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1. Cartoon Character Opens Show on Branson's Strip
2. Urban Wildlife Solutions Take Teamwork, Flexibility
3. MDC Offers Landowners Help Controlling Purple Loosestrife
4. State Fair Includes Blue-Ribbon Conservation Program
5. Outdoor Calendar
"One of the anomalies of modern ecology is that it is the creation of two groups, each of which seems barely aware of the existence of the other. The one studies the human community, almost as if it were a separate entity, and calls its findings sociology, economics and history. The other studies the plant and animal community, and comfortably relegates the hodgepodge of politics to the liberal arts. The inevitable fusion of these two lines of thought will, perhaps, constitute the outstanding advance of the present century." -- Aldo Leopold, in an unpublished essay written in 1935, when he was in Germany and Czechoslovakia studying the history of the conservation movement there.
1. Cartoon Character Opens Show on Branson's Strip
This animated bird has found a coyote-free home in the Midwest's country music capital.
BRANSON, Mo. - - Driving through downtown Branson, you expect to see hotels, restaurants, theaters and shopping centers. What you don t expect to see is a roadrunner. But don't be too surprised if you spot a specimen of "Birdus velocitus" sprinting alongside vehicles on the Highway 76 strip. The cartoon character famed for eluding Wile E. Coyote has come to life in Missouri's show-biz town.
Charlie, as he is affectionately called by the staff of the Prince Charles Inn, is a real, live roadrunner. The bird has lived under an air conditioning unit at the hotel since it opened in 1994.
We started with four roadrunners when we first opened, says manager Pat Vita. "Last year we had only two birds, and this year we are down to one, who we named Charlie after the hotel."
The hotel staff thinks of Charlie as their mascot. He has quite a personality and has won the hearts of everyone who works here, says front desk clerk Betty Williams. We look forward to seeing him and talking to him each day. We put out fresh food and water for him, and even the bug man who comes to spray each month knows to pick up Charlie s water dish before spraying.
A member of the cuckoo family, the long-legged, gray-brown roadrunner got its common name by running down roads ahead of horse-drawn vehicles. It has several other names, including chaparral cock, ground cuckoo, lizard bird, cock of the desert and snake-killer.
Roadrunners can fly when pursued, but their short, rounded wings produce quick, jerky movements. They are much better adapted to a pedestrian lifestyle. Roadrunners are known for their speedwalking prowess. They have been clocked at 15 miles per hour. They move so fast their legs seem to disappear in a blur. Their habit of flattening their feathers against their bodies and extending their heads and long tails parallel to the ground when running completes the cartoon caricature.
The roadrunner's breeding range extends from central California east as far as Kansas and Louisiana and south to central Mexico.They thrive in arid, open landscapes with low trees, thickets and cacti for cover. Until the mid 1970s, roadrunners often were seen in southwest Missouri. But the state's roadrunner population declined during a series of unusually severe winters from 1976 to 1979.
Downtown Branson does not have cacti or large open areas, but Dr. David Pearson, research professor of zoology at Arizona State University in Tempe, says roadrunners can exist in urban areas. Because the birds have large beaks, they can successfully defend themselves, he says. They feed on just about anything, so I m not really surprised to see one living in Branson.
Roadrunners, thorough and aggressive hunters, satisfy their huge appetite with insects, especially crickets, grasshoppers, beetles and ants. They also eat scorpions, spiders, gophers, mice, lizards, small snakes and some plants and fruits.
Charlie typically spends his morning searching for food and returns to the Prince Charles Inn with bugs or lizards in his mouth. He taps on the window in the front of the hotel and continues his tapping until someone acknowledges him, says Betty Williams. He then prances off with his food. It's as if he needs approval before eating his catch.
Sandy Williams, an ornithologist with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, says he doesn't believe Charlie is seeking approval. It's my best guess that he is seeing his reflection in the window and thinks it's another bird," says Williams. "He probably is responding to the reflection. Pearson adds that Charlie might be beating insects and other food on the window to soften them before eating.
After tapping on the front window, Charlie retreats to his nest, a loose conglomeration of sticks, grass, bark, feathers and roots. Charlie built his nest under an air-conditioning unit on the fourth floor of the hotel, Vita says. We always try to rent that room last, because we do not want him harmed by the heat from the air conditioner.
Soon Vita may have problems renting other rooms. Charlie has started to build additional nests under air conditioners all over the hotel. Pearson says male roadrunners do most of the nest building, while females choose where to lay eggs. This bird might be building more nests in hopes that a female will come along and be able to choose the nest she likes best, he says.
Roadrunners don't actually make the cartoon character s beep-beep noise. Instead, they produce coos, crows, chuckles and clacking sounds. The hotel staff describes Charlie s call as a dog-like bark. When we hose down the pool area, Charlie will watch us and make a barking sound when he wants us to spray him with water, says maintenance worker Joe Clark.
Betty Williams believes the hotel staff is so fond of Charlie because of his friendliness. When we talk to him, he actually looks at us, she says. And he will even walk right through a group of people. It's pretty amazing to watch.
According to Pearson, Charlie is probably "friendly" because nobody has tried to harm him, creating a positive association with people. This makes him unafraid of people and allows him to quickly adjust to his surroundings, he says. These birds are quite formidable animals.
While Pearson describes roadrunners as formidable, Sandy Williams considers the bird at the Prince Charles Inn weird and entertaining. Charlie's show might even be better than some of the night club acts in Branson, he says.
2. Urban Wildlife Solutions Take Teamwork, Flexibility
JEFFERSON CITY-- Houses lined up like rows of chairs in an auditorium with a few strip malls scattered between them, sidewalks crammed with people on the go and buildings towering above the clouds are typical images we have of cities. But more and more, deer sprinting through a neighbor's yard or raccoons scurrying down the sidewalk are becoming urban scenes. When these sightings are rare people usually welcome them, but people often become determined to rid their communities of wildlife when it damages property or is considered dangerous to humans.
That's not necessarily the best way to handle wildlife nuisance problems, according to Missouri Department of Conservation Wildlife Programs Supervisor Gene Kelly. He gets calls every week from Missourians seeking help with nuisance wildlife. With cooperation and a bit of flexibility from property owners, most nuisance problems usually are easily solved.
Often people move to the suburbs because they want to live in a more natural setting," says Kelly. "You have to understand that wildlife is a part of that natural setting and look for ways to live with it. We try to give solutions that will enable people to coexist with wildlife.
The first step to solving a wildlife nuisance problem is making a phone call to the nearest MDC office. Urban wildlife biologists, conservation agents or other experts can provide advice that will solve most wildlife problems. When they can't find a solution, they notify biologists in the MDC Wildlife Damage Management Program. The program provides information needed to solve wildlife nuisance problems. There is no charge for the service and necessary materials used are sold to landowners at cost.
The solutions aren t always what people expect," says Kelly. "Often when an animal has damaged someone s property or is considered dangerous they want us to come out and kill it. Sometimes the answer to the problem is trapping the animal and moving it to another location. More often, modifying the site, such as an unfenced garden or an unprotected chimney, will solve the problem. In other cases, the solution may be eliminating a food source. And sometimes you wait for the animal to raise its young and leave on its own, then you take measures to prevent them from coming back.
MDC carefully analyzes each wildlife damage complaint to determine whether control is needed and to what extent, as well as the safest, most practical and humane method for people and wildlife. Kelly says most problems can be addressed over the phone. MDC personnel question callers to determine what's causing the nuisance problem. Then they advise homeowners on how to eliminate the problem.
According to Kelly many urban nuisance problems involve animals looking for food. Frequently people unknowingly create these problems by leaving food out for the family pet, putting garbage outside overnight, or improperly placing bird feeders. A kibble-filled dog food dish left out as a convenience to Rover also can be a convenient food source for a skunk, coyote or opossum, even a bear. A bird feeder on a wooden pole or near a tree is accessible to squirrels and raccoons as well as birds.
Sometimes such problems can be avoided by storing pet food inside the house or other enclosed areas and by putting out garbage shortly before it's scheduled to be picked up. Feeders can be equipped with guards or placed on slippery poles away from trees to deny squirrels and raccoons access.
Wildlife nesting in chimneys is another common problem in urban areas. Installing a chimney cap can prevent raccoons, squirrels, bats and birds from taking up residence there. Homeowners should make sure no animals are living in the chimney before installing a cap, though. Kelly says to either trap and remove the animals or allow them to leave on their own before installing chimney caps.
Unfamiliarity with animal habits also sparks nuisance calls from city dwellers. Kelly remembers a call from a man who was concerned about a coyote loafing near his home. The animal would stand near the entrance to its den watching anytime humans were around. An investigation revealed that the coyote had a litter of pups and was merely safeguarding them. Once the pups were weaned, the coyotes moved out.
