Peering through the thick, thorny south Texas brush, I can barely make out a feline form, its superb, spotted coat making it all but invisible. For nearly an hour, the creature stares at me in my pickup truck, ignoring a steady stream of vehicles crammed with bird-watchers bumping past on the road. Suddenly, the cat—about twice the size of an ordinary tabby—rises, elegantly arches its back and glares at me one last time.
Then, with the haughty grace of a fashion model, this rare Texas ocelot melts into the brush. Some biologists thought that it had been wiped out in the United States long before. The professor lost, of course, partly because of the disappearing act I saw in Granjeno, which is characteristic of the ocelot. By retreating into congenial environments, it has managed to survive not only in Texas but also in the remaining forests and thickets of Mexico and Central and South America.
No one knows how many ocelots there are in the world, but Tewes says the population in Texas is somewhere between 80 and Perhaps 30 to 40 reside in and around LANWR, while the rest are concentrated 40 miles to the north on several ranches that provide friendly refuge. But it is the steady loss of ocelot habitat that devastated their population in Texas. The same soil that supports ocelot-friendly thickets also makes wonderful farmland. But bulldozers and other machines have made the brush easier to control.
Because 97 percent of Texas land is privately owned, the hope for ocelots— apart from the 90,acre LANWR— lies with landowners. Ocelots are endangered because their habitat the thick brush where they live has been cleared for farming and growth of cities. Not only is the Ocelot an important predator in its environment but they are also preyed upon by a number of large carnivores.
Agile and playful, pet ocelots can be troublesome to keep due to their habit of leaping around and potentially damaging objects ocelots may unintentionally injure their owners with bites. LIFE CYCLE: The female ocelot reaches estrus — a period at which it is capable of conceiving — at eight months, but ocelots typically do not mate until they are two years old.
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Science Coronavirus Coverage How antivirals may change the course of the pandemic. The next year he was involved in the student lead Mono Lake study evaluating the effects of water diversions by Los Angeles on the ecology of the lake. The results of this study are still in evidence today with the maintenance of water levels in the lake high enough to preserve the breeding islands of gulls.
Currently he works as a general surgeon in Albuquerque, in private practice since but also involved in teaching residents and medical students from UNM. He continues to have a love for the outdoors and spends time outside hiking, cycling, backpacking, bird watching,skiing,gardening and fly-fishing.
He has practiced criminal defense law in New Mexico since A former Federal and State Public Defender, as well as an Assistant Attorney General, since Peter has worked in private practice defending complex criminal cases in both Federal and State courts. He also regularly represents Native Americans charged with illegal possession of feathers in connection with their religious practices.
He is an avid rafter, hiker, skier and cyclist. Martinez has practiced law in Santa Fe since She focuses her practice in the areas of civil rights, general civil litigation, and family law. He grew exploring the outdoor environments in New Mexico, Colorado, and Pakistan. He still loves to explore mountains, rivers and deserts by boat, ski, foot, and bicycle.
He and his wife actively support and partner with several local farmers in farm-to-table, farm-to-beer mug, and farm-to-wineglass projects.
At home on the bank of the Rio Grande in Los Ranchos, NM, he dabbles in native plant landscaping and tries to co-exist with the coyote, geese, beaver, and sandhill cranes who live in his back yard.
They have one daughter. Glen has been active in the community for many years, serving on numerous boards and commissions involved with community planning, the environment, open spaces, natural resources, sustainability, and economic health. He has been especially active in population and growth issues at the local, state, and national level. For many years, he wrote a bi-monthly business column for the Fort Collins Coloradoan, focusing on providing an alternative view to the pro-growth bias dominant in the media.
While growing up in Iowa he developed a passion for the outdoors hiking, fishing, camping, canoeing, and hunting. He also was a three-sport athlete in high school and college, playing football, wrestling, and track. She is an outdoor and environmental educator of distinction. For over 25 years she has been a classroom teacher. Her students participate in citizen science programs where their research informs habitat management. Each year she spends weeks leading students into wilderness.
Cathy has also worked extensively as a lay leader within the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande with youth programs, capital fundraising, and social justice and inclusivity issues. Prior to attending college, David spent summers traveling the United States to study the geology of National Parks during summer field study trips led by his father, an adjunct professor of geology for a local college.
