July 5, 2017

I love RollingStone magazine. They have produced this great feature on Lyme disease that I was able to contribute to.

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/lyme-disease-inside-americas-mysterious-epidemic-w487776

It turns out that bears disperse a LOT of seeds. It’s not just black bears. Brown bears disperse even more seeds at our field site than do black bears! Here is a video for you to enjoy. Each devil’s club berry cluster contains hundreds of berries.

November 25, 2016

Some media about our recently published research showing that residual bear saliva on salmon carcasses is a great source of DNA

Scientists Rule, Bears Drool

Scientists studying brown bears in Southeast Alaska have been using saliva left behind in half-eaten salmon carcasses to identify individual bears faster and with improved efficiency. Did I mention that nearly 300 fecal samples were also taken for a comparative analysis? Yum! “We found that using bear saliva is not only easier and cheaper as … Continue reading

Also see

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161109182848.htm

http://katu.com/news/local/saliva-left-on-partially-consumed-salmon-helps-osu-researchers-identify-bears

August 23, 2016

Article about “A Natural Cure for Lyme Disease” in the NY Times arguing that more intact ecosystems may reduce disease risk. Visit the link below.

A jaguar walks around the wetland and jumps up a skinny tree.

This jaguar decided to sit and rest right in front of the camera.

Jaguar behavior! This jaguar is scent marking a sloping tree. They use discrete points as territorial markers and to find mates. Look closely and you can see the marking in action.

A large male grooming after a swim. Maanav Kamath set these cameras at Taiama Ecological Preserve in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso.

What does a jaguar call sounds like? Watch this video of a jaguar calling in the pantanal of Brazil to find out.

Mmmm….soapberry. Brown and black bears can consume a large quantity of fruit daily. They disperse the seeds into massive piles that are then fed on and secondarily dispersed by rodents.