2021.12: Dune Life Nature Trail, White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA

Location: Dune Life Nature Trail, White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA

Date: 2021.12

Photographer: Jesen

Camera: Nikon D850

Retouch: Adobe Photoshop

Copyright: www.haomingxiong.com

The Dune Life Nature Trail is full of life! Being at the edge of the dunefield, this trail has unique characteristics that are not found in the heart of the dunes. This family-friendly trail is a great way to explore White Sands. Katie the Kit Fox, the Dune Life Nature Trail mascot, will join you along the trail in 14 trailside signs. Learn about the animals that live in the park and what they like to eat. The Dune Life Nature Trail is an ecotone: a place where two communities meet and integrate. In this area, the desert scrub community and the gypsum sand dunes meet and form one of the most diverse ecosystems in the park. While many animals live here, you may not see many of them on your hike. Wild animals are shy and try to avoid people, and most desert animals are nocturnal. Although they are rarely seen during the day, they leave signs of their presence in different forms, such as tracks in the sand. These tracks tell the stories of the previous night’s activities in the dunes. Look for the tracks of the animals that call these dunes home: kit foxes, badgers, birds, coyotes, rodents, and reptiles all live in this area.

JESEN Photo