Terms and Conditions
I read a wide variety of materials in the process of writing this blog. At one extreme are the peer-reviewed scientific references including papers, reports, and text books. At the other extreme are the informal writings such as home-grown web pages, blogs, and online encyclopedias. Somewhere in between lie the lovely, photograph-studded nature books you can find on the shelves of your local library. I consume words about the natural world as if they were chocolate.
Although the web is my medium of choice when publishing much of my work, it can be a fickle fact provider. There are sites that provide accepted scientific truths and keen insights into the natural world. But there are also online writings that are fogged by misunderstanding and a tenacious desire to make complex concepts too simple. My own articles, despite my best efforts, may at times belong to this well-intentioned group. Since Nature Notes is a personal website, published at the click of a button and without the restraint of peer review, I must declare the possibility of errors or misinterpretations within its text.
The aim of my writing is expression, appreciation of nature, and pursuit of fact. The articles included here have not been scruitinized by anyone but me and a few kind-hearted friends and family members. They should be treated with a pinch of skepticism, the spice of science. Most are open to comments and where you take exception with my words, please speak up. If you're polite about it, I won't be offended. Really.
If you're a student, you should not use my articles as primary references. What you can do is look to my writings for starting points. Where relevant, I have included my sources at the bottom of each article. Refer to these sources as you do your own reasearch. If you find out something new or think I've gotten something wrong, stop back and leave a comment or send a quick message, I'd love to hear about what you've discovered.
Photos © iStockphoto.
An Assortment of Articles
- The Social Lives of Lions
29 Jul 2010 -
A lion pride in Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, Africa. Photo © Keith Levit / Shutterstock. - Lions are definitely not loners. In fact, lions are unique among felids in that they are the only species of cat that forms social groups. All other cats are solitary hunters that, outside of mating season, shy...
- Hares, Rabbits, and Pikas 27 Oct 2011
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Photo © Daniel J. Cox / Getty Images - Hares, pikas and rabbits (Lagomorpha) are small terrestrial mammals that include cottontails, jackrabbits, pikas, hares and rabbits. The group is also commonly referred to as lagomorphs. There are about 80 species of lagomorphs divided into two subgroups,...
- The Lion's Magnificent Mane 29 Jul 2010
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A large male lion in Kalahari desert South Africa. Photo © EcoShot / Big Stock Photo. - A lion's mane is more than just a bushy bunch of fur framing a big cat's face. A mane is a declaration of a lion's vitality, fighting prowess and social status as well as an acknowledgement of...
- Saving the Spoon-Billed Sandpiper 04 Dec 2010
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Photo © John O'Sullivan / RSPB. - The spoon-billed sandpiper is among the world's most endangered birds. Scientists estimate that there are only 450 to 1000 mature spoon-billed sandpipers remaining in the wild and their population is declining. Now, BirdLife International is raising funds...
- Polar Bears' Irish Ancestors 11 Jul 2011
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Photo © Daniel J. Cox / NaturalExposures.com - Polar bears have Irish roots, a new study suggests. Genetic evidence reveals that modern polar bears are the descendents of Irish brown bears that lived during the last ice age about 45,000 years ago. The study was...
