Beavers 3

April 22, 2025

© Pavel Mikoska/Shutterstock

My MSN browser provided an update to the ongoing saga of a family of beavers in Northern California. On a 2,325-acre valley in Northern California named Tásmam Koyóm, conservation efforts are underway to reintroduce beavers (Castor canadensis) after a nearly 75-year absence. The result has been an explosion in population. The beaver family in Tásmam Koyóm is one part of the continued efforts in California. The state released a family of seven on June 12, 2024, at nearby South Fork Tule River, marking the first time the beaver had homed in the region in over a century. The Tásmam Koyóm family has had a year and a half to get used to the new environment and are thriving, with two litters of kits and one of the beavers finding a mate in the wild. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says population growth offers a chance for beavers to thrive again. The species is endemic to Northern California, but its population was decimated by the fur trade in the 1800’s with numbers dwindling to fewer than a thousand by 1912. The beaver is not only beginning to make a comeback, but it can also protect the landscape from wildfire threats.

When I went online, I found California has been affected by thousands of wildfires between 1987 and 2023. The Palisades Fire began burning in the Santa Monica Mountains of Los Angeles County on January 7, 2025, and grew to destroy large areas of Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu before it was fully contained on January 31, 24 days later. The fire was driven by hurricane-force Santa Ana winds and burned 23,448 acres (9,489 ha), killed 12 people, and destroyed 6,837 structures. The fire was the tenth deadliest and third-most destructive California wildfire on record and the most destructive to occur in the history of the city of Los Angeles. While the wildfire-prone area requires a multifaceted approach to future prevention, the recent reintroduction of beavers across the state could help.

The beavers come into play as they naturally create and maintain wetland environments. Beaver dams have been mimicked in conservation efforts with volunteers creating Beaver Dam Analogues (BDA) to help bring water to drought-prone areas. The state’s largest (real) beaver dam was over 320 feet (97.5 m) long before it was consumed in a wildfire in 2021. One of the groups of the Tule River beavers began building off a BDA, strengthening the man-made dam already there. Conservation efforts for the beaver help prevent wildfires and benefit the region’s wildlife, from the long-lived Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) to the state bird, the California quail (Callipepla californica). The beavers’ explosive growth has given rise to the title of “Swiss army knife” of the animal kingdom for its utility. The Tásmam Koyóm beaver family should be a rallying cry for more conservation as well as a case study of how important it is to protect ecosystems to the benefit of every living creature.

THOUGHTS: The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists over 47,000 species as threatened with extinction. Success stories like the Tule River beavers provide a cause for celebration. Another family of beavers have taken up living in Alhambra Creek in downtown Martinez, California. A male and female beaver arrived in Alhambra Creek in 2006 and proceeding to produce 4 kits over the course of the summer. After the city decided to exterminate the beavers, local conservationists formed an organization called Worth a Dam which got the decision overturned. Subsequently, wildlife populations have increased in diversity along the Alhambra Creek watershed. Living in proximity to wildlife can be beneficial, if humans take time to figure out how to create a symbiotic relationship. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Coexistence

April 20, 2025

Earlier this week the NY Times carried an article by Jack Nicas about an invasion occurring in Argentina. Since the pandemic, “carpinchos,” as they are known, have proliferated in Nordelta, a ritzy gated community of 45,000 people north of Buenos Aires. Over the past two years, biologists estimate the capybara population has tripled to nearly 1,000 in this gated community, posing a test case for the urban coexistence of humans and wildlife. While most residents find them cute, they also cause traffic accidents, chomp their way through gardens, and have occasionally attacked some of the community’s smallest dogs. These actions have led to an effort to place controls on the animals. Veronica Esposito is one of a small group of neighbors leading a rebellion against the controls. They have protested in the streets, taken legal action against developers, and gathered 25,000 signatures for an online petition to protect the animals. “I believe their adorableness is a strategy of the species itself to survive.” said Silvia Soto, the most vocal neighbor. In February, the Nordelta organization told residents in an email that it was moving ahead with a “contraceptive vaccination program,” to sterilize 250 adult capybaras. It seems some do not want coexistence.

