Sinlahekin wildlife celebration has eye on critters tiny to large
WILDLIFE -- The 75th anniversary celebration for Washington’s first wildlife area – the Sinlahekin in northcentral Okanogan County near Loomis– continues with free public field trips and presentations on butterflies, bats, deer and more on Saturday and Sunday, July 5-6.
Sponsored by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the July 5-6 sessions are the second in the “Explore the Sinlahekin – Past and Present” summer weekend series on the area’s fauna, flora, geology and history.
- See the complete schedule and driving directions to Sinlahekin headquarters where all sessions begin.
Sessions are led by scientists, researchers, and experts from colleges and universities and other natural resource management agencies, along with WDFW staff.
Saturday's offerings include a butterfly tour and programs on grassland ecology, "Predators, Parasitoids, Pollinators and Pretty Insects," "Deer and Moose," and ending with an evening program on bats.
Sunday's activities include a butterfly tour and programs on "Restoring Altered Habitat," "Dragonflies and Damselflies," and "Deer and Moose."
The Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, which covers 14,314 acres west of U.S. Highway 97 between Loomis and Conconully, was established in 1939 to protect winter range for mule deer. The first parcels of mule deer winter range were purchased with revenue from a federal tax on hunting arms and ammunition. The area’s diversity of fish and wildlife today draws not just hunters and fishers, but also wildlife watchers, hikers, campers, and other outdoor recreationists.
