Distance Learning

Valles Caldera's education team offers virtual classroom visits and distance learning programs via Microsoft Teams. Please email us at least 30 days in advance to schedule your virtual program.

Our team is also working on a series of short videos about Valles Caldera's wildlife, ecosystems, human history, and geology. Check out our current offerings below. Additional video content is available on the Multimedia Presentations webpage.

Wildlife

 

• 

  Caldera Chats: American Badger

  The American badger (Taxidea taxus) is a member of the weasel family that primarily resides in grasslands, montane meadows, fields, and pastures with ample rodent prey. With its wide-open valleys and abundance of rodent species, Valles Caldera proves to be ideal habitat for the American badger. Learn more about this solitary, nocturnal creature in this Caldera Chat with Ranger Melanie!

  Duration:

  2 minutes, 4 seconds

 

• 

  Caldera Chats: Black Bears

  In this video, Ranger Hayley introduces the various behaviors and appearances of the American black bear, state mammal of New Mexico.

  Duration:

  1 minute, 28 seconds

 

• 

  Caldera Chats: Mountain Lions

  Elusive and stealthy, mountain lions are skilled hunters that play a crucial role in the Valles Caldera ecosystem. Learn more in this Caldera Chat with Ranger Topher.

  Duration:

  2 minutes, 31 seconds

 

• 

  Caldera Chats: Pika

  Have you ever heard a pika's call ("EEP! EEP!") while exploring Valles Caldera's lava domes? Learn about this tiny but mighty mountain critter in this Caldera Chat with Ranger Sierra!

  Duration:

  2 minutes, 13 seconds

 

Geology

 

• 

  Caldera Chats: An Explosive Intersection

  In this short video, Ranger Topher explains why Valles Caldera's location makes it so volcanically active.

  Duration:

  1 minute, 28 seconds

 

• 

  Caldera Chats: Geothermal Features

  The density of geothermal features in Sulphur Canyon reveals the volcanic origins of Valles Caldera. Hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles adorn this fascinating area along the park’s western boundary. Learn more about the geothermal activity at Valles Caldera National Preserve in this Caldera Chat with Ranger Topher!

  Duration:

  2 minutes, 27 seconds

 

Ecosystems

 

• 

  Caldera Chats: Wetlands

  Wetlands are an invaluable resource for plants, animals, and humans. Learn more about wetlands and Valles Caldera's efforts to protect and restore them in this video with Ranger Hayley.

  Duration:

  1 minute, 53 seconds

 

• 

  Caldera Chats: Winter Soundscapes

  A lot can be learned about the health of an ecosystem based on the sounds that are present and those that are absent. Winter is a quiet time at Valles Caldera National Preserve, which gives visitors the unique opportunity to explore natural soundscapes while participating in human-powered activities like skiing and snowshoeing. Learn more about winter soundscapes in this Caldera Chat with Ranger Adam!

  Duration:

  1 minute, 11 seconds

 

Science & Research

 

• 

  Science Spotlight: Jemez Mountains Salamander Surveys

  Valles Caldera is home to one of the rarest and most endangered species in the world: the Jemez Mountains salamander. Whereas hundreds of these salamanders used to be found in the Jemez Mountains during each season, only 5 were found by scientific survey crews in 2023. Learn more about this sensitive and secretive species in this science spotlight video.

  Duration:

  3 minutes, 55 seconds