His passion for protected spaces and wilderness led him to earn a B. A with an emphasis in public lands protection from Cornell University. During summers between college semesters, David worked as a Park Ranger Naturalist at Rocky Mountain and Grand Teton National Parks, where he shared his passion for natural history with countless visitors exploring Rocky Mountain landscapes.
After completing graduate school, David worked for the National Parks Conservation Association and The Wilderness Society before becoming a partner in an education consulting firm. David lives in Durango, Colorado where he finds peace in the mountains and forests of the San Juan Mountains. Mimsi has a B.
Mimsi was Associate Director of Development for the D. Following that she owned and operated a gallery of international crafts. Mimsi spends summers in Frisco hiking, biking, gardening, painting and expanding her repertoire of vegan recipes. She serves on the board of CO-Force Coloradans for Fair Rates and Clean Energy , a non-profit that promotes renewable energy and works to end the use of fossil fuels.
John Horning Executive Director John Horning was born and raised in Washington, DC and grew up on a street that bordered Rock Creek Park, one of the wildest urban parks in our country, where he cultivated an appreciation for the solace of wild spaces.
He fondly recalls a childhood searching for salamanders, hearing Pileated wood peckers and watching fire flies light up summer evenings. After biking around the country and then working for a variety of environmental education and advocacy groups he moved to New Mexico in to join the staff of what would later become WildEarth Guardians. He feels privileged to be a voice for the voiceless. Kevin moved to the southwest in late and has worked ever since to protect its biodiversity and wild nature.
Kevin enjoys sharing his vision for a healthy and vibrant western landscape with his family and friends, and the many wild critters that make this same land their home. Kevin lives in Tucson with his wife Kelli and two girls Abby and Allie, loves to camp, hike, garden and just be outdoors. Kevin has been a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals since Marla Fox, J. Her litigation focuses on reconnecting wild places and waterways on public lands across the American West.
Originally from Minnesota, Marla spent her informative years swimming and fishing in northern lakes. Marla is licensed to practice law in Oregon and Washington. When not working in front of her computer, you can find Marla exploring the West on backpacking trips, running trails, or hiking with her family. He received his J.
Prior to joining us, Chris was staff attorney for Western Lands Project for fifteen years. He enjoys camping and hiking with his family, as well as vegetable gardening and cooking.
Born and raised in southern Kansas, Caitlin spent most of her time outside. Her favorite childhood memories are of playing in the small creeks that meander through her home county. She moved to Portland, OR to follow her dream of working for an organization that protects wildlife and wild places. Caitlin currently volunteers as a Crew Leader for Friends of Trees, teaching Oregonians about the importance of planting native species to restore natural areas, especially watersheds.
Her favorite place to spend her free time is outside in a hammock, reading a book with her schnoodle and listening to the birds sing. It was during her time with SFCF that she gained an appreciation for nonprofit work. Annaliza earned her B. In her spare time, she enjoys creative writing, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Laurele Fulkerson, J. A California native, Laurele grew up swimming in the ocean off the Southern California coast, hiking and backpacking in the Sierras, and getting outdoors at every opportunity possible. She developed a passion for protecting wildlife and wild places at an early age, which ultimately led her to the Pacific Northwest.
She holds a J. Santa Barbara. Laurele has fifteen years of experience in nonprofit management and environmental law and policy, bringing a unique combination of fundraising and program experience to Guardians. She has worked on a wide array of public lands, water, and wildlife issues, most recently as Policy Director for Cascade Forest Conservancy.
Marlies Wierenga, M. Marlies has over a decade of experience using her technical, policy and public involvement skills to address watershed and water quality challenges throughout the Pacific Northwest. She has analyzed environmental conditions and developed numerous shoreline, watershed and water quality plans for local and state jurisdictions.
Elias National Park. The entirety of her professional career has been focused on social and environmental justice. Originally from Philadelphia, Rebecca feels blessed to call the Southwest her home. Rebecca has an indefatigable passion for this work and brings a wealth of experience to our organization. Chris Smith, M. Southwest Wildlife Advocate Chris grew up in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains from which he developed a rudimentary, but deep appreciation for natural beauty and ecological function.
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