Category: Notes from the Field
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
While it is certainly true that many species of birds in North America fly to warmer climates when the temperatures begin to drop, there are still many more that stay at their homes year-round! This February, I was lucky enough to join three Zoo employees and three employees from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) on a conservation journey to Robbers Cave State Park and James Collins Wildlife Management Area in Eastern Oklahoma...
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at Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Monday, January 7, 2019
This trip to Zimbabwe has been an emotional and humbling experience. I lost my best friend to cancer this year and we always wanted to go to Africa together. She talked about going on a safari, so it’s very fitting that I’m here now.
Resources just aren’t readily available here. Butter, bread, water, concrete… they get what they can when it’s available. They don’t even have an option to have items mailed. Customs gave us a hard time...
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at Monday, January 7, 2019
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
I have some exciting updates to share related to ongoing rescue efforts after the radiated tortoise crisis in Madagascar. I have recently taken on the role of Reintroduction Project Manager within the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), with the purpose of getting thousands of critically endangered tortoises back into the wild. My most recent three-week trip provided the opportunity to do some initial ground surveying of tortoise habitat, check-in on the...
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at Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
On April 10, 2018, nearly 11,000 critically endangered radiated tortoises were discovered by local police in a private residence in Toliara, Madagascar. Almost every room in the house was filled with tortoises without access to food or water. It is believed that the tortoises were collected for the illegal pet trade, possibly for shipment to Asia where the tortoises’ highly-domed shell featuring a brilliant star pattern makes them highly prized. The Turtle Survivor Alliance (TSA) in...
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at Wednesday, April 25, 2018