A Museum for Rattlesnakes?
While exploring a remote section of the Sonoran Desert at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge several years ago, I halted at the sound of a rattle and searched for its owner. Chuck was exploring a ways away, and when I spotted the diamondback, I called him…
Welcome Home!
Last year we created a reptile environment in our patio area in the hopes of attracting a lizard or two. When that didn’t happen, we picked up a little toad on our nightly walk through our neighborhood and brought it home where it took up…
Generating Trash
Answering a call from a couple being stalked by an emaciated cougar, an experienced wildlife instructor found himself in a life and death struggle outside the couple’s home as the cougar attacked. During the attack, the wildlife instructor was able to kill the cougar with…
Toad Update
Last month we picked up a couple young toads as we walked our neighborhood and turned them loose in our condo patio area where they made use of the habitat we’d created for lizards. On occasion, we’ve seen both, but more often we’ve seen just…
Habitat for Lizards
We’ve lived in our Arizona condo for nearly four years now. And since the beginning, we have tried to create a habitat in our patio area that would entice lizards to take up residency. Building a Habitat At first, we stacked broken ceramic pieces, piles…
Fear Not
When and how do people develop a fear of snakes? Often these fears begin in childhood, whether experiencing one’s own frightening incidents or adopting a parent’s fear. We have even perused a children’s reptile book with pictures demonstrating snakes attacking an unwary adult or lurking…
Leave No Trace
When asked by Ranger Justin at White Tank Mountain Regional Park to lead a group of Girl Scouts on a hike recently, we readily agreed, recalling fondly the school fieldtrips we led at some refuges where we’ve volunteered over the past few years. The theme…