A mountain lion was recently sighted in Big Bend, causing a little commotion in the process. Imagine walking into the public restrooms and finding a big cat drinking out of the toilet! If you’d run out of their screaming, then you’re not alone. That’s exactly what two park visitors did.
You can read all about the encounter in this report by desert ecologist living in Palm Springs. Luckily, no one was hurt on this occasion, since the lion was spooked and ran off. 
Mountain lions aren’t the only large animal in Big Bend. As we mentioned just last month, Big Bend has some black bears as well. But, while you should at all times be cautious about possible dangers, sighting are rare, and attacks are unheard of in Big Bend. Following the instructions of the park rangers helps ensure a safe visit for you and your family.
Wild animals aren’t the only things you may encounter. Two dogs were abandoned in Big Bend. Affectionately named ‘Desert Danes,’ both females were taken in by a local animal-help organization, called Grand Companions. Though they were malnourished and injured when found, they are doing much better. But there’s more! Both were also pregnant, and even though some of the puppies were lost, Grand Companions is doing everything possible to help them.
Visit the Grand Companions website here, and see all the great things they’re doing for abandoned pets in the Big Bend area.
And don't forget to check out the Summer Discounts!
There are some views you just can't take in all at once. Like a dazzling sunset or breathtaking field of wildflowers—you just can't appreciate such beauty in the moment, a moment that is often over before you realize it, the forms and colors of that marvelous vista already fading in your memory. Perhaps it was with the goal of preserving such scenes that the first camera was invented, a goal that you may still share when you visit a place as beautiful as Big Bend and the surrounding area. Why not take a look through our new and improved photo galleries to see what amazing sights have been preserved by astounded visitors and appreciative locals? When you see the mountains, plains, flora, and fauna displayed in those images, you'll be glad the gallery contributors took their camera along.
Among the many activities available in Big Bend National Park that highlight the region's diversity of wildlife, birding can be enjoyable and promising. Big Bend engulfs a vast area, bounded by the the rushing Rio Grande valley to the south, containing high peaks in the Chisos Mountains, and boasting both desert and forest climates between the two. It embodies the very diversity that makes America great, providing countless opportunities to spot more than 450 birds in one area.
What are your new year's resolutions for 2012? Did you keep your resolutions for 2011? While the top resolutions each year include losing weight, learning something new, traveling, or getting out of debt, here's a new challenge you can take on this year: spot all the bird species in Big Bend National Park.
Big Bend has some of the most spectacular scenery in Texas, if not the entire US. Our big sky country rivals any other state and our night skies are as dark as anywhere for excellent star gazing. The beautiful light and great scenery make for a photographer’s paradise.
There are many things you may love to do in Big Bend National Park in the heat of summer, but running or jogging is probably not one of them. With 90+ degree temperatures, there simply is no such thing as a nice July run in West Texas. With the dry weather we've had this year, you have truly hostile workout conditions. That all changes this time of year, though, as temperatures drop and the sun gives us a break for a few months. What a great time to get out on some trails in Big Bend!
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