Sentient Sandra and a Landmark Ruling on Animal Rights (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
Last month, amid the holiday hustle and bustle and with little fanfare, a landmark legal ruling in the world history of animal rights occurred in Argentina. The ruling concerned an … Continue reading
Being Human, Being Caribou, and Being Wild (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
The Wilderness Act was signed into law in 1964 by Lyndon B. Johnson. Therefore, this year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of a law which created the National Wilderness Preservation … Continue reading
Extinct in the Wild: Guam Rail
Scientific Name: Gallirallus owstoni Historic Range and Habitat: Most habitats on Guam, including forest, savanna, scrub, secondary grassland, fern thickets and agricultural areas, foraging along field edges and roadsides. What … Continue reading
Extinct in the Wild: Kihansi Spray Toad
Scientific Name: Nectophrynoides asperginis Historic Range and Habitat: The Udzungwa Mountains of eastern Tanzania in a very small range that is in the spray zone of Kihansi Falls in the Kihansi Gorge. What Kihansi … Continue reading
Brown Pelicans: An Endangered Species Recovery Success Story (Written for the Ecotone Exchange)
Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It was a warm, sunny autumn afternoon and I was out for a stroll at my favorite spot on this Earth. October … Continue reading
Eastern Gray Squirrel
All text and photos by Maymie Higgins At no time was my commitment to wildlife more clear to me. There he was, an orphaned tiny squirrel, eyes having just opened … Continue reading
What is Pollination and Seed Dispersal?
All photos and text by Maymie Higgins This month at The Whisker Chronicles, we will focus on specific plants and animals that are well-known for their interwoven roles in pollination … Continue reading
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
All photos by Maymie Higgins It is the first Saturday in April and I am sitting at my home office desk. As always, I have my laptop positioned so that … Continue reading
The Mystery of Bird Songs and Calls
“A robin feathering his nest Has very little time to rest While gathering his bits of twine and twig Though quite intent in his pursuit He has a merry tune … Continue reading
What Is That Crazy Bird Doing?!
Every spring, I am presented with stories by friends who want to know why birds are behaving in certain ways. Or sometimes they just want to explain to me why … Continue reading
Carolina Wren
Scientific Name: Thryothorus ludovicianus Where Carolina Wrens Live: Southeastern United States, north to Wisconsin and Michigan, southern Ontario, New York, and southern New England in brushy thickets, lowland cypress swamps, … Continue reading
Turkey Vulture
Scientific Name: Cathartes aura The word vulture comes from the Latin vellere, which means to pluck or tear. Cathartes aura means either “golden purifier” or “purifying breeze,” quite a poetic … Continue reading
Pelican Island: The First U.S. National Wildlife Refuge
Bird feathers are incredible. They help control body temperature, provide power for flying and come in a wide array of vibrant colors. Some feathers are so beautiful that they were … Continue reading
Red-shouldered Hawk
Scientific Name: Buteo lineatus Where Red-shouldered Hawks Live: Forests and swamps with dead trees or other perches nearby from which to observe and hunt. Range includes eastern and northeast United … Continue reading
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Scientific Name: Tyrannus forficatus Where Scissor-tailed Flycatchers Live: Savannas with scattered trees, shrubs and patches of brush in the southern Great Plains, south Texas and just over the border into … Continue reading
Roseate Spoonbill
Scientific Name: Ajaia ajaja Where Roseate Spoonbills Live: Mangrove swamps, mud flats and other marsh type habitat from southern Georgia and Florida, south through Central America down to Argentina. What … Continue reading
Hyacinth Macaw
Scientific Name: Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus Where Hyacinth Macaws Live: Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay in semi-open habitats, usually in forests that have a dry season that prevents the growth of a tall … Continue reading
How Do You Take Your Eggs?
Eggs. What comes to mind when you read that word? I think of my favorite summertime breakfast served on a table with fresh cut roses from my garden. It’s the … Continue reading
American Kestrel
Scientific Name: Falco sparverius Where American Kestrels Live: Open areas such as meadows, grasslands, deserts, parks, farm fields, cities, and suburbs. Kestrels need access to trees for nesting cavities during … Continue reading
Treasures on the Fort Fisher Basin Trail (Written for the Ecotone Exchange)
Text and Photographs By Maymie Higgins It was an adventure postponed far too long. For the past twenty years, my annual travel plans have consistently included at least one long … Continue reading
How Saving Orangutans Can Lower Your Cholesterol (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
In my work as a nurse coach, I often explain to my patients the finer nuances of blood cholesterol laboratory results and how changes in nutrition can improve their numbers. … Continue reading
Giant Panda
Scientific Name: Ailuropoda melanoleuca “Ailuropoda” means black and white panda foot. “Melano” means black or darkness of hair. “Leuca” means white or colorless. Where Giant Pandas Live: Giant pandas prefer … Continue reading
How Twin Bear Cubs Influenced My Travel Plans
On December 12, 2012, the National Zoo posted on Facebook that their Andean bear, Billie Jean, was showing signs of labor. Thanks to web cams, many of us watched nervously … Continue reading
Day Ten of Twelve Days of Arctic Animals: Arctic Fox
Scientific Name: Vulpes lagopus Vulpes is from the Latin vulpinus which means “of or pertaining to a fox”.
The Sacred Place Where Life Begins (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
In the developed world, we are accustomed to grocery stores, drive-through windows and internet access providing instant gratification and an abundance of resources at our beck and call. Modern conveniences are fantastic … Continue reading
Another Perspective on Sea World, Orcas and Captive Animals (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
By Maymie Higgins The movie Blackfish is set to be released on DVD on Tuesday, November 12. As much debate as the CNN airings and film festival
$53 Billion of Organic Pest Control is not Spooky (Written for the Ecotone Exchange)
My street is a typical rural North Carolina subdivision with ecological features that influenced my home purchase. The narrow road
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