhabit the mountains from Canada all the way to New Mexico.
A hummingbird can beat their wings at 53 times a second and fly in an acrobatic style unparalleled by most birds. They hover often in addition to flying backwards and upside down. To sustain its rapid wing beat and energetic movements, an adult hummingbird may eat twice its body weight in food each day.
Owls are a nocturnal bird of prey. They are typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, and binocular vision. Owls don't have eyeballs, they actually have eye tubes. They're elongated and held in place by "sclerotic rings," a bony structure in the skull. Due to this, Owls cannot move their eyes leading to the increased mobility in their necks.
A Hawk is monogamous and may mate for life. They make stick nests high above the ground, in which the female lays one to five eggs each year.
During breeding season, the hawk initiates a spectacular sequence of aerial acrobatics in pairs. This can include flying in large circles, gaining great height before plunging into a deep dive. The couple might grab hold of one another by the talons and fall spiraling to earth.
#WildKelowna, the Instagram tag that brought us this stunning photography, is a project of local real estate developer Blenk Development who is the developer of Wilden (#Wildenkelowna on Instagram). Wilden is a wild 2,000-acre piece of land flanked by Okanagan Lake. Inspired by the beauty of our natural landscape and wildlife, half of the land in Wilden is preserved in its natural state. Neighbourhoods are developed in small pockets that are connected by wildlife corridors.
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