myth busting – Kerry Wixted

By - kwixted0
Posted on May 28, 2026May 29, 2026
Posted in Herps, Maryland

Save the Snakes

Throughout my career, I’ve worked to advocate for the unloved – those species that are villainized despite the vital roles they play. Over the last decade, I have watched public opinion shift for animals like bats and opossums. Unfortunately, much of that shift has been driven by oversimplified and sometimes false claims. No, bats do

Eastern Coyotes

A tale I often hear is how Maryland and other state wildlife agencies secretly introduced coyotes into their states. Sometimes, the release was done in conjunction with insurance agencies. Sometimes, it was done just because. People will repeat stories of coyotes running around with “State Farm” ear-tags and the secrecy of the project to reduce

A Better Guide to Yellow, Stripey Things

Did you know? Maryland has over 1,200 documented wasp species, many of which are super tiny and exist around you without you realizing they are there. I have spent the last 20 years working with wildlife and unlearning a lot of harmful stereotypes I grew up with (snakes are dangerous/spider bites cause major medical issues/