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Sights of Akmola region

Only a few hours drive from the capital there are overwhelmingly beautiful lakes, surrounded by mountains and pine forest, in burabay. there is also a haven for birds of all kinds, including pink flamingos, in korgalzhyn reserve, region center, akmola province.

If you happen to visit the capital of Kazakhstan - Nur-Sultan, at least for a few days, be sure to explore its surroundings. Only in a few hours’ drive, you can visit the northernmost habitat of pink flamingos or enjoy trekking or rock-climbing among the beautiful lakes and mountains covered with pine-tree forests, while staying at one of the spa-hotels.

Where to start?

The main attractions of Akmola Province:

• Burabay National Park . There are at least 14 lakes, surrounded by mountains and evergreen forest. The best view to the lakes is open from the top of the Mount Bolektau, which is very easy to climb. In addition to trekking, climbing, swimming in lakes, boating, and other outdoor activities, you can visit a tourist center with a yurt village to learm more about the culture of nomads, or Botai-Burabay Museum, which demonstrates dwellings of the tribes, who first domesticated horses about 6000 years ago.
• Korgaljyn Nature Reserve , included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The reserve attracts birdwatchers, especially in spring and autumn during seasonal migration of birds. The reserve is one of the few places where you can see pink flamingos in the wild.
• ALZHIR Museum , established in the location, where Akmola concentration camp for the wives and children of ‘motherland traitors’ functioned during the USSR.

From May to October there is a beautiful warm weather, an average of +25 degrees Celsius. In winter, the may be quite cold, but this does not stop thosewho love snow adventures - ice fishing, ice skating, skiing, snowboarding andmany others.

What's Interesting in This Region

Akimat of Akmola region

Akmola region is a region in Northern Kazakhstan. Date of formation — October 14, 1939. The administrative center is in Kokshetau city.

Akim’s Office of Akmola region is providing information-guidance and supervision, organizational, legal, analytical, advisory and logistical support of Akimat and Akim of the region.

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My Favorite Travel Booking Sites for 2023

These are my favorite companies that I use on my own travels.

Protect Your Trip via Safety Wing

Find the best city tours, day tours, bus tours, & skip-the-line tickets on GetYourGuide and Viato r .

Find the best deals on hotels & vacation rentals on Booking.com .

For English-speaking private airport transfers, book through Welcome Pickups.

For road trips and independent travel, rent a car through Discover Cars .

Find information and cruise reviews on Cruise Critic.

For packing and travel essentials order via Amazon .

Book an affordable family or romantic photography session on your trip through Flytographer (Use the code HISTORYFANGIRL for 10% off your first photoshoot).

For travel guidebooks to have with you during your trip, I always pick one or two from Rick Steves and Lonely Planet.

The Top 6 Most Popular Amelia Island Tours & Attractions

Before you dig into all the island has to offer, you should know that these are the most popular guided tours, attractions, and day trips on Amelia Island.

Amelia Island Historic Tours: Eight Flags Road Tour

Amelia River Cruises Family Friendly Sunset Tour

Guided Family Friendly Kayak Tour: Experience Old Florida

Amelia Island Guided Kayak Tour of Lofton Creek

Electric Bike Tours in Amelia Island

CraigCat Boat Tour from Fernandina Beach

Amelia Island Travel Tips: Things to Know Before Visiting Amelia Island, Florida

Ready to start planning? Here are my  best tips for planning a trip to Amelia Island! 

Consider this your  ultimate guide to Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach.

Read next: 21 Reasons to Visit Amelia Island, Florida, an Atlantic Coast Gem

Good to Know:  We were guests of Amelia Island during our trip. However, all opinions are my own.

Decide How Long to Spend on Amelia Island

Before you can decide anything else, you need to decide how long you want to spend on Amelia Island.

The nice thing is that it’s a place where you can come for a  weekend getaway  or come for a week or even more. 

There’s so much to do here, and those with lots of time will love spending those extra mornings and afternoons soaking up the sun.

