Who will care for our natural resources in future years? Because many young people have had little experience in the great outdoors in recent times and some even fear nature, without their appreciation for wildlife and the environment, we risk losing our valuable natural resources. As we have traveled full-time in our RV over the …
When an educational program deteriorates into showmanship and stunts, it no longer serves the purpose of education. On the other hand, a well-done demonstration of a practical, though dangerous, procedure can promote understanding and appreciation of a necessary function. The Stunt A recent Discovery Channel program highlighted a suited-up stuntman attempting to force himself into …
Stray dogs have no place on a wildlife refuge. So when I encountered an emaciated pit bull in the parking lot of the Florida wildlife refuge we currently are working with, I asked other visitors if it was their dog, guessing that it probably wasn’t. One visitor, however, had fed the dog a piece of …
I’ve always heard that the rainforest is not as dense within its boundaries as it is on the edges where vegetation receives more sunlight. We were able to witness this recently when we accompanied Dr. Terry Farrell (biology professor at Stetson University) and two graduate students, Sarah Smiley and Ethan Royal, as they thrust through …
“I’ve thought of a name for the new snake,” I told Chuck a week before we even went looking for a western hognose to replace Roggen who died a couple months ago. “How about ‘Encore’?” The look on Chuck’s face answered my question. We’d have to give it more thought. Plans for Reptile Show When …
When a friend called to tell me his granddaughter had acquired a pet garter snake and asked how she could feed it, I wondered how long this young girl would remain interested in such a pet. I also wondered how I felt about removing an animal from the wild, even though two of our snakes …
Most people flee when they spot a sign warning of rattlesnakes in the area. On the other hand, a good number of people completely disregard signs warning of bears, bison, moose, elk, or any other charismatic animal, approaching too closely to an animal and possibly blocking its escape route. Recently, an agitated cow moose was …