The Science Behind Nature - in Layperson Speak
This weekend I came across a Harper’s magazine issue from this summer that had a couple features on the relationship between humans and animals. Some of the thought-provoking points are below, along with other research and a couple experiences of our own.
How different are animals from humans? [Read more...]
I’ve written about the Project Coyote’s efforts (see end of post for my impression of their leader, Camilla Fox) to promote co-existence with coyotes and other wildlife, and mentioned the estimated half-million coyotes killed each year. I’m not sure if I included that the U.S. federal government – at taxpayer expense – kills 80,000 to 90,000 coyotes annually. Fox has said that changing this practice is their most challenging effort.
Finally, the media is addressing this issue. [Read more...]
Shortly after we moved to Redlands CA, I read a LA Times article about a tracker hired by a Redlands resident to trap and kill coyotes. It triggered my ‘But we moved into their territory’ reaction. The article gave examples of southern California cities occasionally hiring a local trapper, Jimmie Rizzo of Animal Pest Management, and also provided criticism from animal advocates. I was always going to check on whether our county or city utilized his services (update – have not found recent examples of this in my city.)
Fast forward to this summer when the LA Times had a number of articles about coyote issues in Calabasas, which later passed a very progressive Coyote Management Plan [Read more...]
My goal is to educate about the science of nature in layperson speak, through my writing, science and education background. I grew up in the Chicago area, loved living in Minneapolis before gravitating to the West, which is now home. The search for … [Read More...]