Because each nuisance problem is unique, property owners are advised to call MDC before attempting to deal with problems. Any MDC field office has folks who can give advice for dealing with nuisance problems," says Kelly. "Because we have so many of these calls coming in every day, we can t go out to every house and take care of each problem in person. What we can do is talk you through the problems and give you the advice you need to take care of it yourself. We don't just have you get rid of the animal. We determine what's attracting the animal and tell you how to eliminate the thing attracting it. This may eliminate the problem completely, Kelly says.
MDC has a video tape you can purchase to learn how to prevent and eliminate common urban wildlife nuisance problems. To order a copy of Dealing with Urban Wildlife, send $9 plus 56 cents sales tax to: Media Library, Missouri Department of Conservation, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102-0180, or call (573) 751-4115.
3. MDC Offers Landowners Help Controlling Purple Loosestrife
WANTED: A three- to 10-foot purple flowering plant.
ITS CRIME: Invading Missouri wetlands at the expense of biological diversity.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Purple loosestrife looks innocent enough with its tall stems and pale purple blossoms. It is such an attractive plant many people have placed it in their gardens. Looks can be deceiving, however. Purple loosestrife is actually an aggressive plant that invades marshes, wet prairies and waterways, crowding out native plants that provide food and shelter for wildlife.
"It was used by honey producers and ornamental planters," said Troy LaRue, a wetland services biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation. "Then it moved into the wetlands and replaced the plants that were there."
Purple loosestrife is an exotic plant introduced to the United States in the mid-1800s. With no natural enemies, the plant began to spread throughout the Northeast and Midwest. In 1963 Missouri had only two known purple loosestrife populations. Today there are more than 40. You no longer can buy purple loosestrife in Missouri except for seven hybrids that are considered non-aggressive.
Despite not being commercially available, purple loosestrife remains a problem. It is difficult to control, spreading by seeds and by roots. A single plant can produce as many as 300,000 seeds that are carried by wind, water, and animals. The MDC is working with landowners to destroy purple loosestrife plants that take root on private property.
"We've entered into a contract with about 60 landowners who allow us to go in and spray the loosestrife with herbicides," LaRue said. "Herbicides are the cheapest, most economical, and the best way to do it. You'd have to burn any plants you pull up by the roots because if you pull them up and lay them down then that area would be infested by seeds."
A color flier showing how to identify purple loosestrife is available from: Missouri Department of Conservation, Natural History Division, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180. If you find purple loosestrife growing outside cultivation, contact Troy LaRue at (573) 592-1400 or call the nearest MDC office.
4. State Fair Includes Blue-Ribbon Conservation Program
It's not just about cotton candy and Ferris wheels. Conservation Education is coming to the fair.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Strolling around the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, you won't be surprised to see carnival rides and livestock, produce and crafts. But what about fish? Or snakes? Even otters? They will be a part of the fair too, thanks to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
"We're going to give people an idea of the fish, forest, and wildlife that exist in Missouri and show them what's going on in state conservation," said MDC Public Affairs Division Assistant Chief Lorna Domke. Hands-on exhibits, videos, and special presentations will demonstrate conservation. You can find them in the Discovery Room at the MDC pavilion.
Hands-on exhibits will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 15-18. They include: "Water Critters," which involves touching weird water animals in a pool; "Pick a Tree," matching wood to the tree it comes from; "Furry Fun," identifying different mammals by their fur, and; "Why Knot?," learning how to tie strong knots in fishing line. An interactive "MDC on CD" computer program will show users where to fish, hunt or hike on MDC lands. It also includes "Habitactics," a new game on CD-ROM. Users match animal species with their habitats and then use biodiversity as the key consideration in making management decisions for land conservation.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 19-23 MDC videos will be available for viewing in an air-conditioned room -- always a drawing card in August. "The number of people who show up depends partly on how hot it is that day," jokes Karen Hudson, the MDC's media librarian. Video screenings will include "Where Eagles Soar," the story of the decline and return of bald eagles in Missouri, and "Just Kiddin' Around" -- a special segment of the Missouri Outdoors television program that looks at conservation from a kid's point of view.
Other videos will cover how to fish, how to discover MDC lands in your area, and many other conservation topics. You can catch a video from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 19-23. Check the posted schedule for specific video times.
