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Big News: Natural History Display COMPLETED!
Desert bighorn sheep are listed as state endangered in New Mexico. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) is working to restore this species throughout its historic range. In the Fra Cristobal Mountains of south-central New Mexico, puma predation has presented significant challenges to the desert bighorn recovery effort. The Turner Endangered Species fund has been working closely with the NMDGF to responsibly manage both puma and bighorn. Furman is extremely fortunate to have this unique natural history display. Both the puma and the bighorn specimens are from the Fra Cristobal Mountains and are representatives of actual predator prey populations of significant conservation concern. The mounts will serve as an extraordinary educational resource for students and the public, igniting wonder and piqueing curiosity about the natural world.
The two skeletons were obtained during my sabbatical research on puma (cougar or mountain lion) in southcentral New Mexico. Graduate student Megan Pitman and I maintain a public access Cougar Blog for real-time research results from our ongoing puma research in New Mexico, including photos from remote cameras and maps of collared puma locations.
Small News: Spring 2009:
I will be teaching Foundations of Biology as well as General Ecology. I will also be working as a member of the seminar committee (Bio 075.) In addition to teaching, I will be continuing work on Furman's biodiesel production program, working with ECOS students, workstudy students, and our office of sustainability. I will also be preparing the African Ecology class for an unforgettable field course to be taught in May.
The Media and Critical Thinking
When you read or listen to the news, shouldn't you be carrying the intellectual tools to evaluate it?