When I looked online, I found the future of wildlife depends on the willingness and capacity of human coexistence. To coexist means to live in a dynamic state where the needs and interests of both humans and wildlife living in proximity to each other are generally met. This coexistence may not be entirely free of negative interactions and may still contain some level of impact on both people and wildlife. Living together is especially dependent on a level of tolerance on the human side. Humans have lived alongside wildlife for thousands of years, but conflict arises when the presence or behavior of wildlife poses a direct or perceived threat to people’s needs, interests, and safety. As our planet becomes increasingly crowded, livable space is decreased by accelerated climate change, habitat loss, and competition for resources. What it means to share space with wildlife differs drastically from place to place and from species to species, which often makes moving toward coexistence a complex and ever-evolving target.

Thirty years ago, Nordelta was an untouched wetland where capybaras roamed free, hunted by pumas, jaguars, caiman, and sport hunters. Eduardo Constantini, the real estate developer who controls the Nordelta organization, began transforming the area in the late 1990’s, building housing, infrastructure, a shopping center, and a golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. Construction has been nearly nonstop. Ms. Soto argued that the capybara population is only increasing because developers destroyed the animals’ wild habitat, forcing them out of the forest and into the suburbs. As capybara grazed on a playground, a married couple walking by held different views of the plight of the animals. Felipo Contigiani said he used to hunt capybara as a child and had little sympathy, “It’s a wild animal that came to live in the city.” His wife Lidia Schmidt corrected him, “No, the city came to settle where the wild animal was.” Coexistence seems a long way off.

THOUGHTS: To achieve some level of coexistence between people and wildlife, various stakeholders must partner together to address the challenges and devise solutions that focus on the benefits of living alongside wildlife. This is especially true for the local communities who are often directly negatively impacted by living with wildlife. The town of Churchill in northern Manitoba, Canada is most famous for the many polar bears that move toward the shore from inland in the autumn, leading to the nickname “Polar Bear Capital of the World”. Coexistence often means a willingness to think outside the box. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Barrier

April 19, 2025

My MSN browser reported on a recent discovery in Australia on the region’s marine life. The research was published in Science Advances and shows how marine dynamics could have far-reaching implications for understanding the resilience of oceanic ecosystems. Research found that the Marine reserves on the Great Barrier Reef outperformed expectations, with fish densities two to three times higher than in zones where fishing is allowed. This is especially true for the leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus), or coral trout, which is a key species for both biodiversity and commercial fisheries. The sanctuaries serve as critical breeding grounds where the fish grow larger and produce more offspring. The baby fish then migrate to fishing zones, maintaining catch levels without depleting stocks. Researchers found that even though the reserves make up less than a third of the Great Barrier Reef, about 55% of all coral trout reproduction and 47% of the total catch across the reef originates from these protected areas.

When I looked online, I found the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system. The system is composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 1,400 miles (2,300 km) over an area of approximately 133,000 miles² (344,400 km²). The reef is in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia, separated from the coast by a channel up to 100 miles (160 km) wide and over 200 feet (61 m) deep. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world’s largest single structure made by living organisms. The reef is composed of and built by billions of tiny coral polyps (phylum Cnidaria, subphylum Anthozoa) and supports a wide diversity of life. The reef was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981, and CNN labelled it one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World in 1997. Australian World Heritage places included it in its list in 2007 and the Queensland National Trust named it a state icon of Queensland in 2006.

The study used an innovative mix of fish surveys, genetic testing, ocean current modeling, and reef mapping to pull together decades of data. Researchers found the benefits of marine reserves extend far beyond their boundaries. Nearly 95% of reefs receive at least 30% of their baby fish from reserves, and 93% of fished reefs get at least 30% of their catch from protected areas, demonstrating the far-reaching impact of conservation strategies. As fish from protected areas travel and repopulate nearby reefs, the entire ecosystem becomes more resilient. Michael Bode, of the QUT School of Mathematical Sciences, said, “By protecting fish populations within these no-take zones, we not only safeguard biodiversity but also guarantee that there will be a new generation of fish on the reefs that are open to fishing.” Environmental pressures on the Barrier Reef come from runoff of human made pollutants, climate change (mass coral bleaching), dumping of dredging sludge, and cyclic population outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish. The reef has lost more than half its coral cover since 1985.