If you only have  one day in Amelia Island , you can visit  a few of the top things to do,  eat at a couple of the best restaurants, and go on a guided tour.

You can do this as a  day trip from Jacksonville, St. Augustine, or Savannah,  or you can stop over and spend a full day here as part of a Florida road trip.

If you spend a  weekend in Amelia Island,  you can enjoy a majority of the  best things to do in Fernandina Beach  and the island. 

You still can’t cover everything, but you can get a  great overview  of the island’s history and culture. 

Plus you can taste more of the amazing local cuisine and  spend some serious time at the beach.

Of course, if you have  one week in Amelia Island  (or more!), you can cover most of the island’s top activities and spend even more time at the beach and on the water. 

No matter how long you have to dedicate to your trip itinerary, you can easily fill up your time. Of course, you can also leave your calendar empty and see where the island takes you.

And if you don’t feel like you have enough time to see and experience everything you would like, you can always plan many  more Amelia Island getaways  in the years to come!

When is the Best Time to Visit Amelia Island, Florida?

A  year-round destination , there’s always a great reason to come to the island. 

Weather in Amelia Island

Florida’s climate is not a monolith, so you might wonder what the weather is like on Amelia Island. Because of its location, the weather is similar to coastal Georgia and South Carolina.

Amelia Island temperatures  are mild, even in winter. While you might prefer to leave swimming for the summer months, you can enjoy the water in a myriad of other ways (yes, even in winter).

Amelia Island Weather by Month

Here are the  average temperatures in Fernandina Beach by month . As you can see, Amelia Island weather year-round is much less volatile than in many parts of the country.

Temperatures are listed in degrees Fahrenheit, with the left number representing the month’s average high temperature and the second is the average low temperature.

January 63°/44°

February 65°/46°

March 71°/52°

April 77°/58°

May 83°/65°

June 88°/72°

July 90°/74°

August 89°/74°

September 85°/72°

October 79°/64°

November 72°/54°

December 66°/48°

Good to Know:  The   weather on Amelia Island might not be the weather you’re interested in! When you’re here and you need a fishing report for  weather for Amelia Island fishing conditions , check out K-Bay 106 FM for  Charlie Taylor’s Fishing Report.

Special Events on Amelia Island

You may want to plan your trip to Amelia Island around a special event. 

Some of the most popular are  Concours  week (March), the  Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival  (May), and the  Right Whale Festival  (November).

Check out upcoming  Amelia Island events here.

Where to Stay in Amelia Island

The first thing you’ll probably want to decide when you start to plan a trip to Amelia Island is where you are going to stay.

Luckily there are lots of great places to stay, so you have a lot of fabulous choices from which to choose. However, I do have some opinions about which are the  best hotels on Amelia Island.

We stayed at the  SpringHill Suites by Marriott Amelia Island . This  new three-star oceanside hotel  has quickly become one of the best places to stay on Amelia Island.

Our room had stunning  ocean views , a separate living area, and a great balcony.

The area around the hotel has  great restaurants within walking distance,  and the beach itself is just a five-minute walk. 

You can check into your hotel room, drop your luggage off, and  be at the beach or a beach bar  before your car engine has even cooled.

If you want to go swimming in the evening, the  hotel pool and hot tub  stay open late and make for a wonderful way to unwind at the end of the day.

I have stayed at several  SpringHill Suites  this year (in Amelia Island,  Birmingham , and Albuquerque), and I always love how the rooms are designed to maximize comfort and relaxation while still having a contemporary look. 

I also loved the lobby decor and other common areas, which are beachy yet elegant.

Book your room at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Amelia Island

More Places to Stay on Amelia Island

If you are looking to stay at one of the  best resorts on Amelia Island,  the four-star  Omni Amelia Island Resort   has a full-service  luxury spa  and is one of the best resorts for someone looking for hotels with  golf courses.

Book your room at the Omni Amelia Island Resort

Another luxury option is  The Ritz-Carlton , a five-star resort that also features a golf course and spa along with five restaurants.

