I stepped out of my apartment on the west side of Athens, Georgia one afternoon to find this three foot Eastern Black Ratsnake practically choking on a large bird (appears to be an American Robin). 

On a visit to Brasov, Romania, in March 2000, some local friends took me for a bike ride to show me “something exciting” that they knew I would love. It was strange enough riding through the dark streets beneath the towering communist apartment blocks, being chased by loose dogs around every turn. We rode our bikes past piles of garbage surrounding rows of nearly full dumpsters until my friend yelled, “There!” and pointed toward a group of dumpsters. Several Brown Bears were feasting from the trash can!

A few months later on another visit to Brasov in August 2000, I went back to the spot with the local pastor, and two visiting American pastors. When we arrived, a mother and two cubs were raiding the trash. An old Romanian man was throwing fire crackers at the bears from out his apartment window to scare the bears off, which they totally ignored.

Being brave (or foolish), we exited the car for a closer look. It didn’t take long and the mother bear, already aroused by the fire crackers, decided we were too close to her cubs and left the dumpster to charge toward us! We went to one side of the car, she came approached the other. She circled to the front of the car, we ran to the back side of the car. As she continued to come at us, we all dove into the little Dacia. Momma jumped up on the back window of the car, tore off the antenna, and began ripping the weather stripping from around the window!
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We were in a state of shock, unsure how to respond. One of the visiting American pastors sat in the back saying to himself, “How stupid! I just risked my family, my church, my life!” I was exhilarated and loved it! But I suppose my background in wildlife and animal control helped. 

​Two things about Disney: you always bring a camera; you always wait in line. While waiting on the raft across to Tom Sawyers Island, a Great Egret sat on the roof of the boat house. I found this old film print tucked in the midst of vacation memories while going through the family photo albums.

My third year going out to Tucson Arizona for our Fellowship's annual Bible Conference, I made a day long visit to the Saguaro National Park and also a visit to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. 

​So many of the calls that we receive for “rabid animals” at animal control are typically exaggerations. However, when you meet your first truly sick animal, you don’t forget it. Although it was twenty years ago, I clearly remember this Grey Fox I had to catch in the Jockey Club neighborhood of duplexes. It was in a backyard next to a dog house and quite aware of our presence. But it was barking, rolling in the leaves, pausing to chew on the plywood dog house and just acting bizarre. Since there was no exposure to a human or pet, we didn’t test it for rabies. But there is no doubt something was going on in his head, whether it be rabies or distemper. 

In 1998, I pulled this raccoon out of an apartment complex dumpster while working for Athens-Clarke County Animal Control. The silly boy climbed in for a free meal and then found he couldn't get back out! A pretty common occurance.

Most people incorrectly describe snakes and lizards as slimy. As for this little amphibian, the description is quite correct! The Slimy salamander gets its name from the slimy secretions it produces when handled or threatened.