THOUGHTS: This recent study of the protected areas in the Great Barrier Reef shows the synergy between conservation and economic security. By ensuring that fish populations remain healthy and abundant, marine reserves support sustainable fishing practices, helping local fishers and coastal communities maintain their livelihoods without compromising long-term ocean health. The Australian government is investing millions into reef protection and this study offers evidence that marine conservation is not at odds with economic growth. While some consider such government-funded studies to be frivolous, they can guide better practices to benefit the economy and natural ecosystems. Sticking your head in the sand or ignoring problems has never proven to be viable for long-term growth. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Colossal

April 18, 2025

My MSN browser reported that the world’s largest squid species was filmed and photographed in its natural habitat for the first time since scientists discovered it about a century ago. The video was recorded in the South Atlantic on March 9th by the crew of a vessel owned by the Schmidt Ocean Institute. The crew’s remotely operated vehicle sighted the animal 2,000 feet (609.6 m) below the surface around the South Sandwich Islands, a volcanic archipelago located between the tip of South America and Antarctica. The squid caught on video was a juvenile and much smaller than a full-grown adult. The research team estimated its size at around 11 inches (28 cm) long. According to the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the expedition occurred during a 35-day voyage where researchers sought to find new marine life. Although this was a juvenile, the squid can become enormous and have been named colossal squid.

When I looked online, I found the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) is a species of large squid belonging to the family Cranchiidae, known as cockatoo squids or glass squids. Glass squid are a group of about 60 squid species that have transparent bodies. As the squid grow their bodies become opaque over time. The colossal is sometimes called the Antarctic cranch squid or giant squid (not to be confused with the genus Architeuthis) and is believed to be the largest squid species in terms of mass. Individuals have been confirmed to reach at least 1,091 pounds (495 kg). Beaks found in sperm whale stomachs suggest some may weigh as much as 1,300 to 1,500 pounds (600 to 700 kilograms). That would make it the largest extant invertebrate. The maximum total length has been estimated between 33 to 46 feet (10 to 14 m). The colossal squid has the largest eyes of any known creature to ever exist, with an estimated diameter of 11 to 12 inches (27 to 30 cm), with a whopping 15 inches (40 cm) for the largest collected specimen. The colossal is presumed to be an ambush predator, with a diet including various fish, and is likely a key prey item of the sperm whale.

Chief scientist Dr. Michelle Taylor said the team was initially unsure what the squid was but filmed the animal because it was “beautiful and unusual”. The footage was later verified by Dr. Kat Bolstad, who said previous squid encounters had mostly been as remains in whale and seabird stomachs. A distinguishing feature of the species is the presence of hooks on the middle of their eight arms. Dying adults have previously been filmed by people fishing but they have never been seen alive at depth. The Natural History Museum has suggested it is hard to estimate the global population of colossal squids. In 2022, the institution said the lack of observations meant that, “even to this day, the enormous invertebrates still straddle the line between legend and reality”. The Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research trips have led to the first sightings of four species of squid, including the colossal squid sighting. The institute’s executive director Jyotika Virmani described the encounters moments which “continue to remind us that the Ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved.”

THOUGHTS: The recording of the colossal and other three species of squid is another reminder of the amazing diversity yet to be discovered in the oceans of the earth. Yet even as we seek and find new life, the actions of humans are threatening to destroy the species and ecosystems that are known. It is unclear whether the Ocean depths are so far immune from human intervention, or just so far out of our radar that we do not see the changes we are making. It is known that microplastics have been found in the bodies of deep-water fish. We need to take steps to preserve these fragile ecosystems while there is still time. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

It’s In

April 14, 2025

It has been an odd planting season (month) this year, to say the least. It started four weeks ago when I went to the soil and mulch supply I had used for the Hügelkultur raised beds last year. I had read that the limbs and wood on the bottom layer would decay over several years and as it does, the soil will sink. At least I did not get the dreaded sink holes that can result when you do not compact the soil into the limbs well enough. I ordered two skid scoops of topsoil but could only get one in my 8×5 foot (2.4×1.5 m) trailer. I realized too late I wanted raised bed soil (a topsoil/compost mix) rather than topsoil. I put the entire scoop into the four raised beds and when I went back for the second load, I changed my order to raised bed soil. I used this to top off the raised beds and put a layer over two additional beds. Melissa is going to scatter a wildflower mix in the bed in front of the house and I was going to put squash and lettuce in the back bed I had used for last year’s three sisters (corn, beans, squash). I misjudged the amount of work this was going to take. After two long afternoons the soil was finally laid down. I breathed a sigh of relief and said, “It’s In”.