This is also the resort that hosts the annual  Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance . If you will be coming to the show, book a room here early as it sells out far in advance of the event.

Book your room at The Ritz-Carlton

There are many more options for Amelia Island accommodations, from  bed and breakfasts to apartment rentals to budget motels.  

See all Amelia Island accommodations here.

How to Get to Amelia Island

First things first,  where is Amelia Island?  Located in northeast Florida, this barrier island is part of the  Sea Islands , a chain of coastal islands in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. 

This is the same island chain that includes  Hilton Head, Jekyll, and Tybee.  

Our Trip to Amelia Island

We drove from Hilton Head to Amelia Island as part of our Big Southern Road Trip. It was our only stop in Florida, but culturally and geographically the island is closer to Savannah and Charleston than Miami.

Should You Drive or Fly to Amelia Island?

You could choose to drive to Amelia Island as part of a  Southern Coastal Road Trip  through the Carolinas and Georgia or as the northernmost stop on a  Florida Road Trip . 

Alternatively, you can fly and rent a car after you arrive.

If Amelia Island is your only stop and you are coming from somewhere far away like the West Coast or the Northeast, you may want to fly. 

However, we enjoyed having our vehicle to get out and see as much of the island as possible, so driving is a great option if you are close enough to drive in less than a day.

No matter how you get to Amelia Island, prepare to have an amazing time when you get here!

Flying to Amelia Island

While there is a small airport on the island  (Fernandina Beach Municipal Airpor),  most people flying commercial will choose to land at  Jacksonville International Airport (JAX).

You will want to  rent a car  to get from the airport to the island if you want to have your vehicle during your vacation. I use   Discover Cars   for renting cars on my trips. 

Reserve your rental car .

If you don’t want to rent a car, you can take an Uber or arrange a  private transfer  from the Jacksonville Airport to your accommodations in Fernandina Beach.

Book a private transfer to Amelia Island.

Driving to Amelia Island

Here are drive times for getting to Amelia Island from nearby Southern cities.

Savannah  2 Hours

Orlando  3 Hours

Tallahassee  3 Hours

Charleston  4 Hours

Tampa  4 Hours

Atlanta  5.5 Hours

Charlotte  6 Hours

Miami  6 Hours

Montgomery  6.5 Hours

Chattanooga  7 Hours

Birmingham  7.5 Hours

Nashville  9 Hours

How to Get Around Amelia Island

If you plan to spend most of your time in Fernandina Beach, the area is charming and walkable. However, some of the best things to do in Amelia Island are not in downtown Fernandina.

While people might wonder do you need a car on Amelia Island, the answer is that it makes life easier but you can get around without one.

If you don’t want to drive, you can opt for Uber or Lyft, though there’s not always a car available at all times.

Another option is to get a recommendation for a local taxi from your accommodations.

Important Amelia Island Safety Tips

While you might think that safety isn’t something you need to think about when going to Amelia Island, there are some common sense (and not-so-common sense) safety measures you need to take to this idyllic vacation spot.

Crime is low, even for a popular vacation spot. Of course, that doesn’t mean it does not exist. Women need to take the same precautions they would take anywhere at night, especially if drinks are involved.

Beach Safety

We found the water a little too rough during our time there for our one-year-old. Remember that beach conditions in this part of the Atlantic Ocean can change rapidly. 

If you’ve never swum in the ocean before, read up on  ocean and beach safety  before you arrive. If you’ve never seen a rip current before, it’s usually the water that looks the calmest. 

Unfortunately, this is the section water that you need to avoid. You can read up on how to avoid a rip current  here .

Because the beaches are home to  sea turtles , there are regulations in place to make sure that they can thrive on the  island’s pristine beaches. 

These include things like  filling in holes  you dig so the turtles can’t fall in and how close lights can be to the beach so they don’t disrupt the turtles finding the sea.

For a full list of  Amelia Island beach regulations,   click here.

