Thursday, December 22, 2016

Coffee and Provocation


New Book on Livestock Guarding Dogs
Brave and Loyal: An Illustrated Celebration of Livestock Guardian Dogs is a new book by Cat Urbigkit who runs a big sheep operation in Wyoming, and has to contend with possible sheep predation by wolves, lions, and two kinds of bears. The answer to the problem: true livestock protection guard dogs imported to the United States. Their use has allowed the expansion of predator populations into areas where the animals were previously subject to lethal control. For wolves, lions, and bears, and those who love them, true purposed-bred livestock guard dogs are part of the solution going forward. Order a copy of this book for someone for Christmas - the release date is the first week in January.

A One Plywood Sheet Dog House
If you have tools, minimal skills, and a day to give, most animal control officers (especially rural ones) know very poor (often old) folks who need better housing for their outside dogs. Foam insulation and a flap door and a load of hay, can make a world of difference for a dog when combined with a sheet of cut-and-assembled plywood.  Stop making bird houses and start making dog houses!

Florida Tries a Cell Phone App to Track Invasive Fish
Florida wildlife officials are partnering with Fishbrain, a company with a cell phone app that lets anglers brag about their catches.  It's hoped the app can help the state better track 15 freshwater exotic fish such as the Asian Bullseye Snakehead.

The Battle Over the Sea Monkey Fortune
Remember the "Sea Monkeys" that they once sold in ads at the back of comic books?  They were just brine shrimp from Lake Mono, but they made someone a fortune, and the fight over the control of this business was, apparently, epic.

Leave the Native Rats Alone?
Apparently, there's a case for leaving city rats alone so that they can repel foreign rats.

RESIST
20 Lessons from the 20th Century on How to Survive in Trump’s America.

Sitzfleisch
Sitzfleisch is a German word, commonly appropriated in Yiddish, that literally means "butt flesh" but figuratively means the ability to endure sitting on your butt for hours at a time in order to get important work done. In writing, it is the essence of discipline.

Call in the Insect Air Force!
Could wasps save Christmas Island Red Crabs from Yellow Crazy Ants? Maybe yes!

A New Fish Named After a President That Helped Save It
Tosanoides obama is a newly-discovered fish endemic to Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands -- a location that President Obama has protected.
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2 comments:

Donald McCaig said...

Dear Patrick,
We are on our fifth generation of guard dogs and have never lost a sheep to the coyotes we hear at night. I was at the Virginia Sheep Assn meeting where the then president suggested instead of granting money to the state trapper they should just buy every sheepman a guard dog.

One problem - and its a big one. Most western range is government and hence multi-purpose. A couple years back during a bike race on BLM land a woman determined to ride right through a large flock of sheep. She got bit. Rancher got sued. She won.

That's a problem. But then - so's the BLM leasing program.

Donald MCaig

lucypup2009@gmail.com said...

Thanks for the tip about a great new dog book! and please enjoy a couple cups on me (hope it goes through alright)

I know several farmers here and many have Pyrs. Fantastic coyote stoppers, they are.