UMSL Offers Educational Adventure to Yellowstone

ST. LOUIS - April 15, 2013 - PRLog -- ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri–St. Louis School of Professional & Continuing Studies presents Call of the Wild: A Yellowstone Ed-Venture. Guests will experience the wonders of Yellowstone National Park, guided by the area’s foremost naturalist and carnivore ecologist, Dr. James Halfpenny. The unique excursion is from July 11-16, 2013, and is designed for up to 14 guests.

Yellowstone National Park is the crown jewel of the National Park System and a top-10 nature destination for people worldwide. It combines outstanding geothermal features with mountain scenery and the best wildlife viewing in the lower 48 states. Guests will view and track predators and prey in the majesty of America’s first national park.

This exclusive tour is for adults and families (7th grade and above), combining education and adventure, wildlife tracking/viewing and geyser gazing, storytelling and history. By day, tour guide Dr. Halfpenny will accompany guests as they view Yellowstone’s incredible biodiversity and geologic wonders. In the evenings, guests will retire to the Track Education Center or historic park lodges, eat delicious meals, stroll trails, enjoy programs about wildlife and the park, and share the company of fellow travelers.

Dr. Halfpenny's specialties include environmental ecology, carnivores and animal tracking. He has written more than 25 books and videos including Yellowstone Wolves in the Wild, Charting Yellowstone Wolves, and Yellowstone Bears in the Wild. He has led wildlife tours for adults, school groups, families and scientists in Yellowstone since 1971.

“It’s no accident I’ve lived and worked in Yellowstone for more than 40 years,” Dr. Halfpenny said. “I’m in awe at the wonders Yellowstone National Park holds – from the grizzly and wolf, to the geysers and hot pools, to the canyons and mountains, this park has it all.”  

An additional tour guide, Jim Jordan, is a science and environmental educator, and has led adult and family trips for more than 30 years. Jim is currently with UMSL’s School of Professional & Continuing Studies where he is offering a variety of noncredit programs for adults, families and educators.

“You see Yellowstone differently and more in-depth with Jim Halfpenny,” Jordan said. “We track bison, elk, wolves and bears, but we also learn interrelationships, ecology, behaviors, and current issues. Yellowstone has so much to offer, I discover something new and breathtaking on each return visit.”

Fees for the excursion start at $1,549, and includes ground transportation, some meals, park entrance fees, and expert tour guides. For more information information, including the itinerary and registration details, please visit http://www.umsl.edu/~pcs/noncredit-offerings/yellowstone.... or call (314) 516-7250. If visiting the website, there is an option to download the brochure that features photos showcasing the beauty of Yellowstone.

About the University of Missouri–St. Louis School of Professional & Continuing Studies: The University of Missouri–St. Louis School of Professional & Continuing Studies provides courses, programs, conferences, and events that fulfill degree completion, professional development and personal enrichment goals for the lifelong learner. For more information, please visit http://pcs.umsl.edu.