Alligator Safety

While we didn’t see an alligator on Amelia Island (which we did in Hilton Head and outside of Vicksburg), there are alligators up and down the coast of Florida.

Alligator safety starts with not going into deeper puddles (they like to hang out there) and NEVER feeding them, but it doesn’t end there. 

Read through this  local guide to alligator safety on Amelia Island.

What to Eat in Amelia Island

My husband is a chef and he thought the food in Amelia Island was some of the best we ate during one month traveling around the South. 

The fresh seafood options make the island a  foodie paradise,  and there are great restaurants for all budgets, from fine dining to cheap eats.

Here are a few places we enjoyed.

Timoti Seafood Shak

Amelia Island is famous for wild-caught shrimp, and  Timoti Seafood Shak  is a great place to enjoy fried shrimp and hush puppies, though they also have poke bowls and crab burgers.

The outdoor garden has a play area for kids that’s pirate-themed, and the tables are almost always full or nearly full. 

Don’t miss this popular downtown Fernandina Beach spot.

Salt Life Food Shack

With beautiful ocean views and live music,  Salt Life Food Shack  is a great place to enjoy local seafood in a vibrant atmosphere on Main Beach.

With three north Florida locations, you might recognize them from Jacksonville or St. Augustine.

Whether you’re looking for seafood, cocktails, or sushi, there’s something here for everyone.

For those looking for fine dining options in Fernandina Beach,  Le Clos   Restaurant Provencal  is a French restaurant that features local seafood alongside duck and Angus steak. 

This is the best place for escargot and pate in Fernandina Beach.

Hola Cuban Cafe

If you want to experience Cuban cuisine during your time in northeast Florida, come to  Hola Cuban Cafe  for  empanadas , pressed sandwiches, and  papa rellena.

Open for breakfast and lunch from Thursdays through Sundays, don’t skip the  cafe con Leche.

Marina Seafood Cafe

The oldest restaurant in Amelia Island,  Marina Seafood Cafe  is located across the street from the harbor, this is a local favorite with old-school charm.

Enjoy these 10 Can’t-Miss Amelia Island Sites

Here are the top ten things to do in Amelia Island.

Fort Clinch State Park  – Includes a Civil War-era naval fort, views of the lighthouse, and beautiful hiking and nature opportunities.

Amelia River  – Take a cruise or enjoy a sunset with views of the water.

Amelia Island Historic District & Downtown  Fernandina Beach  – Set aside time to walk the charming streets and appreciate the historic sites and architecture.

Palace Saloon –  The oldest saloon in Florida, the Palace Saloon boasts historic interiors along with modern amenities like live music and bottomless mimosas.

Amelia Island Museum of History  – Located in the island’s former jail, this small but packed museum covers over two thousand years of island history.

Marlin and Barrel Distillery  – Enjoy a distillery tour and sample locally made vodka and rum.

American Beach  – One of the most prominent African American beach resorts during the Jim Crow era, today American Beach is part of the  Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve , one of the  National Parks in Florida.

Nana Sand Dune  – the tallest dune in Florida and part of American Beach.

Amelia Island State Park  – the best place to go horseback riding in Amelia Island -right on the beach!

Old Fernandina  – beautiful architecture in the oldest part of the city. 

Decide How Much Time You Want to Spend at the Beach

While  Florida beaches  are some of the  most beautiful beaches  in the world, you might find that you want to balance enjoying the island’s  natural beauty  along with its historic sites and cultural treasures.

If you know you want to spend all of your time outside soaking up the sun and the sound of the waves, then that will help you decide what other activities you need to book (or not book).

However, if you know you will have days where you’d like to do other activities, it helps to have an idea of how much time you’ll have for other adventures since some will need to be booked in advance.

Plan Your Activities Ahead of Time

If you will be traveling to Amelia Island to enjoy nature and get outside, know there are tons of activities and sports you can enjoy, from  kayaking to horseback riding to biking.

You can book one of these  kayak tours , which are some of the most popular tours on the island:

If you’d like to horseback ride on the beach, reach out to  Amelia Island Horseback Riding .

