For the June 24th show, we talked about some questionably delectable dishes from the natural world. Could I interest you in a spot of blood? If you were a tick... you would say "Yes, please"! Ticks are a part of summer if you spend time in the woods of Arkansas. Just coming back from the field... I can say that I've had many ticks try to make a meal of me recently. Some have succeeded... others have met my friend the lighter. Whether you're a friend or foe of ticks, you have to admit that they are persistent and well-adapted little buggers. The folks at Living Healthy podcasts agreed.Another "tasty" treat we featured were aquatic turtles... although I'll say right now that I'm not a fan of freshwater turtle harvests.
But... apparently there are those who are because the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recently shot down a proposal to ban freshwater turtle harvests for commercial purposes. What does this mean for our fine, scaled friends? That's just the problem... we don't know! We don't know how populations of Arkansas turtles are doing right now... which makes frequent harvesting a dangerous idea.Stories featured in the news in nature included a study with evidence that suggests birds did not descend directly from reptiles, the big C in animal populations, and a 35,000 year old flute found in Germany.
For the sound quiz, we heard a random smattering of creatures from our stories of the day: tortugas making sweet love, beluga whales, elephants, canaries, and Stephen Colbert, Jr. (aka a Bald Eagle).
Music featured included: Devendra Banhart, The Knife, The Cure, Radiohead, Calexico, Tortoise, Johnny Cash, James Brown, and Aphex Twin.