When I looked online, I found the Old Farmer’s Almanac says the average last frost date for USDA hardiness zone 7a is between March 22 and April 3. It is Generally safe to plant most garden vegetables after this period, but you need to check local weather forecasts for potential late frosts. We got excited and went to the plant nursery during the last weekend of March and got some great deals on six packs of peppers (Capsicum annuum), tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), and squash (Cucurbita pepo). I was prepared to put them in the following Monday, but the weather person said there was a “possibility” of one of two frost days (they were right). We put the plants on the porch with Melissa’s succulents where they could get sun and be out of the cold. Melissa was countering the humidity for her succulents, so the fan was running 24/7. The veggies did not like the fan and dried out quickly. We brought them into the house and Melissa babied them. Finally last week I was ready to take the risk and put them all in the ground along with the radish (Raphanus sativus), carrot (Daucus carota), beet (Beta vulgaris) seeds, and a hill each of cantaloupe (Cucumis melo) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). I breathed a sigh of relief and said, “It’s In”.

I had worried as I planted the veggies last Monday as several were looking poorly. I mulched and watered them for several days before I bought replacements and replanted five. As the week went on several more withered and died. I removed the store plants and planted seed for several straight necked squash and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus). As I watered this morning, I faced the dilemma of what to do with three tomatoes and two bell peppers that were struggling. It was iffy whether they would survive and if I waited to act it would probably be too late for seed before the summer heat. I went back to the co-op and found a six pack of Cherokee purple tomatoes and two single peppers. That meant I had more plants than planters, but the six pack was the same price as one single (I needed two). I ended up placing two of the tomatoes in the back bed with the squash and found another container for the third. I breathed a sigh of relief and said, “It’s In”.

THOUGHTS: Each time I said, “It’s In”, I thought the job was over. While I could have left the empty containers and garden spaces I was unwilling to do so. I had already invested too much time and energy to quit when I was so close to completing my planting. I did tell Melissa after finishing today that I was not going to buy any more plants. If any fail now their spaces will be reserved for my summer/fall planting. In gardening and life, you need to be willing to overcome initial setbacks. You also need to know when it is time to change strategies and tactics. Doing the same thing and expecting different results rarely works. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Fools

April 04, 2025

When I was growing up my dad had a running joke that occurred every April 1st. As the boys would come sleepily downstairs and sit around the breakfast table, dad would rush in and exclaim, “There is a big brown dog outside!” This would cause the three of us to jump up and run to the window hoping to get a glimpse of this large dog. Later, dad was forced to change the joke as we owned a large brown boxer dog (Canis lupus familiaris) named Lucky. Instead, dad would exclaim there was a large black dog outside. The joke still worked and went on for years. After we had looked expectantly out of the window for several seconds the punch line was delivered. April Fools!

When I looked online, I found April Fools’ Day, or April Fool’s Day, is an annual custom on April 1st consisting of practical jokes and hoaxes. Participants often complete their prank by shouting “April Fools!” at the recipient. Mass media can be involved with these pranks, which are often revealed the following day. The custom of setting aside a day for playing harmless pranks on one’s neighbor has been relatively common historically throughout the world. While many theories have been proposed for the origin of April Fools’ Day, it is not exactly known. A disputed association between April 1st and foolishness is found in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (1392) when in the “Nun’s Priest’s Tale”, a vain cock (Chauntecleer) is tricked by a fox on the first of April. In 1508, French poet Eloy d’Amerval referred to a poisson d’avril (April fool, literally “April’s fish”), possibly the first reference to the celebration in France. Some historians suggest April Fools originated because during the Middle Ages New Year’s Day was celebrated on March 25th in most European towns, and the festivities continued until April 1st. Those who celebrated New Year’s Day on January 1st made fun of those who celebrated on other dates by the invention of April Fools’ Day. The first British reference came from John Aubrey in 1686 who referred to the celebration as “Fooles holy day”.

My best April Fool’s joke happened when I was working for the Division of State History in Utah. I was monitoring a particular thorny case where a pipeline installation was running roughshod over the archeological resources that stood in the way. I sent a scathing memo to my boss on April 1st that detailed a new set of offenses and demanding he do something about this clear breach of contract. When he received the memo, he immediately took it to his boss and demanded something be done. His boss calmly read the memo and began to laugh. My boss had failed to read the complete memo, as the last line said, April Fool’s!” Both his boss and I thought the joke was extremely funny. My boss did not think it was funny.

