National Geographic Grants, Elephant Rescues, and Research

Today was a research day over at Creative Antics. I have three new stories in the works, and each requires very specific knowledge, some I am brushing up on, and some I am learning as I go. I love research. Otherwise, I wouldn't have chosen to write in my current career, and I certainly wouldn't have chosen the previous twenty years in a science career. Anyway, while I was tripping around the internet on a quest for knowledge, I spent some time over at National Geographic, and I found a couple links.

Dr. Krithi Karanth was awarded this year's National Georgraphic Grant today. A conservation biologist with Duke University, she will be looking at numerous human/animal conflicts in areas of India in an effort to save lives, both human and animal. Just two of the conflicts involves elephants and tigers. Karanth joins a prestigious list of grant recipiants, including Jane Goodall, Louis and Mary Leakey, and Jacques Cousteau, to name a few. You can read more about Karanth and her work here.

Here's a little interview with Karanth courtesy of National Geographic. 

And, while I'm on a National Geographic kick, you might also want to check out these pictures recently posted of a daring elephant rescue in Zambia. A mother and her calf were successfully extracted from a mud pit last month. I do love a happy ending, especially when it involves elephants!