Author Archives: tech

WHAT CAUSES BURLS ON TREES? I recently received the following questions about plants. Q. Can you tell me what could have made lumps on the trunk of a tree my wife and I found in the Smokies? The lumps range … Continued

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU MET A TAPIR IN THE JUNGLE? I received the following email from my grandson Parker who was on a field trip in Central America: “While walking a trail in Belize after dark, a member … Continued

SEA OTTERS HAVE MANY GOOD QUALITIES Q. You once said diamondback terrapins were your favorite turtle. What is your favorite mammal? A. Tough question, because all puppies and kittens, indeed most baby mammals, are engaging. But sea otters qualify for … Continued

WHAT ARE THE STEPS TOWARD EXTINCTION? Almost everyone knows about the American alligator. But did you know we also have an American crocodile? The species is native to coastal areas of peninsular Florida. Its full geographic range includes Central America, … Continued

SOLENODONS ARE VENOMOUS MAMMALS Q. I heard that an extinct mammal in the Dominican Republic injected venom to subdue its prey like some snakes, spiders and scorpions do. Is that true? A. Yes, except it’s not extinct. Two species of … Continued

COULD AN EAGLE CARRY OFF A CHILD? A while ago a YouTube video made the rounds that purported to show an eagle swooping down from the skies and carrying off a small child. (Further evidence, if it’s needed, that not … Continued

CAN AN ELECTRIC KILL A PERSON? A recent email inquiring if an electric eel can kill a person jolted my memory and I recalled an encounter I wrote about several years ago. I was 11 years old, behind the scenes … Continued

SOMETIMES PEOPLE ASK UNUSUAL QUESTIONS ABOUT SNAKES I have answered questions about snakes for decades. During the last two, with the advent of camera phones, I enjoy being able to identify snakes people encounter. Equally enjoyable is educating folks about … Continued

Q. I know tortoises live on land. Does that mean box turtles (which also live on land) are tortoises? How many true tortoises are there, what parts of the world do they live in and how big do they get? … Continued

President Teddy Roosevelt, the quintessential conservationist, said, “A grove of giant redwoods or sequoias should be kept just as we keep a great or beautiful cathedral.” Each time I am in Tucson, Ariz., I have been able to fully appreciate … Continued