If you want to go  surfing  or  paddleboarding , you can find surf shops with rentals available on  Main Beach. 

If you want to enjoy the  sand beaches  without going in the water, keep in mind you can enjoy a picnic, go on a walk, go on a run, or even just relax and  build a sandcastle  without setting foot in the water.

Consider Going on a Guided Tour (or a Self-Guided Tour)

While I adore traveling off-the-beaten-path and seeing things on my own, two of my favorite experiences on Amelia Island were on guided tours.

The first is the  historic tour of Amelia Island,  which covers the absolutely insane history of the Island and the eight flags that have flown over it. Yes, 8! Even Texas can’t beat that.

Book your Amelia Island Historic Tours: Eight Flags Road Tour

The second is the  Amelia River Sunset Cruise,  which was a magical evening on the water. We saw  Fort Clinch and Cumberland Island  from the water, along with dolphins and rays playing at sunset.

While we weren’t lucky enough to see any sea turtles or manatees during our cruise, we know people who did!

Book your Amelia River Cruises Family Friendly Sunset Tour

Decide if You Want to Take a Day Trip from Amelia Island

There are a few great places to explore nearby if you have enough time that you want to spend a day off the island.

The  Cumberland Island Tour  is one of the most  popular day trips from Fernandina Beach.

Run by  Amelia River Cruises,  the same people who ran our wonderful sunset tour, this takes you to Cumberland Island to see the wild horses.

Cumberland Island is protected by the National Park Service and is actually one of the  National Park Service Sites in Georgia,  not Florida!

Other options for day trips from Amelia Island include Jacksonville and St. Augustine. You could even pop over to Savannah for the day and come back at night.

What to Do in Fernandina at Night

If you’ve filled your days with sunshine, activities, and beach time, you might find that you want to enjoy your evenings in Amelia Island from the comfort of your hotel. Which I do enjoy doing on family vacations some evenings.

I loved our stay at the  SpringHill Suites  so much that I made sure to hit the hot tub every night, and it was the first real swimming pool our son got to swim in!

However, if you prefer to  enjoy the local nightlife,  here are a few fun and  romantic things to do on Amelia Island  at night 

Enjoy laid-back live music  at the Palace Saloon or Salt Life Food Shack.

Go on an  Amelia River Cruises Family Friendly Sunset Tour .

Play a round of mini-golf at  Gregor MacGregor’s Mini Links & Drinks.

What to Bring with You to Amelia Island

While I’m sure you plan on doing a lot (A LOT) of shopping while you’re here, there are a few items that you do not want to leave home without! 

First, bring a guidebook. This is especially important if you will be going on a long road trip around Florida or you will be exploring the area for more than a quick weekend getaway. 

For road trips, I like Lonely Planet’s  Florida & the South’s Best Road Trips . I have a few more recommendations for guide books below.

Second, make sure to bring your  cell phone . You will want to stay connected during your trip, plus it will serve as a navigation system should you rent a car and a go-to camera. 

I use an  iPhone 12 Pro  these days, but I have also used  Samsung  phones in the past.

Third, grab a  camera . While it’s great to have a cell phone with you for quick pics, if you want to do more serious photography or take more videos, I find it nice to travel with a separate dedicated camera as well.

If I will be wrestling with my toddler on the trip, I’ll grab my  Sony ZV-1 , which is a powerful compact camera with great video capabilities as well. 

If it’s just me, I’ll take my  Nikon   (though if you’re buying a new camera I have my eye on this  Sony ).

Next, bring a  waterproof bag  (also knowns as a dry bag) so that you can safely bring your electronics to the beach or kayaking.

You don’t want to ruin your trip with a drowned cell phone or a wet camera, but you also don’t want to miss out on capturing all those great beach moments with your loved ones!

Finally, bring a  backup charging bank  for your phone. 

Even though my new phone has an awesome battery life, I would not want to be out on a boat or a tour for the day and end up with a dead phone. It’s a safety issue as well as an inconvenience.

