Creature Comforts

Bob Crosby has been fishing the Mississippi River for over 25 years and is always on the hunt for his next trophy fish. As the owner and operator of Blue Cat Guide Service, Bob wanted to understand the behavior and movements of the big catfish that swim the Mississippi River.In a cooperative program with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks he and his angler friends are tagging the catfish of the river in hopes of studying them more. Larry Bull, Assistant Director Of Fisheries, along with Bob talk about the work they have completed with the fish and how they need the help from the public tracking these fish.

It may seem like mid-summer to us humans but there are already signs in the natural world that we are entering late-summer. Today friend of the program, biologist Joe Magee joins the show to talk about how the birds and other creatures are reacting to these changes. Have you noticed the difference in the dawn chorus? Certain creature songs are missing this time of year. Also Dr. Majure talks about the importance of flea treatment on your pet cats.

The prothonotary warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family.For many years the Jackson Audubon Society has maintained nesting box trails for these birds.They can be seen around the Lefleur’s Bluff State Park and the Fannye Cook Natural Area.Today we have Chralie Pfeifer from the Jackson Audubon Society to talk about these birds and their migration to these nesting sites.

Pet Day is always an enjoyable episode on Creature Comforts. Dr. Troy Majure and Libby Hartfield answer your pet and wildlife questions, along with the latest happenings in nature. Tune in and send your pet questions to Animals@mpbonline.org.

Today on the show we welcome back Dr. Brent Hendrixson, professor of biology at Millsaps College. He is back on the program to tell us about some of the scorpions and spiders found around the state.Not all of these creatures are venomous but we will talk about staying safe when these creatures are around. Also on we share some great news about the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science.

Today on the show we welcome Dr. Jim Franks. He is a senior research scientist at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and studies some of the large fish of the gulf.The Bluefin Tuna and Tarpon are the subject of his latest research projects and he joins us to talk about their current situation.Also Dr. Majure and Libby Hartfield answer some of your summertime pet and wild animal questions.