 100 Volumes of Scientific Exchange and Information Sharing
Oklahoma is a land of diversity; not only in its natural resources, but also in its opportunities for scientific exploration. That journey of exploration has been documented for the past century, in part, by the Oklahoma Academy of Science.
The academy has fostered an exchange of knowledge of the state’s fish, wildlife and plant communities since its creation in 1909, and has shared that knowledge in its “Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science” since 1921. Observations and research findings from naturalists, academic researchers, Wildlife Department biologists and many others have been shared at the annual meetings and through the proceedings. We’ve pored through the archives to bring you interesting observations and findings about our natural communities from the past 100 volumes.
 David Arbour, courtesy of the USDA Forest Service
Species Spotlight: Frosted Elfin
Spring blooms and warming temperatures have triggered the short flight season of the frosted elfin. The tiny butterfly has been documented at multiple new sites this year by the Oklahoma Biological Survey, but the search window is closing fast! After emerging, adult butterflies have just a few weeks to mate and deposit eggs on wild indigo host plants before completing their life cycle.
Surveys have been funded in part by Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Grant F21AP00052.
Learn more about the frosted elfin
New Photo Challenge Brings Oklahoma’s Natural Diversity and Photographers in Focus
With its amazingly diverse wildlife community, sweeping landscapes, and abundant recreational opportunities, Outdoor Oklahoma is a photographer’s paradise! To better bring our state’s rich photo ops – and the photographers behind the shot – into focus, the Wildlife Department has created a Shutter Slam photo challenge.
Whether you’re feelin’ birdy, hunting for herptiles, exploring Oklahoma, or a budding naturalist, we have a Shutter Slam for you! Each slam has four to five specific photo challenges and asks for your story. Stories and photos will then be shared on our social media channels and may be further developed for this newsletter. Slam participants will also receive an all-weather sticker for completing each challenge. Submissions will be accepted until Aug. 6.
Share your photos and stories
Field Guide Custom-Made for Oklahoma
From rare salamanders found only in southeastern Oklahoma to common turtles that can be spotted across the state, the Wildlife Department’s “A Field Guide to Oklahoma’s Amphibians and Reptiles” introduces our state’s 140 species of salamanders, frogs, turtles, lizards, snakes and alligator.
Each account shares a photo of the animal along with a physical description, information about the food and habitat preferences, and notes on the life cycle and habits of the species. The book’s spiral binding makes it easy to flip through and make comparisons of different species when identifying animals at home or in the field.
The guide is available through the Wildlife Department’s Go Outdoors Oklahoma shop for $20 (a $3 transaction fee applies to online purchases). Hunting and fishing licenses, required for catching and collecting amphibians and reptiles with open seasons, are also available through Go Outdoors Oklahoma. License requirements and daily limits can be found in the Oklahoma Hunting and Fishing Regulations Guide.
What’s New in the 4th Edition: Six species accounts have been added to the guide; three subspecies were recently reclassified as full species, two species were previously undocumented in Oklahoma, and one species is thought to be new to science. In addition to these new accounts, range maps and scientific names have been updated throughout the guide to best reflect our current understanding of these animals.
Order Your Copy from the Go Outdoors Oklahoma Shop
Your Tax Refund Can Support Oklahoma's Wildlife
Tax filers can help the Wildlife Department learn more about our state's fish and wildlife by donating a portion of their 2020 refund to the Wildlife Diversity Fund. This fund is dedicated to Oklahoma's nongame species and can turn donations into surveys for our rare and declining species. The Oklahoma income tax filing deadline has been extended to June 15, 2021.
The Wildlife Department does not receive general state tax appropriations.
Show your support on Schedule 511-H of the Oklahoma Income Tax Return
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