VOLUNTEERS BID BIOLOGIST
THOM LEWIS A FOND FAREWELL
In February, after sixteen years of shepherding our biological programs on our refuge, Thom Lewis moved on to fulfill a life- long dream: to become a pilot biologist. He is currently interning, based out of his home state, Maryland, and doing a lot of traveling for training. Even so, he found time to help us out with the red wolf program in April, and contributed photos for our refuge Open House in May. While we are happy for Thom, we all miss him, and our fingers are crossed that this is not a real goodbye, but just an "adios!"
UPDATE: Endangered Red Wolf Island Propagation Program:
The refuge has been on tenterhooks since April about the status of the Red Wolf Recovery Program on our refuge. Lack of funds threatened our breeding pair's future here, even though it appears that, once again, for the fourth year in a row, they have produced another litter of pups in the wild. Thanks to volunteers Robin & Mike Vroegop, Gloria Austin, and John Inzetta who have been diligently tracking and documenting their movements around the refuge. No puppies seen yet, but all indications are good. BEST OF ALL, we have just learned that our refuge red wolf program will be funded for another three years. That will take us through 'til 2010, when we will have a twenty year track record of red wolf propagation.
2008 Endangered Sea Turtle Nesting Update:
We are pleased that as of August 12th, we have had 57 loggerhead sea turtles nests on our gulf beaches. Thanks to USDA trapping endeavors in May, feral hog depredation has been minimal so far this year. Now, could we just get the National Weather Service to keep those hurricanes away:)?! Thank you, all turtle patrollers, for bravely dodging those morning thunderboomers, and meeting Capt. Joey at the crack of dawn, while our boathouse is being repaired!
View photos or add your own on our new Flickr photo discussion site, St. Vincent Volunteers & Friends. CLICK HERE.