Whit Gibbons, Herpetologist and Author
SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED ABOUT LIGHT POLLUTION? Q. I have heard that light pollution causes migrating birds to become disoriented. Will the fairy lights (small solar lamps) that people put out alongside sidewalks affect any animals? A. The simple answer … Continued
EVERY WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE IS SPECIAL On any trip to a natural habitat you may experience something memorable, uplifting or mysterious. If you are fortunate, you may experience all three, as I did recently. Strolling through our longleaf pine stand in … Continued
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TALKS CAN OFFER SURPRISES Having live animals as props is an effective way to get an audience’s attention. When I was at the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Lab, we used live specimens in our presentations whenever … Continued
HAVING LOTS OF SPIDERS AROUND IS A GOOD SIGN Last week during a walk through the woods I ended up with spiderwebs in my hair, on my face and on my shirt. I managed to avoid a few webs because … Continued
WHAT’S YOUR BLOOMING HURRY, BUD? This recycled column, about a surprising plant performance, was one of my mother’s favorites. I was visiting my sister in Tuscaloosa, and as we prepared to sit down for the evening meal, a next-door … Continued
AUTUMN IS WHEN WE HAVE THE MOST SNAKES Snakes are a hallmark of healthy habitats. And throughout the country, most habitats have more snakes present in early fall than at any other time of the year, even spring. The explanation … Continued
PLANTS CAN DISPLAY UNUSUAL TRAITS Though few plants would make good action videos on a nature show, that doesn’t mean plants are uninteresting. The carnivorous ones are certainly intriguing, whether they capture their prey, usually insects, by passive entrapment like … Continued
SOME PLANTS CAN BE FASCINATING Q. Most examples of unusual wildlife are animals. What plants do you think are notable or at least interesting in some way? A. I have received this question before, the first time being from Joab … Continued
THE SALAMANDER CLUB HAS A REUNION A recent visit to Salleyland, South Carolina, was as pleasant as could be expected on a muggy midsummer day while trudging through swamp mud and wiping spiderwebs from our faces. Even when I mistakenly … Continued
WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF CORKSCREW BURROWS? Extraterrestrial aliens have been given as an unscientific explanation for a variety of engineering marvels, including the Egyptian pyramids, Easter Island statues and Stonehenge. Little green men with shovels might also have been … Continued