Phil, meet Herb & Amy; Herb & Amy, meet Phil.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZy6XilXDZQ

Fish and Game said it was a “bushy tailed wood rat” or a pack rat. He left our yard, got in the neighbor’s doggie door, fought with their cats and trashed their kitchen. They used a hav-a-heart trap and took him to the river.

p.s. the shrub died.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/photos/images/original/000/136/268/BZQzd.png?1308368158

And what the hell did I ever do to him, for cripe’s sake.

There would be billions of animals that could say the same thing about humans re habitat destruction (amongst other things).

When you ecosystem is no longer natural, it becomes man’s duty to control it – like the deer in Scotland, for example.

Don’t you think humans have made a big enough mess already by trying to “control” things?

I think cattle ranchers and horseback riders might have a less favorable view of these critters.

Me? I think they’re cute, and attempts at controlling them have been poorly managed (lots fo ecological damage for little practical gain.)

From Wikipedia:

“The prairie dog is also an ecosystem engineer. Prairie dog burrows provide the nesting areas for Mountain Plovers and Burrowing Owls. Prairie dog tunnel systems also help channel rainwater into the water table to prevent runoff and erosion, and can also serve to change the composition of the soil in a region by increasing aeration and reversing soil compaction that can be a result of cattle grazing. Prairie dogs also trim the vegetation around their colonies, perhaps to remove any cover for predators.[16] Even grazing species such as Plains bison, pronghorn, and Mule deer have shown a proclivity for grazing on the same land used by prairie dogs.[17] It is believed that they prefer the vegetative conditions after prairie dogs have foraged through the area.”

om nom nomnom

those are incredibly cute and i might have to make some for my next get together

But yes, prairie dogs are cute.

I don’t know what you’re asking actually. I was working with a museum collecting Neotropical mammals, especially bats. Museum collections are essential for understanding biodiversity, life history and conservation needs for many species –and not just charismatic megafauna like mammals and birds. The research that I and others did as a result of the collections is varied.

As far as proving something it’s not like I was on Fear Factor trying to kiss bats without getting my lips bitten off. Part of collecting bats is capturing them in mist nets and then removing them –they tend to squirm and try to nom fingers. If you don’t hold them correctly they will land some pretty good bites.

And if you think birds are easier, large finches can put a hurt on you too even without benefit of teeth. And then of course there are the occasional raptors that will get into the nets. For those guys I suggest taking off your outer shirt to neutralize the talons before disentangling the animal.

@josie
And don´t forget toxoplasmosis in cats. Which is awesome. Makes the rats not afraid of cats. It´s a nuisance in humans though when they pick it up in the womb. Tends to blind them later in life. Oh and they can carry rabies too.

“I used to work up close and personal with bats…and their teeth”
What were you trying to prove?