Videos will only run until 2 p.m. Aug. 23, because the popular "Otters in Action" program begins at 3 p.m. Glenn Chambers brings in two live otters only once during the fair. Get there early if you want a seat at this popular show. "I'll bring in the otters in a see-through tank on the stage," Chambers said. "We'll put minnows and crayfish in the tank to show people how they catch their food." The presentation includes a slide show and an audience question-and-answer session.
Otters won't be the only live animals at the fair. MDC Herpetologist Tom Johnson will bring in snakes to show and discuss. They're the non venomous kind of course, and he promises to let you touch the snakes at the end of the program -- but only if you want to!
The snake program is Saturday, Aug. 24 along with "Fiddlin' Around"-- Ozark-style fiddling, "Calls of the Wild" -- the voices of Missouri's wildlife, and "Kids, Creeks & Critters" -- an exploration of stream life. Check postings for live show times at the MDC pavilion.
Special shows are only part of the fair. Throughout the entire week, you can explore Missouri's fish. Ten 100-gallon tanks will be filled with bass, crappie, bluegills, catfish, paddlefish and more. Check out the living stream and reservoir pool for further insights into Missouri's underwater world. MDC personnel will be available to answer questions at booths around the pavilion.
HUNTING
Bag Limit
Opens Closes (Daily-Possession)
Bullfrogs 6/30/96 10/31/96 8-16 (See Wildlife Code)
Common Snipe*+ 9/ 1/96 12/16/96 8-16
Coyotes 5/ 6/96 3/31/97 Some restrictions during
deer season. (See Wildlife Code)
Crows 11/ 1/96 3/ 3/97 No Limit
Deer/Turkey (Archery) 10/ 1/96 11/15/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
11/27/96 1/15/97 See Regulations, available mid-July
Deer (Firearms) 11/16/96 11/26/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
Deer (Muzzleloader) 11/16/96 11/26/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
12/ 7/96 12/15/96 See Regulations, available mid-July
Deer 1/ 4/97 1/ 5/97 Open only to hunters with unfilled
(Firearms & Muzzleloader Any-Deer Bonus Deer Tags for
in units 1-17, 22, 58 & 59) open units. See Regulations
Dove*+ 9/ 1/96 10/30/96 15-30
Ducks and Coots* TO BE ANNOUNCED
Furbearers 11/20/96 1/20/97 No Limit
Geese* TO BE ANNOUNCED
Groundhogs 5/6/96 12/15/96 No Limit
Pheasants &
Gray Partridge 11/1/96 1/15/97 (See Wildlife Code)
Quail 11/1/96 1/15/97 8-16
Rabbits 10/1/96 2/15/97 6-12
(may include only
2-4 swamp rabbits)
Ruffed Grouse 10/15/96 1/15/97 (See Wildlife Code)
Sora and Virginia Rails*+ 9/ 1/96 11/ 9/96 25-25
Squirrels 5/25/96 1/15/97 (See Wildlife Code)
Teal*+ 9/ 7/96 9/15/96 4-8
Turkey 4/21/97 5/4/97 1 bearded bird per week
Turkey (Fall Firearms) 10/14/96 10/27/96 (See Wildlife Code)
Woodcock*+ 10/15/96 12/18/96 5-10
FISHING
Trout Parks 3/1/96 10/31/96 5-10
Trout Parks 11/8/96 2/8/97 Catch & release Fri., Sat.,
(Winter Tag Required) Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Trout Management Areas Open All No Closed 5-10 (See Wildlife Code)
(Trout Permit Required) Year Season
Trout (Trophy and Wild) Open All No Closed 3-3 (See Wildlife Code)
Trout Management Areas) Year Season
(Trout Permit Required)
Black Bass
(streams, specified zone) 5/25/96 2/28/97 6-12 (See Wildlife Code)
(impoundments) Open All No Closed (See Wildlife Code)
Year Season
Bullfrogs 6/30/96 10/31/96 8-16 (See Wildlife Code)
Paddlefish 3/15/97 4/30/97 2-4 (See Wildlife Code)
(See Wildlife Code for creel limits on other species.)
TRAPPING
Beaver 11/20/96 3/31/97 No Limit (See Wildlife Code)
Coyotes 11/20/96 2/15/97 No Limit (See Wildlife Code)
Furbearers 11/20/96 1/20/97 No Limit (See Wildlife Code)
___________
*Hunters of migratory birds are required to have a migratory bird
hunting permit in addition to other appropriate permits (See Wildlife Code).
+Subject to final federal approval
CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING
August 16, Chamber of Commerce Office, Kennett, Mo.
(For additional information contact the Department Director.)
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