Free Republic

A den of 38-million-year-old snakes were found in the White River Formation near Douglas, Wyoming, have paleontologists super excited. They're among the most important complete fossils of snakes ever found. ======================================================================== Two of the three specimens of Hibernophis breithaupti, the 38-million-year-old snake from the White River Formation near Douglas. These snakes are members of the boid family, which includes modern-day anacondas and Wyoming's rubber boas. (Courtesy Jasmine Croghan) ================================================================== Around 38 million years ago, three small snakes slithered into a burrow seeking shelter from an apocalypse blanketing their world in volcanic ash. They never escaped, becoming entombed in the spot...

A massive closure of local national forest recreation areas and campgrounds may be imminent because of equally massive budget cuts. In the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, a shrinking recreation facility maintenance budget is creating a dire situation, potentially forcing the permanent closure of 49 of the GMUG’s 138 recreation areas, said forest public service staff officer Corey Wong. With a $2.7 million recreation facility maintenance backlog, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests have many old, dilapidated facilities. Water systems in some campgrounds have been removed because they don’t meet standards. “Most of our facilities were...