Nature Takes its Course on a Wildlife Refuge

Although we’ve encountered people trespassing a bit beyond “Area Closed” signs on national wildlife refuges, recently we viewed a woman at least a half mile beyond the warning sign.  We spotted this woman as we descended from a hillside after observing and recording wildlife information for the refuge biologist. The chattering of Sandhill Cranes alerted …

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Collaring Bighorn Sheep

“You can come and help out, but I hope you don’t get bored. There might be a lot of down time.” After inviting us to a bighorn sheep capture and collaring, Desert National Wildlife Refuge biologist Lindsay Smythe warned us in advance that we could be disappointed. “Sometimes the sheep don’t come down,” she said. …

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For the Love of Spike

For someone who is afraid of snakes, Kim O’Neill fell in love several years ago with our kingsnake, Spike. “When he puts his nose in the crook of my elbow,” she coos, “he’s so cuddly.” [twocol_one][/twocol_one] [twocol_one_last][/twocol_one_last] A receptionist in my brother’s dental practice, Kim took to Spike right away, despite her long-time fear of …

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How Important are Field Trips?

[box type=”info” style=”rounded”] In an era of “If it’s not on the standardized test, it’s not worth learning” attitude and tight budgets, the benefits of field trips and classroom presentations by experts in their fields have been forgotten or ignored. All too often, the value of a class returning from a great destination and tour …

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Disposing of a Pet

Perhaps we’ve all at one time or another wondered how to dispose of an unwanted pet. Whether it’s a dog, a cat, a rabbit, or a reptile, responsible pet owners investigate responsible disposal methods before acting on their intentions. Reasons Regardless of the reasons for wanting to end a relationship with an animal – illness, …

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