In the care of the Croc Hunter
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Blogger: Abigail Lynch, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and a CSIS member, blogs from Down Under -- she's in Australia to build a framework for her dissertation research. She's interested in developing a decision-support tool to regulate harvest management strategies for lake whitefish in a changing climate.
In the care of the Croc Hunter
Saturday, July 9, 2011
This was a weekend of flora and fauna (in a very liberal sense). Saturday began with my first introduction to the realm of Twitchers (fanatical Australian birdwatchers). Under the careful guidance of Hugh Possingham, we saw 65 species of birds at Oxley Creek Common in under 3 hours! Then, Laura Russo and I discovered one of the best finds in Brisbane -- West End! Fresh produce at a much more reasonable price than I’ve seen anywhere else! Now I know how locals with a propensity for produce survive around here.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Australia Zoo is the legacy of Steve Irwin -- it’s the zoo he grew up in as a child and the zoo he ran himself as an adult. The Irwin family seems a bit like royalty here and though the zoo was a bit more like Sea World than I was expecting, it is clear that the goal of the experience is to teach conservation, particularly of Australian species.
The Steve Irwin approach is to personalize conservation and this legacy is clear in the zoo’s approach to shows and interacting with the animals. It was such a bizarre experience being allowed in a paddock with relaxing kangaroos. Still, I’m sure that experiences like these leave a lasting impression upon children who will always remember the joy of feeding the ‘Roos. And what better way is there to be introduced to a kangaroo, wallaby, wombat, echidna, dingo, cassowary, Tasmanian devil, crocodile, or koala?
Lynch's studies are supported by a William W. and Evelyn M. Taylor Endowed Fellowship for International Engagement in Coupled Human and Natural Systems, an International Studies and Programs Predissertation Award, an Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Summer Fellowship, a Graduate School Research Enhancement Award, and a travel award from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