THOUGHTS: Most can attest to the fact that if you are around someone long enough, they will repeat the same joke time and again. My dad’s April Fool’s joke was done purposefully (and as it always worked). Dad also had the reputation for telling a joke and either forgetting or screwing up the punchline. The black dog did not have that issue. Repetitive storytelling is such a widespread phenomenon across age groups that a group of researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario studied both short-term and long-term memory and discovered there is a particular kind of memory (destination memory) where humans do not excel. Destination memory is the inability to remember to whom we have told our stories. Another reason for repetition is when you hear (or live) a good story you want to share it with others, even if it is again and again. Laughter is used to ease tension, to amuse, or to introduce yourself. Knowing what another finds funny can tell a lot about their thoughts and values, but only if you listen. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Atolls

March 31, 2025

© Laurent Ballesta

Today’s MSN browser carried an article about the mysterious circles found on the floor of the Mediterranean. The circles were discovered in 2011 by a team of scientists led by marine biologist Christine Pergent-Martini. More than 1,300 rings, about 65.5 feet (20 m) in diameter with a dark spot at their center, were detected through satellite images and confirmed through underwater explorations. Theories on the circle’s origin ranged from unusual geological formations to extraterrestrial intervention (when in doubt it must be UFO’s). A decade of research has found the key to their origin. When biologist Laurent Ballesta submerged himself to reach one of the rings he realized “it was alive”. The formations are composed of calcareous algae and various marine organisms which create rigid structures on the seafloor that, over time, form a circular arrangement. The study of these circles revealed that they are biological structures known as coral atolls.

When I looked online, I found atolls are ring-shaped islands with a coral rim that encircles a lagoon. Atolls occur in warm tropical or subtropical parts of the oceans and seas. Most of the approximately 440 atolls are in the Pacific Ocean. There are two models which explain how atolls form. Charles Darwin described the subsidence model, where the atoll is formed by the sinking of a volcanic island that had a coral fringe reef. The extinct volcanic island erodes and sinks under the surface of the ocean until the reef and small coral islets on top of it are all that is left, leaving a lagoon in place of the former volcano. The antecedent karst model has formation as the development of a flat top, mound-like coral reef during the sinking of an island (volcanic or nonvolcanic) below sea level. When the sea level drops, the coral reef is exposed to the atmosphere and is dissolved by rainfall to form limestone karst. The rate the exposed coral is dissolved is lowest along its rim and increases inward to its maximum at the center of the island resulting in a saucer shaped island with a raised rim. When the sea level rises the island is submerged and the rim provides a core where the coral grows to form the atolls, and the flooded bottom of the saucer forms the lagoon.

While the Mediterranean coral atolls do not breach the surface, they form in a similar fashion. The perfect symmetry of the rings is due to the radial growth of the algae and corals that make up the ecosystem. The interaction between the ocean currents and the development of the living organisms generates this unusual arrangement on the ocean floor. The discovery of coral atolls has important implications for the study and conservation of marine ecosystems as these formations play a crucial role in the biodiversity of the Mediterranean, providing shelter for numerous species and acting as indicators of the health of the oceans. Experts warn these structures are extremely fragile and climate change, pollution, and human activity could affect their development. Ocean acidification and rising temperatures may alter the growth of the organisms that form these atolls, threatening their existence.

THOUGHTS: We still know very little about the submerged coral atolls found in the Mediterranean. Pergent-Martini said, “What is clear is that their preservation is key to maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems in the region.” The ocean covers approximately 70% of Earth’s surface and represents the largest livable space on our planet. Its surface area is about 139 million miles² (360 million k²) and an average depth of 12,080 feet (3,682 m). Life exists throughout these depths, but much of the ocean is unexplored. As of June 2024, 26.1% of the global seafloor had been mapped with modern high-resolution technology (multibeam sonar systems). While 54% of the seafloor beneath US waters had been mapped to these modern standards, the US seafloor is larger than the land area of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five territories combined. The future of exploration is both out there and under here. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Partula

March 28, 2025

This morning’s MSN browser caught my eye with an article on a creature that has managed to return from extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species has reclassified a peanut sized snail as critically endangered after being previously declared extinct in the wild, according to a release from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The snail’s comeback is credited to a decades-long conservation program led by ZSL and its global partners. Paul Pearce-Kelly, leader of the conservation program, said in a news release, “This is a landmark moment for Partula tohiveana and for decades of international conservation work. Seeing a species return from the brink after years of collaborative effort is exactly why we do what we do.” The press release states that the reclassification follows the discovery of adult Partula snails born in the wild.

