Conservation – Page 4 – WILDLIFE RESEARCH & CONSERVATION

Timber Rattlesnake Survey

July 24th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

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 …

Can Hunting be an Effective Conservation Tool?

July 11th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

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 …

Dr. Tina Dow Inspires University Students to Help Wildlife

June 12th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

New WVU Student Group Supports Chimp Haven Animal Awareness and Conservation, a new student group at West Virginia University, is turning its organizational interests into action with its first major service activity. Students from the group will be collecting items for Chimp Haven, the National Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Caddo Parish, La. It’s an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide lifetime care for chimpanzees that have been retired from medical research, the entertainment industry or are no longer wanted as pets. “We chose Chimp Haven because of its non-profit status, its mission to provide a long term home for chimpanzees …

Bee Aware

May 29th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

Spring has long since sprung in the northern hemisphere and summer has unofficially begun. Insect activity is in full swing as the race to pollinate is full on. Until recently I did not know very much about one particular pollinator, the honey bee. A chance encounter from a hive on the move was all it took to develop a deeper respect and understanding for such a magnificent yet sometimes unappreciated creature. A few weeks ago all I could have told you about honey bees is that they make honey and play key roles as pollinators. While walking in the garden …

Animal Extinctions: What Can We Learn From Past Mistakes

April 30th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

Across the globe animal species are going extinct. From such contributing factors such as disease, persecution, poaching, displacement, and habitat destruction, we are losing some of our most amazing creatures at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, species extinctions are nothing new. But can we learn from past mistakes to ensure more magnificent animals do not do the way of the dodo? One of the most iconic species to have become extinct in the 20th Century was the thylacine or Tasmanian tiger. The last known thylacine was observed in captivity at the Hobart Zoo in 1936. Although the thylacine was a large …

Making Everyday Earth Day

April 22nd, 2012tinalc0 Comments

Happy Earth Day! Initiated in 1970, Earth Day is an annual event encouraging people around the world to make their lives a little more greener. By doing so, people conserve resources and help ensure that what we have today will be here tomorrow. With hundreds, if not thousands, of ideas that can help to reduce our footprint, what will you do to celebrate Earth Day? Recycling initiatives are common place today. The well known Reduce, Reuse, Recycle or the 3Rs program helps to reduce either by reusing or recycling items. Rubbish cleanup events follow suit along highways or in natural …

Chrysosporium in the Massasauga Rattlesnake

March 26th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

A deadly threat has been identified in a Southern Illinois population of Massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus). In 2008, biologists found 3 eastern massasaugas with disfiguring lesions on and around their head. In addition, the snakes had multiple growths and ulcers, and experienced swelling that extended throughout the skin and skeletal muscle. Another massasauga with a similar condition was documented in the same area in 2010. Unfortunately, all snakes died. Cultures taken from infected individuals identified the disease causing pathogen as Chrysosporium, a soil dwelling fungus commonly found in pet reptiles but rarely seen in the wild. To date, Chrysosporium has …

The Changing Face of Poaching

March 11th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

In the past, poaching of wildlife for bushmeat or sale of animal products was typically carried out by people living locally to wildlife habitats. Particularly in severely impoverished areas, poaching was done to feed and support families. In the last few years the face of poaching has changed. Poaching has become very sophisticated utilizing GPS, helicopters, and tranquilizers instead of tracking animals on foot and using snares or automatic weapons. Rangers, veterinarians, and researchers who have sworn to protect and conserve vulnerable and endangered species are the very ones who are now participating in their demise. Carcasses are left to …

Wildlife Management: To Cull or Not to Cull?

February 26th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

I have always thought that “Wildlife Management” was a loose term. Regardless of geographical location, wildlife lives in fragmented habitats, held inside imaginary borders meant to protect and conserve. It is a daily struggle for humans and wild animals to co-exist. As the human population continues to increase, wildlife is pushed to the edge of extinction. Animals are culled to keep numbers in check according to management plans, as well as illegally poached for their parts or killed out of ignorance and fear. So what does it mean to manage wildlife? In the early 1900s, the United States government initiated …

The Year of the Dragon

February 20th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

The dragon is both revered and feared in many cultures around the world. This year the Chinese will celebrate the upcoming new year as the Year of the Dragon. A symbol of strength and royalty, you can find interpretations of these mythical beasts adorning clothing, wall tapestries, statues, and even etched into flesh. But what do we know about our last remaining dragon, the Komodo dragon, which still walks the earth? What is being done to conserve this magnificent creature and its habitat to ensure that it too remains immortalized? Weighing in at up to 100 kg (220 lbs) and …