Hiking Awareness
There was a time years ago when we considered hiking an activity requiring little more preparation and thought than strapping on our boots and hitting the trail. In light of the recent death in Yellowstone National Park of an “experienced” hiker, we realize that many…
The Next Generation
Who will care for National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and other public lands in the future? As mentioned in previous blogs, if we don’t involve and interest the next generation in nature and stewardship of wildlife habitats, these public lands may suffer. Reasons for Hope…
R.I.P. Karma
Once again, in less than a year, we have lost one of our elderly snakes. Karma, the Western Terrestrial gartersnake, was a co-worker we depended upon more than any of our other snakes for our reptile programs. Good Natured If a snake could be ever…
Drones on a Wildlife Refuge
The cell phone rang as we climbed a butte behind the volunteer campground on the refuge where we spend summers. “There’s a guy down here flying a drone,” one of the new volunteers said. “What should we do?” Peering through our binoculars toward the row…
Ignorance and Machismo Cause Snake Deaths
Several years ago, a man in Denver draped his “pet” 11-foot Burmese python around his neck. Undoubtedly he had engaged in this practice before. But this time, the python tightened, eventually suffocating its owner. Not a Necklace In previous blog articles, we have covered using…
Surveying Turtles
Even though most of our reptile work centers around snakes, other reptiles interest us as well. Recently, we were invited to join a long term population study of freshwater turtles at Wekiva Springs State Park near Orlando, Florida, to help collect turtles for a survey….
On the Lookout for Snakes
Most people cringe when we mention snakes. And that’s all right, we feel, as long as they respect the serpent’s place in nature and leave them alone to go about their business of eating rodents and other nuisance critters. Observing Snakes But occasionally we encounter…