HOUSE BOUND THIS WINTER? DO YOUR WILDLIFE VIEWING ONLINE.

HELENA, MT -- The following information was released by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks:

The Internet makes it easy to participate in the world around usueven the outdoor world. So, if you are housebound this winter, you can still enjoy participating in wildlife viewing opportunities.

It may sound ironic, but the Internet is a great way to become a more interactive wildlife viewer or even a citizen scientist. Here are some of the possibilities.

* Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks' Discover Montana's Ecosystems learning tool at fwp.mt.gov is full of vivid images and wildlife film clips that youngsters and adults will love.

* Citizen scientists, who like to observe and report on the wildlife they see, can put their discoveries to work on the Internet. The Montana Natural Heritage Program's Tracker at mtnhp.org allows people to register with the site and then log wildlife sightings--even those made from household birdfeeders--into the state database. Biologists use the database to track the distribution and well-being of species, while wildlife viewers also appreciate access to data on where various wildlife species were sighted.

* On the Montana online Field Guide, a joint product of FWP and MTNHP at fieldguide.mt.gov, learn all about Montana's wildlife species and see reported wildlife sightings summarized in charts and on maps for each species. For example, the pygmy rabbit's relative density is mapped based on 1,221 individual field observations.

Montana's databases contain nearly 850,000 animal observations today, compared to 120,000 in 2005 thanks to Tracker and the public's participation in wildlife viewing.

To learn more about Montana's wildlife work and how you might become involved online, or as a donor or volunteer, visit the FWP web site at fwp.mt.gov under the Wild Things tab's Nongame Check-off link.