Spring is in the air in Yellowstone! The snow is beginning to melt, the hills are turning to a million shades of green, and the babies are making their debut! We will spend our days looking for bear cubs as they explore their new world outside of the den, while bison calves romp through the fields, elk calves balance on wobbly legs, wolf pups make their first attempt at howling like the big dogs, We will search for bighorn lambs scaling the hillsides and young birds in nests both high and low. Each day, we will take short walks to get away from the main road, taking time for journaling and quiet reflection, or to reach better vantage points to observe wildlife safely. As we search, we'll talk about why species choose certain birthing grounds, and the strategies they use to protect and raise their young successfully. Expect to be outside from before dawn throughout the day to after sun-down. Even so, you’ll have plenty of free time to enjoy all aspects of Yellowstone’s vibrant spring.

About the instructor

Shauna Baron holds a B.S. in Biology, and a M.S. in Science Education. She has had over 25 years of experience as an outdoor educator. She has participated in numerous wildlife studies throughout the U.S., including wolves, bears, fishers, bobcats, sea turtles, swans, pelicans, and ravens. Shauna saw her first wild wolf while volunteering for the Yellowstone Wolf Project in 1996 and she has been working to protect wolves ever since. Over the years, she has focused her career on outdoor education and wildlife conservation, including work as a field biologist and outreach coordinator for the USFWS Red Wolf Recovery Program in North Carolina, a forest carnivore researcher for the University of Vermont, as well as a volunteer at the Colorado-based Mission: Wolf program. For the past 17 years, she has been working as a naturalist guide in Yellowstone National Park, developing outdoor educational classes. Her work specializes in programs for disabled veterans, inner-city youth, and autistic groups. She is a published author and editor, and when she is not writing or guiding a group, she can be found sitting on a hill watching wildlife, with a scope to her eye or book in her lap.