So sometimes I open my eyes and email and I have no idea what beaver misfortune I will be writing about that day. And sometimes my inbox has a present all shiny with a red bow on top just for me. This morning it was a ‘good job’ email from John Hadidian, the senior scientist at the Humane Society, who had just read through his new issue of Human-Wildlife Interaction and seen my commentary. Gallant man that he is, he offered to scan it for me since it will be a while before its published online. Now it is followed by the two page whining rebuttal of the researchers I challenged but we’ll talk about that later. Today let’s just enjoy ourselves, shall we?
Consider this entire article a warning shot across the beaver-trapping bow and a irresistible recommendation for humane beaver management everywhere! (10 year old data, sheesh!) Honestly, what I personally am proudest of about this article is that it actually uses my education instead of dragging it shamefully along behind like the tin cans tied to a ‘just graduated’ car.
Non-respondent bias? Oh snap! I never thought I’d be able to use those words again after graduate school. Now I want to say it all the time! And thank the hard work research and design stats teacher who got the concept through my thick head. I actually hated hated hated math, and (shh) never did the homework. But I loved statistics and calculated every single formula by hand. Don’t ask me why. It made perfect sense to my way of thinking, where as many people (including my brilliant husband) loved math and failed miserably at statistics. Go figure. I know by now you’re probably thinking ‘doesn’t this woman EVER talk about anything besides herself? So this is the part about you.
Yes, the heroic actions of town-ful of adults and children is what forced Martinez back to the drawing table and allowed Skip Lisle to be hired in the first place. When the people lead, the leaders will follow. (Except Janet Kennedy of course, but she’s gone.) There were so many young people who grew up with this story. I just got a call this weekend from a freshman at UCSC who was a middle schooler when the story started and wanted to write a paper on how the Martinez beavers improved our creek.
Cue the rousing anthem and the unfurling flag in the background! I just got goosebumps! Let me say that I truly believe only a hybrid psychologist-beaver advocate could have written this entire article in four tight paragraphs. I know I mostly coast along with insulting the hygiene and IQ of folks who kill beavers much of the time, but I’m really proud of this. Let’s all remember:
