Whit Gibbons, Herpetologist and Author
SOME INVASIVE SPECIES ARE AN ENIGMA When I looked down on the scene from atop the Piedras Blancas Light Station, I understood why the California coast was noted for its magnificent views. The ocean crashed along rocky shores; elephant seals … Continued
TASMANIAN DEVILS DON’T RESEMBLE CARTOON CRITTER Once upon a time I was fortunate enough to see one of the most incredible animals left on earth, a wild Tasmanian devil. I was in the company of 80 wildlife biologists from mainland … Continued
HOW DO ANIMALS GET THEIR NAMES? Many scientific names acknowledge some distinctive aspect of a plant or animal. For example, the scientific name for the Alabama waterdog, an aquatic, flat-tailed salamander native to the Black Warrior River, is Necturus alabamensis. … Continued
THE PORTUGUESE MAN-OF-WAR IS APTLY NAMED From one memorable day during childhood, I vividly recall four colors: pink, blue, white and red. The first three were the last ones I saw before someone pulled me out of the waters of … Continued
HORSESHOE CRABS LOOK FIERCE BUT ARE HARMLESS Two animal mysteries associated with coastlines intrigue me. Who ate the first raw oyster? Who picked up the first horseshoe crab? The first person who pried open what looks like a rough gray … Continued
SOMETIMES PREY FOLLOW A PREDATOR A publication by Steven G. Platt and Thomas R. Rainwater in the scientific journal Southeastern Naturalist discusses an intriguing predator-prey relationship between turtles and fish. Their observation has broad application by making a connection with … Continued
WILL ASTROECOLOGY BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS? If you keep up with where the next SpaceX or Blue Origin rocket is headed, you are probably familiar with NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test, a project to determine if a rocket launched from … Continued
WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT SHREWS AND MOLES IN OUR YARDS? Q. I have been unsuccessful in getting a satisfactory answer about how destructive shrews and moles might be to my lawn and garden. What should I do about them? … Continued
WHAT DID THE FOX SAY? I went into the backyard last week when the predawn sky was not yet silver. I knew the croaky, barking, screamlike sound was neither bird, squirrel nor frog. I listened intently and heard a twig … Continued
SHOULD WE FEED WILD ANIMALS? I receive versions of the following questions every spring and summer as people begin to have more interactions with our native wildlife. Q. Is it environmentally acceptable to feed wild animals? I know people who feed … Continued