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
Harapan the Hairy Rhino (And Hero!) (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
There are only about 100 Sumatran rhinos, also called Hairy rhinos, left in existence and only nine of them are cared for in captivity. Of those nine, there is only one … Continue reading
A Near Complete Commercial Trade Ban on Ivory in the United States (Written for The Ecotone Exchange)
Ivory Crush at Times Square (photo from the Creative Commons) It is estimated that one elephant is killed in Africa every 15 minutes, mostly conducted by militias and militants turning … 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
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
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
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: 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
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
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
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
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
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
Eastern Bluebird
Scientific Name: Sialia sialis Where Eastern Bluebirds Live: Meadows, field edges, golf courses and other open areas surrounded by trees that offer suitable nest holes or perhaps even nest boxes … 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
What is the Endangered Species Act?
This year is the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. Congress passed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973. On December 28th of that year, President Richard Nixon signed … Continue reading
Sun Bear
Scientific Name: Helarctos malayanus Helarctos is Greek for “sun” and “bear”. Malayanus is Latin and refers to “located in Malaysia.” Where Sun Bears Live: Sun bears live in mainland Southeast … Continue reading
Evolutionary Bears: Giants and Cave Dwellers
The earliest bear was about the size of a fox terrier dog and is known as the “Dawn Bear” (Ursavus elemensis) and its remains were found in subtropical Europe. By … Continue reading
American Black Bear
Scientific Name: Ursus americanus. Ursus is Latin for “bear.” Americanus is Latin for “American.” Where American Black Bears Live: Black bears live in most of North America from Alaska, across … Continue reading
Sloth Bear
Scientific Name: Melursus ursinus Melursus means “dark (hair) honey bear.” Ursinus is Latin for “bear.” Where Sloth Bears Live: Throughout India, Sri Lanka, and further north into Bangladesh, Nepal, and … Continue reading
Polar Bear
Scientific Name: Ursus maritimus Ursus is from Latin ursinus “of or resembling a bear”. Maritimus is from Latin maritimus “of the sea or near the sea”. Where Polar Bears Live: … Continue reading
Brown Bear
Scientific Name: Ursus arctos Ursus is Latin for “bear”; arctos comes from Greek arktos, meaning bear. The double meaning here may suggest that brown bears are the archetypal bear. There … Continue reading
The International Trade in Bear Parts and Bear Bile
As you are reading this, there are an estimated 12,000-20,000 bears confined to tiny cages throughout Asia, primarily in China, Malaysia and Thailand. These bears are victim to the barbaric … Continue reading
Asiatic Black Bear
Scientific Name: Ursus thibetanus Ursus is from Latin ursinus “of or resembling a bear”. Thibetanus is Latin for “located in Tibet”. Where Asiatic Black Bears Live: Fossil remains of the … 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
Andean Bear
Scientific Name: Tremarcto ornatus Tremarctos is a combination of Latin words that translate to “tremendous bear”. Ornatus is in reference to the ornate design on face and around the eyes like … Continue reading
Bear Evolution 101
I am beginning Bear Month at The Whisker Chronicles with a fairly technical blog in order to elaborate on how very long bears have existed. There are now only a … Continue reading
Day Twelve of Twelve Days of Arctic Animals: Moose
Scientific Name: Alces alces is the Eurasian moose. Alces americanus is the American moose.
Day Eleven of Twelve Days of Arctic Animals: Walrus
Scientific Name: Odobenus rosmarus Odobenus rosmarus is Latin for “tooth-walking sea-horse”. Walruses use their tusks to haul out onto pack ice and it looks like they are walking on their … 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”.
Day Nine of Twelve Days of Arctic Animals: Beluga Whale
Scientific Name: Delphinapterus leucas The word beluga comes from the Russian word “bielo” meaning white. Beluga whales are actually born dark gray and are not white for up to eight … Continue reading
Day Eight of Twelve Days of Arctic Animals: Wolverine
Scientific Name: Gulo gulo “Gulo” is Latin for glutton and French for gullet or throat.
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