The Rachel Carson Reserve (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
All photos by Maymie Higgins This past summer I visited a part of the North Carolina coast I had yet to explore in spite of being a lifelong resident … Continue reading
Dying For The Perfect Photo: The Selfies With Animals Epidemic
Originally posted on I.C.A.R.U.S Inc.:
In recent years, selfies have become a global phenomenon. Worse, they’ve become a leading cause of accidental death for people all…
Update on Cecil’s Cubs
Originally posted on The Jaguar:
Cecil – Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe (c) by Vince O’Sullivan. CC BY-NC 2.0 You may remember that when Cecil the lion was killed in July…
White Nose Syndrome: Formidable but Not Undefeatable (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
Some months ago I shared with readers information about the ecological and economical value bats provide in the widely various ecosystems in which they live. They are particularly valuable in … Continue reading
One of the World’s Largest and Oldest Sustainability Projects (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
After the difficult winter of 2015, many of us have our hearts and minds transfixed on outdoor gardening activities. In my gardening research, I came across a huge success story … Continue reading
Earth Day 2015: Pledge an Act of Green
Wednesday, April 22 is Earth Day. Why don’t you go over to the Earth Day website and let them know how your actions do and will show reverence for this … Continue reading
How to Honor Earth Hour on March 28
Earth Hour is a worldwide grassroots movement uniting people to protect the planet, and is organized by World Wildlife Fund. Earth Hour was started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia … Continue reading
Attention All Lovers of Frogs and Toads!
You are needed to help with FrogWatch USA, which is a national scientific study on toads and frogs that has been conducted for more than ten years! FrogWatch … Continue reading
World Wildlife Day
The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed March 3 as World Wildlife Day for the purpose of celebrating plant and animal biodiversity, to recall the interconnectedness of human life and … Continue reading
Chipmunks and Carbon Storage (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
Sometimes the best positive stories of the environment come from our own backyard. When you sum up the effects of millions of backyard naturalists, the positive impact is significant for … Continue reading
Practices that Must End: Sensational Nature Programs
What is It? Sensational nature programs are the scripted and filmed activities of humans inserting themselves into wild animal habitats for a variety of entertainment possibilities. This programming type runs … 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
Owl Be Home for Christmas (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
Text and Photos by Maymie Higgins Sundays are usually the only day I can afford the indulgence of sleeping until awaking naturally, instead of to the incessant beeping of a … Continue reading
That’s No Monkey! That’s Kendall! (Written for the Ecotone Exchange)
Talk to any zoo keeper about great apes and you may see them cringe substantially when it comes to two topics. The first topic has to do with the discernment … Continue reading
National Bison Day (Written for the Ecotone Exchange)
November 1 is National Bison Day. You can get in on the celebration through the Beards for Bison campaign by visiting http://www.beardsforbison.org/ which is organized by the Wildlife Conservation Society. … Continue reading
The Only Good Wolf is a Live Wolf
October 12th-18th is Wolf Awareness Week. During wolf week in 2013, I wrote about conservation efforts to preserve red wolves (Canis rufus). It has been a bad year for red … Continue reading
Shovels and Shade Provide Healing at the Footprints of Terror (Written for the Ecotone Exchange)
Recently, I visited New York and New Jersey in order to attend a family reunion. My last visit to Manhattan specifically had been in 1988, when the World Trade Center buildings still … Continue reading
Elephant and Rhino Conservation: Three Encouraging Events in One Year (Written for the Ecotone Exchange)
In September, 2013, conservation groups announced a three-year $80 million Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment to Action to bring together NGOs, governments, and concerned citizens to stop the slaughter of … Continue reading
International Tiger Day 2014
Tuesday, July 29 is International Tiger Day. International Tiger Day is held annually on July 29 to give worldwide attention to the preservation of tigers. It was founded at the Saint … Continue reading
State of the Rhinoceros: Ten Things You Need to Know
There are five species of rhinoceros: Black, White, Greater-one horned, Javan and Sumatran. Three of the five species have an imperiled listing by the International Union for Conservation of Nature … Continue reading
The AAZK, Bowling for Rhinos and National Zoo Keeper Week (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
By Maymie Higgins If you think zoo keepers and aquarists merely prepare food, feed animals, play with animals and scoop poop (or in the case of aquarists, continuously balance the nitrogen … Continue reading
What You Should Know About Amphibians
All photos courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service It’s summertime and hopefully many of you have kids that are outdoors exploring. Some of you will be having conversations … 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
Extinct in the Wild: Polynesian Tree Snail
Scientific Name: Partula nodosa Historic Range and Habitat: Valleys and forested slopes of volcanic islands of the South Pacific, particularly the Society Islands of French Polynesia, including Tahiti. More than … Continue reading
Extinct in the Wild: Père David’s Deer
Scientific Name: Elaphurus davidianus Historic Range: Native to China. Fossils have been discovered in regions east of Xi’an and south of Harbin. Père David’s deer evolved in the Pliocene period … Continue reading
Extinct in the Wild: Hawaiian Crow
Scientific Name: Corvus hawaiiensis, also known as ‘Alalā (Cry like a child) Historic Range: The Hawaiian Crow is native to the Big Island and was most populous in upland forests, … Continue reading
Extinct in the Wild
During the month of June, I want to take readers on a journey of exploration into the topic of animals that have all but disappeared from the planet, but not … Continue reading
Native Plants and Incidental Entymology (Written for the Ecotone Exchange)
While browsing for climbing vines and just for intellectual edification, I glanced over the plant information label for a plant I already have, Confederate Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), aka Star Jasmine. … Continue reading
Sustainable Seafood is the Answer to the Oceans’ Limited Fish Supply
Recently, I visited the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, South Carolina. The aquarium is on the Charleston Harbor and has educational and volunteer staff members who are very engaging and … Continue reading
Bycatch and Bygones: Ocean Biodiversity in Peril
When humans use several strategies at once in order to improve the odds of reaching a singular goal, we often characterize the approach as “casting a wide net.” While this … Continue reading
The Diversity of Fishes
I have loved water all my life. It seems all babies do. I was no exception when, as a toddler, I ignored my mother’s warning and jumped into the deep … Continue reading
The Courage to Challenge Tradition Saved 130 Moon Bears (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
Recently, I wrote about the good news that the United Nation’s International Court of Justice ordered a temporary halt to Japan’s annual slaughter of whales in the southern ocean after … Continue reading
Carnivorous Plants and Startled Animals (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
All text and photos by Maymie Higgins My favorite spot on Earth, Pleasure Island, includes a state park that is home to several carnivorous plants, Carolina Beach State Park. The … Continue reading
Binturong
All photos from the Creative Commons. Scientific Name: Arctictis binturong Also known as the “bearcat” because of its resemblance to both, but it is neither a bear nor a cat. … 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
A Step Closer to the End of Commercial Whaling (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
Text by Maymie Higgins All photos courtesy of Stacey Osborne and taken in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, except for photo of Japanese whaling vessel. In 1946, under volunteer agreement … Continue reading
Who Takes Care of Orphaned, Injured or Kidnapped Wildlife? (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
Photo courtesy of The Wildlife Center of Virginia Spring is the time of year when many young animals are born or hatched. It is also a time of year when … 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
How To Help The Birds Affected By The Galveston Bay Oil Spill
1. Read about the ten bird species considered to be most vulnerable according to Audubon, and about the efforts that will be required to rescue and rehabilitate any birds … 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
The Wonderful Wonderbag (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
The Wonderbag comes vacuumed packed, with complete instructions for use and some recipes using Knorr products. Photo by Maymie Higgins What can you buy for $50? A tank of gas? … 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
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
