CROW presents final Virtual Speaker Series programs
Presented by LCEC, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife’s weekly Virtual Speaker Series will continue on April 22 at 4 p.m. with “Conservation Biology of Reddish Egrets, Mangrove Cuckoos, and Swallow-tailed Kites on Sanibel Island: Racing Time in a Rapidly Changing World” with Ken Meyer, senior research ecologist and executive director for the Avian Research & Conservation Institute.
It will conclude on April 26 with “Tracking Loggerhead Sea Turtles from One of the Most Important Nesting Sites in the World” with Dr. Daniel Evans, senior research biologist with the Sea Turtle Conservancy.
The Avian Research & Conservation Institute’s ongoing research on three species of Sanibel’s birds — reddish egret, mangrove cuckoo and swallow-tailed kite — helps illustrate Florida’s biological richness and delicate finely-tuned ecological interplay of its diverse plants and animals. Illuminating data from direct observations, field surveys and sophisticated tracking technologies point to the threats faced by the birds of conservation concern. The ARCI’s results reinforce the need for more sustainable land-use policies and wildlife management and for insightful research that will teach how to counter losses of habitat to development, as well as to sea-level rise and other imposing effects of climate change.
Evans has been tracking the migrations of loggerhead sea turtles from the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge on the central east coast of Florida since 2008. The refuge represents one of the most important nesting beaches for them in the world. The research has identified important migration pathways and feeding areas, as well as discovered some unusual behavior. During this final program, Evans will talk about the findings and conservation implications of his satellite tracking research.
The Virtual Speaker Series programs are approximately one hour in length. The talks are presented using Zoom and are limited to 100 participants, so advance registration is required. Admission is $10 per device, plus taxes and fees. To register, visit www.CROWClinic.org or CROW’s Facebook page under the “Events” tab.
Meyer has studied the behavior and ecology of rare and imperiled birds since pursuing his PhD, which he received from the University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill in 1987. His professional interest always has been to generate reliable data that informs management and conservation action, a quest that led to the formation of the nonprofit ARCI in 1997. Studies by Meyer and his team, co-led by Gina Kent, has helped address the conservation needs of 16 species of birds of critical concern in the United States, Canada, Caribbean, and Central and South America. For its efforts, the ARCI received two Research Awards from Partners in Flight and a National Wildlife Stewardship Award from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative for cooperative studies that have advanced the conservation of swallow-tailed kites.
Evans is responsible for the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s educational activities and public presentations, organizing volunteers to help with sea turtle monitoring research programs, administering the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate Grants Program, and he is the principal investigator on STC’s sea turtle tracking research program. He holds a Bachelor of Science in wildlife management from the University of Massachusetts, a master’s degree in wildlife ecology from Frostburg State University and a PhD in wildlife ecology and conservation from the University of Florida. Evans has been working at the STC since 1996.
CROW’s Virtual Speaker Series will feature weekly programs, offered January through April, hosting professionals from across Southwest Florida who engage, educate and entertain participants with information about local conservation initiatives. For more information, visit www.CROWClinic.org.