Wildlife Trafficking: Be Part of the Solution, Not the Problem

With the holidays right around the corner many people have started their yearly quest for one of a kind gifts.  It is very easy amidst the hustle and bustle to purchase items based on beauty alone.  Please be wildlife aware when buying and receiving gifts.  The cost may only be a few dollars out of your pocket, but for an animal it just may have cost his life. It has been well known for quite some time that the illegal trafficking of wildlife and their parts is a multi-billion dollar a year business.  Falling behind only drugs and weapons, wildlife …

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Dispelling Wildlife Myths- Halloween Edition

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought it the perfect time to address some common misunderstandings about wildlife.  We have all heard them.  Whether they are called myths or Old Wives Tales most false accusations conjure up fear that sometimes result in the persecution and death of many innocent species. How many times have you heard someone say that toads give people warts?  I myself have been told this on more occasions then I care to remember.  The idea that touching or just looking at a toad can cause a skin malady is simply not true.  Although some species, …

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Sea Otters: A Species Under Threat

With the new challenges wildlife faces daily, it is no longer enough just to survive.  To ensure species longevity, individuals must learn to quickly adapt.  Although a lot of attention is given to the conservation of the large, iconic creatures of land and sea, it is often those species that reside in the middle of the food chain that play the most vital rolls in ecosystem balance that are overlooked.  One particular animal that fits into this category is the sea otter. Like all otters, the sea otter is a member of the weasel family.  The three subspecies of Enhydra …

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Let’s Hear it for Arthropods!

Like a lot of you, I used to be quite fearful of a number of arthropod species.  That was until one chance encounter with an Argiope aurantia named Matilda and a visit to the Cockrell Butterfly Center in Houston.  The biggest problem with fear is that it clouds our understanding.  Although a lot of arthropods have the potential to act as disease vectors, the vast majority actually helps rather than harms humans. A big misconception is that arthropods are just insects.  The word insect simply implies six legs.   Regardless of leg number, there are over 1,000,000 species of arthropods.  This …

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Vultures: Ecosystem Guardians

1 September marks International Vulture Awareness Day.  Although sometimes regarded as ugly and gross, vultures play a most important role in keeping ecosystems healthy.  They serve both a biological and cultural significance.  Unfortunately, several species are under threat of extinction due to humans.  And please believe me when I say, this is not a species that we can live without. Collectively, there are 23 species of vultures that are classified into two groups: Old World Vultures and New World Vultures.  Although all species are similar, these two groups actually belong to different families.   There are 16 species of Old World …

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Emerging Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife

Outbreaks of infectious disease make headlines around the globe almost daily.  Viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and parasites have the potential to affect both humans and animals alike.  A variety of infectious diseases can also be categorized as being zoonotic meaning they can be transmitted to other species.  As reported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 2.2 million human deaths annually are the direct result of zoonotic pathogens.  As for domestic animals and wildlife, there is not an accurate number due to the under reporting of sickness in developing nations.  For our …

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The Future of Our Oceans and Beaches

Recently, my husband and I had the opportunity to travel across the southern gulf coast of the United States.  The anticipation of visiting new shorelines and wildlife inhabiting these areas was almost too much.  However, what we actually found was dismal and sad.  It appears that humans have left their mark on the beaches in the form of refuse.  Plastic containers and bags, glass bottles, abandoned tents and sun shades, and general debris littered hundreds of miles, if not more, of beach.  Although it was obvious that a bit of the garbage had washed up during high tide, it was …

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Timber Rattlesnake Survey

This year, 2012, has been an exciting time for the Timber rattlesnake population and reproductive assessment survey research. The driving force behind this project was to better understand how human presence in the north eastern part of their range has affected overall rattlesnake numbers and breeding success compared to previous data. In addition, we wanted to learn more about Timber rattlesnake behavior so that we can educate the public and help them better appreciate the importance of this magnificent snake. Having begun this project in 2011, it was a frustrating year as all the specimens we were finding had been …

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Can Hunting be an Effective Conservation Tool?

Throughout the world hunting has been used as a way to harvest animals for human consumption.  In more cases then not, hunting has been managed sustainably to ensure long term availability of protein.  In order to have healthy wildlife populations, a balanced ecosystem has to be maintained and preserved.  Recently much attention has been given to hunting as a possible conservation tool. In addition, more hunters are actively participating in conserving wildlife and habitat to guarantee long term survival.  Is it conceivable that the act of killing animals can also be used to save them? To see the whole picture …

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