BRITISH COLUMBIA
Are wolves getting smarter before our eyes? The scientific community wants to know. Sometime back in 2023, the Heiltsuk Nation in British Columbia noticed that the traps tribal members had been setting to control invasive European green crabs were getting mangled and sometimes destroyed, with the bait inside always thoroughly removed. Initially, the tribe’s environmental wardens, known as Guardians, suspected otters or seals. But after installing remote cameras, they discovered that gray wolves were responsible, Smithsonian Magazine reported. The footage recorded a female wolf emerging from the water, carrying a buoy attached to a trap line in her mouth, then carefully pulling at the line until she hauled the entire trap onto the beach. Then she chewed through the netting, removed the bait cup, and, um, “wolfed down” the herring and sea lion snack before trotting happily away.
The video — along with another one showing a different wolf — has sparked debate among scientists: Does this cunning activity constitute intentional tool use by wild canids or just clever problem solving? Nobody doubts that wolves are intelligent, but the footage seems to indicate that they’re even smarter than we suspected. No surprise there, really: Anyone who has ever given a dog a treat-filled Kong knows exactly how determined a canine can be, given the right motivation.
CALIFORNIA
A GoFundMe campaign has raised over a million dollars for eight BIPOC and queer nonprofits and other organizations that are working to make the outdoors and environmental spaces more inclusive and diverse. Drag activist Pattie Gonia set out on a 100-mile hike — in glorious drag — starting at Point Reyes National Seashore and heading down the coast, camping out every night, reapplying makeup in the morning and finally crossing Golden Gate Bridge a week later for her grand finale in San Francisco. She posted updates on social media, lgbtqnation.com reported: “Follow along to watch my drag slowly decompose in front of your eyes, and help us raise $1 million for outdoor nonprofits that absolutely deserve it.” And her long walk paid off, raising $1,167,000 for the eight nonprofits. If you break it down, that’s over $10,000 per mile, well worth a few chipped nails and lost eyelashes.
COLORADO
You’ve heard of Rosie the Riveter, the famous World War II figure. But have you heard of Rosie the tarantula? Well, you should — eeek, she’s crawling up your arm! But don’t run away:Rosie, a Chilean rose hair tarantula, has devoted her hairy eight-legged life to curing arachnophobia, working in the invertebrate zoo at the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, a suburb of Denver, since 1995. And by “working,” we mean clambering onto people’s hands for creepy-crawly “meet and greets.” Nearly 3 million people have handled her, kdvr.com reported. But after 28 years in the business, Rosie and her tarantula colleague, Goldie the Chaco golden knee, are going to retire. It’s not easy balancing yourself on sweaty, trembling human hands while voices around you shriek “EWWW!” all day long. Realizing the stress that such public handling causes, the pavilion decided that the spiders’ health had to come first. “The science around ambassador animal care has evolved, and Butterfly Pavilion is evolving with it,” Sarah Stevens, director of animal collections, explained. Rosie won’t be completely taken off her detail; instead, she’ll move into her dedicated exhibit — public display only, no handling allowed. The pavilion said that Rosie has helped people understand and appreciate spiders, not as creatures to fear, but as “vital members of our ecosystems.” Let’s hope Rosie enjoys her retirement and has a good pension. She deserves it.
OREGON
Long before Bigfoot entered American popular culture, Indigenous people regarded the cryptid as a relative and protector,OPB News reported. Many Indigenous cultures see Bigfoot — also known as “Sasquatch,” “Istiyehe” or “Stiyahamas,” among other names — as a spiritual being who teaches people how to care for the land. In the short filmGuardian of the Land, produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting, oral histories and stories about Bigfoot are told from the perspective of four prominent Indigenous artists and thought leaders. The documentary grew out of “Sensing Sasquatch,” an exhibit at the Oregon High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. In it, several Indigenous artists from the Pacific Northwest explore the cultural function and meaning of this mythical spirit and protector. “Bigfoot is a relative that reminds us of our responsibility to take care of the land,” film director LaRonn Katchia said. You can stream Guardian of the Land on YouTube and on the PBS app.
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This article appeared in the February 2026 print edition of the magazine with the headline “Heard around the West.”
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