A Biological Invasion
By Linda & Dmitry Cherkassky
Photo credit Scotty Lisenbe
There are aliens among us. (No, not from outer space). They sleep in our beds, rub against our legs, and often have something called ‘the zoomies’ upon exiting the litter box. They are bizarre and beguiling, but we love them anyway.
Felis catus, the domestic cat, is an alien or introduced invasive species. Domestic cats are not i...
Hello from Miami, Florida! I am busy pursuing my marine conservation studies at University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, but I wanted to take a quick moment to share some information about light pollution and how it affects wildlife. This information is from a virtual event hosted by Tropical Audubon Society in celebration of Miami Dark Sky Week 2021.
This article is a synthesis of all the information featured in this ...
This discussion draws heavily on “Plastic Pollution” by Hannah Ritchie and Max Roser, published September 2015 by “Our World in Data.” In their opening paragraph, Ritchie and Roser note that, “The first synthetic plastic - Bakelite - was produced in 1907;” and that formed the beginning of the plastics boom in the 1950’s, through 2015, “annual production … increased nearly 200-fold.” About 42% of plastics go into packaging and 19% into building construction...
According to the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), a federal study in 2014 found that “up to one billion birds die each year in the United States when they hit glass windows, walls, and other structures, making this threat one of the most costly to bird populations.” The study authors, Scott R. Loss, Sara S. Loss, and Peter P. Marra of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and Tom Will of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, reviewed twenty-three p...
The first day of summer is about a week away. While many of us are looking forward to picnics in the park, beach trips, and vacations, a few are scrambling around with slightly different plans for the beginning of the season. Ever since the discovery of white nose syndrome (WNS) and the fungus that causes it (Pseudogymnoascus destructans [a.k.a. Pd]), scientists have taken the task of documenting, surveying, and exploring ways to find and hopefully eradica
One in 250 New Jersey vehicles would collide with a deer in 2016. This prediction came from a study by State Farm Insurance. One early evening last October, I came upon an injured doe on a suburban road in south Jersey. I pulled over to see what I could do. I called 911. Several others stopped as well. The police arrived. I wish I could say we were able to save that deer, but we could not. I learned a lot that day. And I’d like to share what I discovered.
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By: Paige Goodstein
Thousands of people let their indoor cats freely roam the great outdoors. However, letting your cat outside for some fresh air could have grave impacts on both the environment and your feline. It is important for all cat owners to know these impacts, and what you can do to help.
Wildlife Mortality
Cats are natural predators. Therefore, instinctively, they prey on other animals. According to studies, the mortality rate of
It’s the time that raccoons and herons wait all year for! Of course, we’re talking about backyard ponds opening back up! As ponds thaw out from winter and the fish become more active again, it’s prime time for birds and raccoons to take the opportunity to go fishing. While we want to respect these animals from a distance, we also want to make sure our ponds remain a safe place for the fish.
If you realize fish are disappearing from your pond, you may ha...
Rehabilitation centers all over the country are now dealing with lots of baby animals. You can help in many ways just by knowing when to intervene and when to leave the animal alone. Here are some tips to remember.
Fawns
Fawns are left alone by the mother for many hours at a time. If you see a young fawn alone, laying down in the grass, look to see if it has flies around it. Look at the ears-are they folded over, and is the fawn crying or struggling to b
Tularemia, or rabbit fever, is caused by the bacteria Francisella tularensis. The organism was named for Tulare County, California where initial studies were performed on native populations of ground squirrels. This is a disease that anyone handling injured or orphaned wildlife should be aware of. (more…)