When I looked online, I found Partula tohiveana is one of several species with the common name Moorean viviparous tree snail. The species is an air-breathing tropical land snail in the family Partulidae endemic to highlands on Moorea, French Polynesia. The species was reintroduced into the wild in 2024 and by September “born in the wild” snails were observed for the first time in 40 years, meaning the species is officially considered re-established. While the snail is still critically endangered, it had been extinct in the wild since the 1980’s. The snail is the first invertebrate species to be successfully re-established following an Extinct in the Wild IUCN status. ZSL started breeding these snails in the 1980’s after the invasive carnivorous rosy wolf snail (Euglandina rosea) began to threaten the Partula tohiveana’s wild population. The snails were bred and cared for under carefully controlled conditions and were then marked with UV reflective paint prior to their release back into their forest habitats. The 2024 reintroduction saw the release of about 6,000 snails from 10 species and sub-species of Partula snails raised at zoos worldwide.

Ali Reynolds, Senior Keeper, Lower Vertebrates & Invertebrates at the Marwell Wildlife Zoo, said: “It was so heartening when I heard the news of tohiveana being downlisted, it makes all our efforts worthwhile, and shows what a difference zoos can make.” Reynolds has a tattoo on her arm with a picture of a snail along with words, “never give up”. She went on to say the more you learn about Partula, the more fascinating they become. The snails show a high level of speciation, and a single species can evolve in very small specific areas, at times even living in only one valley. They are unusual amongst snails, as they do not lay eggs, but give birth to a single live young. Their name comes from Partula, the Roman goddess of birth. “Given the cause of their decline is entirely manmade, we have a responsibly to try to make things right, and this shows that is possible!”

THOUGHTS: One of the global partners that aided the reintroduction of Partula was the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. My parents lived there and always had a season pass to the zoo, so when we held reunions, we would all go. This was usually in August and turned out to be the hottest day of the year (100+F/37.7+C). Zoos have always been a subject of interest and debate. Some say they play a crucial role in conserving endangered species and educating the public. Others say they represent captivity for profit and do more harm than good. Zoos do support conservation through breeding and donations that are critical for groups working in areas trying to preserve wildlife. A critical argument for zoos is that people need to see animals to care about their protection and most urban populations will likely never get the opportunity to experience these animals in the wild. Direct encounters with animals encourage people to adopt more eco-friendly behaviors and feel more invested in conservation efforts. Longer life (with ethical treatment) is a tradeoff for freedom. As with humans, not all feel the cost is worth it. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Bracketology

March 26, 2025

The first weekend of the college basketball playoffs is over and I have life in my brackets. This year I filled online for a initial bracket, an alternate bracket, and a best guess bracket. I also filled out hard copy brackets, so I pulled that from the newspaper. Then Melissa said she would like to do a head-to-head challenge (hardcopy) so I filled out another one for her. I then filled out two online brackets for the women’s championship. There seem to be two approaches toward filling out these predictive brackets. One is the purist approach where only one bracket is allowed. The other is to fill out as many brackets as possible (a maximum of 25 are allowed by ESPN) and try to gauge all the nuances that might be possible, given upsets and close matchups. I find myself somewhere in the middle, counting my initial bracket as the “true” representation but still filling out several more brackets for luck. This annual event for men’s and women’s basketball has become known as bracketology.

When I looked online, I found Bracketology is the process of predicting the participants in the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The name comes from the predictions made while filling in tournament brackets for the postseason. This process uses some method of predicting the metrics the NCAA Selection Committee will use, such as the rating percentage index through the 2018 tournament, and the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) since 2019, in order to determine at-large (non-conference winning) teams to complete the field of 68 teams, and to seed the field by ranking all teams from first through sixty-eighth. Bracketology also encompasses the process of predicting the winners of each of the brackets. Joe Lunardi is credited with inventing the term bracketology. On February 25, 1996, The Philadelphia Inquirer referred to Lunardi as a bracketologist, which is the first known instance the term was applied to a college basketball expert. Lunardi soon started the website Bracketology.net, and ESPN began running his predictions in exchange for a link to his website. By 2002, Lunardi had his own Bracketology page with ESPN. In recent years the concept of bracketology has been applied to areas other than basketball.

