Mossy: Pacific Tree Frog
Before embarking on
my journey to the Olympic Peninsula,
in the breathtaking panorama of the State
of Washington; I decided to bring my pencil, notepad and of course a
warm rain jacket to record my Nature Hike with the diverse Rain
Forest scenery. Here we will discover and learn about a rare and
natural temperate Rain Forest. Year round rain and mild temperatures create this
temperate lush green Rain Forest. Mossy; my little Pacific Tree Frog above, will
hop along with us as the Rain Forest is his home.
He will help you learn many new things about Washington’s Rain Forests
and give you some fun assignments at the end of this rain-filled story. Have we
mentioned rain yet? Well pack up your umbrellas, rain coats, hiking boots,
pencil, notepads and camera’s and follow along with us as we explore some
interesting Rain Forest facts. There are miles of Pacific beaches and cliffs
sculptured by rain and fierce winds that we will explore later too. The Olympic
Rain Forest is surrounded on three sides by ocean water. There are rumors of
secret caves and whispered forgotten stories of long ago tales floating around
Washington’s Rain Forests and Ocean Beaches. Since they are secrets we better
not reveal them and keep them a secret, as curiosity is a great tool for
motivation and learning. The Olympic Mountains on the East side of the
Peninsula, trap the moisture in and the moisture from the Pacific Ocean too.
This causes high levels of rainfall in the Peninsula and creates ideal and
fertile conditions for an abundance of plants and animals. Approximately 140-160
inches of annual rainfall fall in this area. That is a lot of rain, wouldn’t
you say? Did we mention rain? (Just checking.) Many of the trees have survived
the Earth’s constant changes. The Olympic National Forest is one of the few
natural wooded virgin forests in the Northern Hemisphere left for us to enjoy.
The three Peninsula Rain Forest Valleys are; the Hoh, Quinault, and Queets. Lake
Quinault is found in the Southwest corner of the Olympic National Park and was
formed by a glacier. We will talk much more about some of the vegetation and
animals in the Rain Forest as “Mossy” The Pacific Tree Frog, travels with
you through this breathtaking panorama. He will cling to your jacket or hop
along beside you if you like. Here in the Forest Park we will find the largest
herd of Roosevelt Elk weighing in at around 600-1000 pounds. Their length is
about 8-10 feet. The females weigh about 350-650 pounds and are lacking antlers.
Compared to “Mossy” the tree frog, they are HUGE! In fact compared to us,
they are HUGE! There are many hiking, nature trails and an abundance of
vegetation and animals for tourists to observe. They key word here is
“observe.” We don’t want to disturb the animals or harm the Rain Forest in
any way. The largest trees in the world can be found in the Rain Forest and they
are the “Mammoth Trees!” Wow! Talk about big trees! The foliage here is
extremely dense as you can see as we walk over fallen and decaying trees,
bushes, plants etc. The plants and animals in the Rain Forest have adapted a
natural native instinct to survive. They were isolated for a long by glaciers
traveling down into Washington State, with ice backing up against the Olympic
Mountains. The unusual weather comes from isolation of so many years from the
rest of the world. When Congress passed
“The Wilderness Act,” it preserved areas of wilderness and left them
in their natural state. Mossy couldn’t be happier about the “Wilderness
Act!” Moss covered Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock, some growing 300 feet in
height and 25 feet in width can be found in abundance here. The Hoh Rain Forest,
one of my Son’s favorite spots, usually has about 12.48 inches of rain per
month in the spring and 3.14 inches per month in the summer. Rich green mosses,
ferns, black cottonwood, big maple, red cedar and many more plants and trees
much to many to list grow in this forest. The Rain Forest has many trees that
have fallen or are decaying and new growth has attached to it and sends their
roots through the log and into the ground. This is one of the interesting things
I like to find and watch this nurturing process with amazement. Mossy jumped
onto the decaying log to point out this amazing process. The vegetation is thick
and provides much food and shelter for the Rain Forest animals. The Pacific Tree
Frog, Roosevelt Elk, Northern Spotted Owl, Black Tailed Deer, Douglas Squirrel,
Bobcat, Cougar, Black Bear, many birds and insects all call this area home. (In
the magnificent hue of twilight we pause to show respect for Mother Nature’s
abilities.) Off U.S. Highway 101 there are many miles of preserved wilderness
beaches filled with marine life. A diversity of animals and marine life thrives
along this coastline. Nature Walks along the Tide Pools are great learning
experiences for kids. They can observe starfish, crabs, barnacles, birds, sand
dollars, and many other varieties of marine life. “Mossy” wants to teach you
kids a little bit more about him right now. Okay? He said he has a lot to share
and now is a good time to learn about him. “I am a Pacific Tree Frog found on
the West Coast.” “I have rather large eyes, a large head, a somewhat round
nose and slender body.”
“My colors can be green or brown and the colors can change.” “We
are sometimes the color of tan or dark black as well, and I can change my colors
and spots.” “Even though I am called a Pacific Tree Frog, I can be found
mostly on the ground, where I blend in quite nicely with my surroundings.”
“I can be found near water and I enjoy eating insects.” “Yummy!” “I am
a good jumper and I can climb quite well too.” “You might find me clinging
to a tree with my sticky toes that hold me to the surface.” “Okay, I’m
done now, back to our adventure.” Washington State has some “endangered and
threatened species” and we need to talk more about this very important issue!
(Realize this is only a partial list.) No longer are we likely to see the Gray
Wolf or Spotted Owl in its natural habitat, as they are now endangered and
threatened species. We would be very fortunate to see one in Washington. Mossy
has seen them as he lives in the Rain Forest but even he doesn’t see them very
often. Although they are not yet extinct
(which means gone forever) there are less and less of them around. Many of our
whales are endangered like the Blue
Whale, Humpback Whale, Sperm Whale, Fin Whale and more. The Woodland Caribou,
Columbian white Tailed Deer, American White Pelican, Brown Pelican, Northern
leopard Frog are endangered to name a few. The Grizzly Bear, Spotted Owl, Oregon
Silver Spot Butterfly, Stellor Sea Lion, Lynx, Western Gray Squirrel, Aleutian
Canada Goose, Green Sea Turtle, Sage Grouse and Bald Eagle are threatened
to name a few. We must do our part to save these plants and animals from
becoming “Extinct” (gone forever)
before it is to late. Mossy’s Froggie
assignments are next for you kids to study. Have your parents
participate too. They might learn something about Washington’s
valuable temperate Rain
Forest!
Assignments:
1.
What does the word temperate mean?
2. How much yearly rainfall might one expect in the Olympic Rain Forest?
3. What are the three Peninsula Rain Forest Valleys?
4. Can you name the lake that was formed by a glacier?
5.Where can you find the largest herd of Roosevelt Elk?
6. What are the largest trees in the world and where can they be found?
7. What marine life might you find in a tide pool?
8. Name 3 endangered species and 3 threatened species. Name more if you know
them.
9. The Olympic Forest is surrounded by _____ sides of ocean water?
10. What best describes a Pacific Tree Frog and where are they mostly found in
the Rain Forest? What do they eat?
11. In the Northern Hemisphere, where is one of the few natural wooded, virgin
forests?
12. How can we help improve our environment and save our Rain Forest and animals
from extinction?
13. How many times did the Author ANTie
Patti mention “RAIN”
in her story? “Just kidding!” “I think you all get the idea.” :>)
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The Nature Conservacy
Copyright
2001 By Author Patti Tricoli
