Page 91 - 2007 DT 12 Issues

Memorial Plaque Dedicated
or black. Males are usually darker than
females. But with at least 800 species n Saturday, November 17, friends and admirers of “Cactus Jack” Ryan
of tarantulas around the globe, some met for the dedication of a plaque to his memory, placed on the back
spiders are strikingly different. The Opatio of the Visitor Center. Jack was a writer, raconteur, friend, intrepid
Mexican Red-legged Tarantula has hiker, nature lover and spellbinding spokesman for nature’s wonders.
bright red leg markings; the Cobalt Blue Every Tuesday, Jack—signature hiking staff in hand—lead assorted groups
Tarantula has legs colored deep blue; of visitors around the perimeter of the
and the Zebra Tarantula of Costa Rica Visitor Center, inviting them to view the
is (yes) striped. beauties arrayed in front of them through
A reclusive, nocturnal hunter, the his eyes. The mountains he had trekked,
tarantula is very fast and will capture often alone in earlier years, had stories
anything of the right size that moves to tell, and tell them he did, as only he
within range—insects, other spiders could. The plants and animals he spoke of
and sometimes small lizards. It will became actors in their own little dramas,
strike with its fangs, injecting venom artfully woven into his natural history
while holding the prey with its palps. It lesson.
grinds the victim into a ball and secretes There were few places in the Canyon or in the Valley and beyond that Jack
digestive juices on to it, then sucks up hadn’t explored. He always knew which route was best to take, even if his
hiking companions thought otherwise. He never shied of telling them so,
the liquefied prey, or, wraps it up in silk either. Jack was tough, although he wasn’t as fast, anymore, as his younger
to save for a late night snack. hiking buddies. He never really “demanded” that they “wait up” for him,
Predators of the tarantula include but he was pleased when they lagged a bit just to keep tabs on him or when
birds, snakes, larger lizards, toads, one of them dropped back to keep him company. Occasionally, near the hike’s
frogs, skunks and javelinas. The most end Jack would tire and say, “Just go on ahead.” He would get there in his own
dangerous predator, however, is the time or he’d wait for them to reach the top and turn around.
tarantula hawk, a large, nasty wasp that Now, Jack has gone on ahead to mark the trail for the rest of us. No doubt
could star in its own horror movie. It we’ll meet him sitting on a rock somewhere “out there,” hat on his head and
stings the tarantula, paralyzing it. After staff in hand asking, “What took you so long?”
dragging the spider back into its own Happy trails, Jack!
burrow, it will suck fluids from it, then
lay an egg on top of it. The grub, upon
hatching, will devour the tarantula which, PLEASE TAKE NOTE: struction of the new Visitor Center is ex-
by that time, has mercifully expired. pected to begin sometime in the next
Meanwhile back at the Visitor P.L.A.N.T. - The landscaping team few months.
Center in the late morning, Athena, a needs help with pruning the plants around The existing Walkway tiles will be
resident naturalist, finally released our the Visitor Center. You may call Vicki at removed with the exception of the first
lovesick wanderer from his prison (she 515-5360 or Committee Chair Clara Hatz phase of 50 tiles and the 9/11 Memorial.
has a soft spot for tarantulas) and depos- at 643-1296 to let her know if you can POLITICAL DELEGATION - A recent
help. Dates and times are Saturday,
ited him gently out the back door into December 1, 7:30 to 10 a.m.; Saturday, visit by Jim Caswell, the new National
the warmth and security of the desert. December 15, 7:30 to about 11 a.m. Director of BLM, along with representa-
He wasted no time heading out, once tives from the offices of Senators Reid

again, upon his quest. q FRIENDS ANNUAL BANQUET- The and Ensign and Congressman Porter,
annual Friends Banquet will be held on provided the opportunity to discuss
License Plate Update Saturday, December 1, at Nellis Air Force concerns for the sustainability of the
Red Rock NCA, and the impact of
Base, Officer’s Club. Bring your photo I.D.
to show at the gate. By reservation only. pending legislation regarding the
As our license plate quest wends National Landscape Conservation
its way through the labyrinth of the MEMORIAL WALKWAY - Chuck Wil- System (NCLS).
NLCS will permanently unify over
“riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an liams advises that there will be a total 800 conservation units representing
enigma” (apologies to Churchill) known as the of 14 walkway tiles installed for the fall 26 million acres of the BLM’s most
phase of the walkway. This will be the
DMV, we can hope to have the plate available last phase installed around the Tortoise exceptional landscapes.
sometime in January. —Norman Wolin, Habitat. New walkway applications
Committee Chair have been suspended since con- News & Notes, continued on p.5

FORRC/December/2007 Page 3