Here I am…Again!

Sherry wrote a spotlight post on me a few weeks ago. In it, you may have read that have a degree in wildlife conservation biology. While I love scooping poop (not kidding, it has its appeal) I spent a lot of time before working here running through marshes counting beavers, camera trapping egg predators, skinning roadkill squirrels, mist netting/banding birds and bats and most recently, live trapping weasels for DNA testing. I love animal interactions! In my opinion, interactions among individuals and species (including humans) are at the core of conserving wildlife and habitats and that is exactly what many animal keepers do their job for. We scoop wolf poop at the museum so that people can see red wolves, learn about them and then, in turn, care enough about them to want to conserve their natural habitat so they can live wild lives.

Now, I know what you’re thinking,”This is interesting and everything, but I read the blog for the pictures. Why bother with science jargon when there are BEARS?” Well, because Charles Darwin said I should* (read the quote at the bottom of the post and I won’t sing you “Purpose” from Avenue Q). Stick with me through the science-y stuff and I’ll be sure to toss in my share of animals being cute. I’m looking forward to making a regular “Meet the Biologist” section where I get to introduce to you someone who is using their biology degree in a cool, important or weird way. There are so many different jobs you can do if you love animals; being a zookeeper or veterinarian are just two of many.

What would you like to learn about biology, wildlife, conservation, or the animals here at the museum? Post your questions in the comments section…you know you want to! I’ll even offer proverbial brownie points if you know where the title to this post came from 🙂

*”And it appears to me, the doing what little one can to increase the general stock of knowledge, is as respectable an object of life, as one can in any likelihood pursue.” (Darwin, The Voyage of the Beagle)