My efforts at bracketology have only been fruitful in one of the men’s brackets. My purist bracket chose Duke as the winner but only matched 56.8% of the actual winners through the first weekend. My alternate bracket selected Auburn as the winner and has done much better, choosing 96.7% of the winners and ranking 792,137th on the ESPN site. The best guess bracket did the worst, choosing Michigan State as the eventual winner and choosing a lowly 17.9% of the winners. By contrast both of my women’s brackets have done well. My initial bracket chose U Conn as the champion and scored 97.6% of all winners. My alternate chose OU as the champion and came in at an astounding 99%. I do not follow college basketball (except for favorite teams) other than during championship season. Still, this time of year causes me to watch games I would otherwise skip and the first weekend provided several exciting games. One of my bracket busters was the Hogs of Arkansas who took two underdog games, including from St. John’s who I had predicted to go to the elite eight. There are no perfect brackets left for the men (out of 24,388.569) and only 25 for the women (out of 3,425,826). I guess that is why they call it bracketology (the study of brackets).

THOUGHTS: To try and keep the public involved in the sport (and betting), ESPN has another chance at Bracketology by offering a second chance option. This starts with Sweet 16 participants and allows you to select who will win based on those still in the tournament. This did not spark my interest. If I do not get it right the first time(s), I am not trying again. I understand the allure, however. In life we need to both alter our initial approach and try again. Life is not a predictable bracketology. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Python

March 21, 2025

This morning’s local newspaper carried a USA Today article on the adaptability of the Burmese python in Florida. The snakes have been established in the Everglades since the 1990’s but recent studies and sightings indicate the cold-blooded reptiles have adapted to cooler temperatures and different habitats. One reason for the adaptation is crossbreeding with the Indian rock python (Python molurus) which has also been introduced into the habitat. Genetic evidence by the USGS shows at least 13 out of 400 pythons studied were crossbred. Climate change could expand their range by 2100 to include New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Colorado, and parts of Washington State. Southern states with climates like the native range of the Burmese python include all of Florida, most of California, the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma.

When I looked online, I found the Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is one of the largest species of snakes in the world. The species is a dark-colored non-venomous snake with many brown blotches bordered by black down the back. Burmese pythons typically grow to 16 feet (5 m) but unconfirmed specimens of over 23 feet (7 m) have been reported. The species is sexually dimorphic with females slightly longer but considerably heavier and bulkier than males. Length-weight comparisons in captive Burmese pythons for females have shown at 11 feet 5 inches (3.47 m) length, a specimen weighed 64 pounds (29 kg) and a specimen of 16 feet (5 m) weighed 165 pounds (75 kg). Length-weight comparisons for males found a specimen of 9 feet 2 inches (2.8 m) weighed 26 pounds (12 kg) and a specimen of 10 feet (3.05 m) weighed 41 pounds (18.5 kg). Individuals over 16 feet (5 m) are rare for either sex. The Burmese is native to a large area of Southeast Asia where it is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. It is an invasive species in Florida because of the pet trade.

Importing Burmese pythons was banned in the US in January 2012 by the US Department of the Interior. A 2012 report stated, “in areas where the snakes are well established, foxes and rabbits have disappeared. Sightings of raccoons are down by 99.3%, opossums by 98.9%, and white-tailed deer by 94.1%.” Road surveys between 2003 and 2011 indicated an 87.3% decrease in bobcat (Lynx rufus) populations, and in some areas, rabbits (Sylvilagus palustris) have disappeared. Bird and coyote (Canis latrans) populations may be threatened, as well as the rare Florida panther (Puma concolor couguar). Burmese pythons compete with the native American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), and numerous instances of alligators and pythons attacking, and even preying on, each other. By 2011, researchers identified up to 25 species of birds from nine avian orders in the digestive tract remains of 85 Burmese pythons found in Everglades National Park. Native bird populations are suffering a negative impact from the introduction of the Burmese python in Florida and the wood stork (Mycteria americana) is now listed as federally endangered.

THOUGHTS: A Burmese python named “Baby” was the heaviest snake recorded in the world in 1999 at 403 pounds (182.8 kg), much heavier than any wild snake ever measured. Her length was measured at 18 feet (5.74 m). Efforts in Florida have removed over 23,000 pythons since 2000, but trappers have caught less than 1% of the estimated population of tens of thousands. Lisa Thompson of the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission said, “Every python removed from the Florida landscape is one less invasive snake impacting our native wildlife and ecosystems.” While importing exotic wildlife may be chic, bringing them (and allowing them to escape) into compatible ecosystems is never a good idea. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.