Keeper Katy and I recently attended a talk at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences titled “The History and Future of the Red Wolf (Canis rufus) in North Carolina.” It was given by Justin Bohling from the University of Idaho, who is a graduate student in Lisette Wait’s lab. Besides giving a good background on the history of the Red Wolf Recovery Project administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), he presented his application of some new genetic techniquesRead more
Posts tagged: #Larry
Big Word of the Month: Zoonosis
When a disease causing organism passes from an animal to a human, scientists refer to it as a zoonosis. Rabies is a familiar zoonotic infection and is most often caused by an animal bite that introduces the virus into a person’s body. Rabies infections cause nearly 100% mortality in humans and bites by suspect animals require immediate medical attention. Because of the deadly nature of the disease, great measures are taken in the United States to vaccinate pets against theRead more
New species for 2008
Time is running out to discover any new species this year! Wired magazine has a series of “top ten” stories for 2008, including one about new species discovered this year. The slide show includes this tiny snake discovered by Blair Hedges of Pennsylvania State University. The post also includes a great story of how a researcher decided to name a new species of catfish after a dedicated worker in the mailroom at his institution. You’ll also find an interesting readRead more
Amazing discoveries
A recent CNN post captures the amazing diversity (like this dragon millipede) scientists have cataloged in the Mekong Delta region of Southeast Asia. From the article: A scientist visiting an outdoor restaurant was startled to see a Laotian rock rat among the nearby wildlife. The hairy, nocturnal, thick-tailed rat, which resembles a squirrel, had been thought for centuries to be extinct. Imagine making a discovery like this while having some lunch! Make sure you check out the slide show ofRead more
State Fair 2008
What is your favorite time of year? Mine is State Fair Time. I think it should be a state holiday! I look forward to seeing all the agricultural exhbits that celebrate our history of crafts, farming, and small industry. I’ve included a few images from my visit on Monday. You have a few days left so get out to the fair if you can. NC Honey producers always have an impressive display of their products and informative displays about apiculture.Read more
Guest Blogger Jill talks about our Reuse/Recycle Project
Previously, I wrote a post about a company called Terracycle that allows us to send them items that normally can’t be recycled in this area and get money in return. I am here again to let you know the progress of the program and reiterate how you can help the animal department. Since May, we have collected about $25.00 worth of recycled products. I know this doesn’t sound like a huge amount of money but every little bit helps andRead more