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Snakes, Pets, and Oddities
Written By: Sonya Carpenter - Highlands Biological Foundation | Issue: 2016/08 - August | Photograph By: Kevin Fitzpatrick
Every summer the Highlands Biological Foundation hosts evening lectures focused on natural history and conservation. This tradition began in the 1930s and is known today as the Zahner Conservation Lectures. The public is invited to participate in these free lectures held each Thursday evening at 6:30 P.M. at the Highlands Nature Center at 930 Horse Cove Road.
In the month of August, we will explore many fascinating topics from the value of venomous snakes to oddball naturalists as well as the history of pets and plants.
On August 4, join Mr. Carlton Burke, the Carolina Mountain Naturalist, for a talk on “Venomous Snakes and Their Contributions to Science.” This lecture, sponsored by Mary Todd, Jim Davis, and Tom and Ruth Claiborne, will explore human attitudes about snakes and explain how their venom has benefited science.
Humans have kept pets for nearly 15,000 years. Since then, our pets have become common household members across the world. On August 11 at 6:30 P.M. join Dr. Hal Herzog for the Zahner Conservation lecture entitled, “Why Do Humans (and Only Humans) Keep Pets?” for an in-depth explanation of the history, moral implications, and scientific claims on the health benefits of pet ownership. This lecture is sponsored by Marianne and Ben Jenkins
On August 18 Richard Milner’s entertaining talk, “Darwin’s Oddball Army” will recount the strange history of such naturalists as Charles Waterton, who fooled his colleagues with a mysterious humanoid made from monkey parts; Sir John Lubbock, who attended meetings with a pet wasp perched on his shoulder and John Garner, who lived in a cage to study wild apes in the African jungle, as well as many other oddball naturalists. Mr. Milner, Director of the Alfred Russel Wallace Centenary Celebration, may even perform a few of his delightful songs about evolution. This lecture is sponsored by Paul Sanger.
On August 25, the Director of the Tellus Museum, Jose Santamaria, will take us back to a time over 300 million years ago when lush, humid forests thrived in swamps at the western edge of the evolving Appalachian Mountains for his talk, “Ancient Plants: How They Continue to Impact the World.” This lecture is sponsored by Dick and Anne Goodsel and Jennie and John Stowers.
For more information on the 2016 Zahner Series, visit Highlandsbiological.org.