What to Buy in Amelia Island

I love buying thoughtful souvenirs and gifts when I travel. Here are a few ideas for locally made Amelia Island souvenirs and gifts.

Sharks’ teeth  – this part of Florida is famous for them! You can find shark teeth jewelry for sale if you don’t find one on the beach.

Sea Turtle  Gifts  – A great idea if you’re looking for a gift from Amelia Island for kids.

Locally Made Rum  – If you go on a distillery tour, pick up some rum to take home as an Amelia Island memento!

Amelia Island History  – You can find great books in the local museums and book stores if you want to bring back some local history to continue to learn once you’re home.

Sweets  – There are great shops downtown to get locally crafted treats.

Invest in a Travel Guide or Two (or Three)

I used four guidebooks to plan my trip around the South (and nine! to plan my Rocky Mountain road trip).

Lonely Planet Florida  – Perfect for someone traveling to multiple places in Florida. The state is big and has so many hidden gems that having a guidebook goes a long way to getting the most out of your trip. 

Lonely Planet Florida & the South’s Best Trips  – this book was essential for me when I was trying to plan our road trip and understanding what was near each other and what not to miss.

Greater Than a Tourist-Amelia Island Florida USA: 50 Travel Tips from a Local (Greater Than a Tourist Florida)  – One of the few dedicated travel guides to the island written from a local’s perspective.

Good to Know:  You can get a free copy of the  Amelia Island  Tourism Guide , which is the official Amelia Island travel guide put out by the Amelia Island Tourist Development Council.

Before You Get to Florida – Don’t Forget About Travel Insurance

Before you leave for Florida make sure you have a valid  Travel Insurance Policy  because accidents happen on the road. I like to use  World Nomads   when I travel, and I happily recommend them.

It’s especially important to get travel insurance whenever you are more than one hundred miles from home and visiting big cities or having outdoor adventures.

Get a travel insurance quote for your trip here.

More Florida Travel Resources

We just love Florida! I’ve been six times, and I already can’t wait to go back! Here are all the Florida travel blog posts that I have to help you plan your trip around this wonderful state!

Florida State-Wide Guides

The Ultimate Florida Road Trip Itinerary: See the Best of Florida in 10 Days!

125 Fantastic Quotes about Florida and Florida Instagram Caption Inspiration!

The 11 National Parks in Florida: Why + How to See Each One!

Florida City + Regional Guides

Amelia island.

3 Days on Amelia Island: Itinerary for a Magical Weekend in Amelia Island (Plus Ideas for 1, 2 & 4 Days)

21 Reasons to Visit Amelia Island, Florida, an Atlantic Coast Gem

Where to Stay in Amelia Island: The Best Hotels & Accommodations on Amelia Island, Florida

The Everglades

The Best Quotes about the Everglades in Florida

An Irreverent History of Disney World

21 Things to Know Before You Rent a Car in Miami

Best Quotes about Miami, Florida

51 Perfect Things to Do in Palm Beach, Florida + Palm Beach County!

Best Quotes about Palm Beach, Florida

Florida is Included in these Round-Ups

The 40 Most Scenic Drives in America for Stunning Weekend Getaways

30 Historic Cities in the US to Explore on Your Next US Getaway

30 of the Best Historic Towns in America for a Charming Getaway

27 of the Best Art Museums in the US for Your Next Cultural Escape

27 Most Beautiful East Coast Lighthouses & How to Visit Them!

17 Houses of Famous Authors You Can Visit in Real Life!

7 Best College Towns in America for an Awesome Collegiate Getaway

Traveling the Green Book

Pin this Guide to Planning a Trip to Amelia Island for Your Florida Adventure!

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Breaking news, wyoming hunter sparks outrage for allegedly wounding wolf, parading it in bar before killing it.

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A Wyoming hunter paraded a wounded wolf in a bar with its mouth taped shut before taking it outside to kill it – with a family member later mocking outrage over it by posting a reenactment.

