Biologists do know alot about the animals they study and the habitat they are found. But more than that we are given the responsibility to manage what you have argued to be unmanagable. It is one thing to know something, its something totally different to DO something about it...to attempt to "hit a moving target" in management is very difficult. Its unfortunate that most times monies are only available to study when critters are either endangered or cuddly, but thats life and it helps pay the bills.
We use fancy formulas as shortcuts because we have to go to budget meetings, be on land development councils, represent the state in court cases, do actual lab work and all that other useless biologist stuff and not chase snakes down holes all day(laughing). The statistics we get from radio telemetry/mark recapture studies are useful, and large statistics are more important than individual behavior. You yourself have argued about "snake personalities", so I will ask you what would be a better tool for management--higher quality observations on fewer individuals or lower quality observations on more individuals? Be careful how you answer it, you cant have it both ways.

[ Hide Replies ]

• Happy Snake Families II - Tony D, Mon Feb 16 07:52:41 2009
• RE: Happy Snake Families II - FR, Mon Feb 16 10:43:43 2009
• RE: Happy Snake Families II - Tony D, Mon Feb 16 12:46:05 2009
• RE: Happy Snake Families II - BobS, Mon Feb 16 16:12:15 2009
• RE: Tony and Bob - FR, Mon Feb 16 18:53:48 2009
• RE: Tony and Bob - Tony D, Mon Feb 16 20:00:04 2009
• RE: Tony and Bob - BobS, Mon Feb 16 20:50:08 2009
• RE: Tony and Bob - Tony D, Tue Feb 17 05:20:25 2009
• RE: Tony and Bob - FR, Mon Feb 16 22:47:38 2009
• RE: Tony and Bob - Tony D, Tue Feb 17 05:28:08 2009
• RE: Tony and Bob - FR, Tue Feb 17 09:22:24 2009
• RE: Tony and Bob - Tony D, Tue Feb 17 13:30:33 2009
• What is Biology to you Frank? - Jeff Schofield, Mon Feb 16 23:59:49 2009
• RE: What is Biology to you Frank? - indictment, Tue Feb 17 07:36:45 2009
• RE: What is Biology to you Frank? - FR, Tue Feb 17 09:48:17 2009
• Answer the question Frank - Jeff Schofield, Tue Feb 17 10:00:59 2009
• The X-files...... - BobS, Tue Feb 17 14:06:59 2009
• RE: The X-files...... - BobS, Tue Feb 17 14:20:18 2009
• Jeff......... - BobS, Tue Feb 17 14:59:18 2009
• RE: Jeff......... - Tony D, Tue Feb 17 15:02:56 2009
• RE: - FR, Tue Feb 17 16:38:47 2009
• RE: - BobS, Tue Feb 17 16:51:44 2009
• RE: - Tony D, Tue Feb 17 18:33:15 2009
• RE: - FR, Wed Feb 18 19:22:52 2009
• But thats not a good reason not to write - Jeff Schofield, Fri Feb 20 10:41:14 2009
• RE: But thats not a good reason not to write - FR, Mon Mar 9 11:10:21 2009
• RE: The X-files...... - antelope, Wed Feb 18 03:37:29 2009
• RE: The X-files...... - BobS, Wed Feb 18 08:09:12 2009
• RE: this is easy - FR, Tue Feb 17 15:43:35 2009
• RE: this is easy - Tony D, Wed Feb 18 10:05:55 2009
• RE: Listen Tony - FR, Wed Feb 18 12:41:52 2009
• RE: Listen Tony - Tony D, Wed Feb 18 14:21:43 2009
• RE: Listen Tony - FR, Wed Feb 18 19:18:09 2009
• RE: Listen Tony - Tony D, Wed Feb 18 21:46:21 2009
• RE: Heres the point - FR, Thu Feb 19 13:37:43 2009
• RE: this is easy - thomas davis, Wed Feb 18 12:46:14 2009
• RE: this is easy - orchidspider, Sat Feb 21 11:18:04 2009