A shocking photo recently obtained by the Cowboy State Daily shows Cody Roberts, 42, smiling and raising a can of beer while holding the wolf with red tape wound tightly around its muzzle.

Roberts allegedly disabled the wolf when he ran over it with a snowmobile, but instead of killing it — which is legal in Sublette County, where it happened — took the animal to his home and then to the bar.

He finally took it behind the building and killed it, according to the Cowboy State Daily.

“This is awful,” said Rob Wallace, who oversaw the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service as assistant secretary for the interior in the Trump administration.

“Wyoming represents the best in wildlife stewardship and this is a sad and disgusting outlier,” he told the outlet. “In no way do I believe this represents who we are as a state.”

An investigation was launched into the Feb. 29 incident after an anonymous tip was called in a few days later, Wyoming Game and Fish spokeswoman Breanna Ball told Cowboy State Daily.

However, Roberts has only been cited for a wildlife violation over the shocking incident because people may only be charged with cruelty for cases involving pets and domestic animals, not predators like wolves.

He was fined $250 for the violation, the only penalty that Game and Fish said it had the power to enforce.

The photo sparked horror as well as a petition calling for Roberts to face a felony charge of animal cruelty.

Amid the outrage, at least one member of the hunter’s family publicly stood by him — while posting pics seemingly making light of the ordeal, including one with her mouth taped shut while she held up a wolf skin.

“I love and support you Cody,” the relative, Jeanne Ivie-Roberts, wrote on Facebook .

She also posted an article by Cowboy State Daily with the headline, ”Wyoming Animal Cruelty Laws Don’t Apply To Alleged Wolf Torment Case” — writing: “Woohoo.”

Ivie-Roberts’ post garnered dozens of comment from users, most of whom voiced support for the hunter, with one saying he “has a good heart” and another writing: “I’m with him!!! I’ll bring the duct tape.”

However, some expressed their horror, with one writing: “Cruelty should never be condoned! No reason for that BS behavior.”

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While the mistreatment of the wolf is not illegal under state law, keeping an animal alive and tormenting is an egregious violation of hunting ethics, two sources familiar with the incident told the outlet on condition of anonymity.

Animal welfare groups also expressed outrage at the actions of the trucking business owner, as well as the lack of legal action.

“Roberts’ actions clearly warrant a punishment more severe than the $250 ticket he received …. such an anemic response on the part of law enforcement will be seen by some as tacit approval of his crime and can only motivate other like-minded individuals driven by hatred of wolves to engage in similar, repugnant behavior,” Scott Edwards, general counsel for Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, wrote in a statement .

His letter “cites Wyoming’s anti-animal cruelty law to encourage a more meaningful prosecution of Roberts,” highlighting a section that “makes it a felony to ‘knowingly, and with intent to cause death or undue suffering, beats with cruelty, tortures, torments or mutilates an animal.’”

“While the term ‘torment’ is not defined in the statute, dragging a wild animal into a bar with its mouth taped shut and subjecting it to the severe distress and anguish it must have suffered before being brought outside to be killed is a textbook example of torment,” Edwards wrote.

Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, said Roberts should not escape prosecution.

“The man who committed this atrocious act of animal cruelty cannot go without punishment under state or federal law, or both,” wrote Pacelle, who worked to make animal cruelty a felony in dozens of states and to make animal cruelty a federal crime.

“Running over and crushing an animal with a snowmobile, binding the battered and wounded animal’s mouth shut, and deciding to further torment the creature in front of an audience rather than putting him out of his misery is the textbook definition of malicious cruelty,” he wrote.

“A remorseless, cruel monster like this is a threat to other animals, and a threat to people. The law must speak,” Pacelle added.

The two groups are creating an online petition to urge officials to consider the felony charge of animal cruelty against Roberts.

The owner of the Green River Bar, where the wolf was reportedly paraded, did not respond to a request for comment by Cowboy State Daily.

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Two From UMD Awarded 2024 NASA Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships

The highly competitive NASA Hubble Fellowship Program named 24 new fellows to its 2024 roster, including two from the University of Maryland:

• Alexander Dittmann (Ph.D. ’24, astronomy)
• Amelia (Lia) Hankla , Neil Gehrels Prize Postdoctoral Fellow

“I am delighted to see two of our exceptional young scientists recognized for their work so far and future promise with such significant awards,” said Andrew Harris , chair of UMD’s Department of Astronomy .

The program fosters excellence and inclusive leadership in astrophysics by supporting a diverse group of exceptionally promising and innovative early-career astrophysicists. The fellowships enable outstanding postdoctoral scientists to pursue independent research in any area of NASA Astrophysics, using theory, observations, simulations, experimentation or instrument development. Each fellowship provides the awardee up to three years of support at a U.S. institution.

Over 520 applicants vied for the 2024 fellowships. Both Dittmann and Hankla were named Einstein Fellows, which seek to answer the broad question: How does the universe work?

“The NASA Hubble Fellowship Program is a highly competitive program, and this year's cadre of Fellows are to be congratulated on their selection,” said Mark Clampin, director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. “They will undoubtably be future leaders in the field of Astronomy and Astrophysics.”

Alexander Dittmann

Dittmann, who will be an Einstein Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, received the award for his proposal titled “Bridging the Gap in Supermassive Black Hole Binary Accretion - From Simulation to Observation.”

Dittmann grew up in northern Virginia. He earned undergraduate degrees in physics and astronomy from the University of Illinois in 2018 before coming to UMD for his Ph.D. He has also worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Center for Computational Astrophysics and will soon graduate with his doctorate under the guidance of Cole Miller .

Following his broad interests in high-energy astrophysics and fluid dynamics, Dittmann has studied a variety of astrophysical topics from the origins of planetary spins to the final moments of binary supermassive black holes. He has also used data from NASA’s NICER telescope to measure the radii of neutron stars, gleaning insight into the enigmatic nature of matter within their cores. As an Einstein Fellow, he will leverage cutting-edge simulations and his experience in astrostatistics to connect theoretical studies of binary black holes to the forthcoming bounty of time-domain observations of active galactic nuclei.

Amelia (Lia) Hankla

Hankla, who will be an Einstein Fellow at UMD, received the award for her proposal titled “Explaining Radio to X-ray Observations of Luminous Black Holes with a Multizone Outflowing Corona Model.”

Hankla grew up in Lafayette, Colorado. She earned her bachelor’s degree in physics and a minor in oboe performance from Princeton University in 2017 and then spent a year in Heidelberg, Germany, as a Fulbright Research Scholar at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy. In 2018, Hankla returned home to Colorado for her doctorate in physics with the support of an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. After completing her doctorate in the summer of 2023, Lia joined UMD’s Joint Space-Sciences Institute as the Gehrels Fellow and a Multimessenger Plasma Physics Center Fellow.

Hankla is interested in anything involving plasmas and black holes, especially accretion disks and their surrounding coronae. Although these plasmas just outside the event horizon hold the key to unraveling how black holes evolved over time, they remain poorly understood because of the difficulty connecting small-scale particle processes to the global scales of the entire accretion disk and corona. Interpreting observations of radio to X-ray emission from around luminous black holes requires understanding how and where magnetic energy dissipates into plasma particle energy.

As an Einstein Fellow, Hankla will decipher how these dissipation processes, including turbulence and magnetic reconnection, can further our understanding of nonthermal particle acceleration and winds in accretion disks and coronae. Her research aims to shed light on recent spectral timing and X-ray polarization observations of both stellar-mass and supermassive black holes, and to resolve long-standing questions regarding these mysterious objects in our universe.

This article was adapted from content provided by the Space Telescope Science Institute .

About the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences

The College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland educates more than 8,000 future scientific leaders in its undergraduate and graduate programs each year. The college's 10 departments and six interdisciplinary research centers foster scientific discovery with annual sponsored research funding exceeding $250 million.

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Abby robinson, related news.

• Coleman Miller
• Amelia Hankla