Page 74 - 2002 DT 12 issues

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Something to Crow About ○ varying shapes by wedging one end of ○ results for the three open two-year terms
the wire into taped-up sections of the
○ are as follows:
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esearchers at Oxford University ○ ○ tube and tray or by holding it in her feet, ○ ○ President : Tom Pfaendler, elected
in England are scratching their ○ ○ while pulling the other end with her bill. ○ unopposed
Vice president: Pat Williams,
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Rheads over Betty, a captive crow ○ Since she had no training or other crows ○ elected unopposed
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who repeatedly took a piece of straight ○ to imitate and little previous experience ○ ○ Director-at-large: Blaine Benedict,
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wire and bent it to ○ with wire, her actions are viewed as ○ ○ elected in a closed ballot runoff.
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make a hook. The ○ novel and purposeful. ○ Members applauded both outgoing
New Caledonian ○ ○ “To solve a new problem, she did ○ ○ President Chuck Williams for his out-
crow is one of the ○ ○ something she had never done before,” ○ ○ standing contribution to Friends and to
few bird species ○ ○ said Alex Kacelnik, a behavioral ecolo- ○ Red Rock Canyon, and Membership
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known to regu- ○ gist who co-authored the report. ○ Chair and “Jill-of All-Trades,” Pat Wil-
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larly use twigs to ○ “ . . . She showed the capacity to solve ○ liams for her tireless work.
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probe for food. ○ a new problem in a creative way by re- ○ ○ Carrie Sandstedt, Nevada Wildlife
Such tool use has ○ organizing her experience.” ○ Coalition, gave a brief recap of the pend-
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normally been at- ○ ○ In their Science article, the research- ○ ing legislative bills before the U.S.
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tributed to ○ ○ ers note that Betty’s accomplishment— ○ House and Senate which will determine
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randomly gener- ○ ○ purposefully modifying objects into tools ○ ○ the future development or protection of
ated behavior. But ○ without prior experience—is almost un- ○ public lands in Clark County. More in-
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Betty’s behavior ○ known in the animal world. ○ formation on both the Senate and House
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suggests that New Caledonian crows ○ ○ versions of the legislation can accessed
“rival non-human primates in tool-re- ○ August General Meeting ○ ○ at www.nevadawilderness.org.
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lated cognitive capabilities” say the ○ ○ ○ ○ Thanks to Cynthia Pfaendler for fill-
researchers, reporting their findings in a ○ ○ General Membership Meeting ○ ing in for vacationing Hospitality Chair
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recent issue of the journal Science. ○ ○ was held at the Red Rock Can- ○ Rose Keough. It was a spectacular
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Betty was caught as a juvenile in ○Ayon Visitor Center at 6 p.m. on ○ evening of cool breezes, a setting sun
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○ and a full moon rising.
March 2000 and since then, has shared ○ Saturday, August 24. There was a quo- ○
her aviary with Abel, a male brought in ○ ○ rum of thirty-seven members and their ○ ○
after spending ten years in a zoo. In a ○ ○ guests in attendance. ○ ○ Extra Hands for P.L.A.N.T.
separate testing area, the birds were ○ ○ Projected income for 2002 will ex- ○ ○ by Clara Hatz
given a straight wire and a hooked wire ○ ceed expectations due to a substantially ○
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with which to retrieve food from a small ○ larger than anticipated $40,987.50 quar- ○ ffective with spring of this year,
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bucket inserted into a vertical pipe. This ○ terly contribution by Red Rock Colony ○ ○ the energetic group (formerly
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was the first time the crows had been ○ against the total pledge of $250,000. The ○Eknown as “Weed Warriors”) that
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○ ○ works so diligently to maintain the
presented with wire. When Abel made ○ short term investment cap was, there-
○ natural beauty surrounding the Visitor
off with the hooked wire, Betty bent the ○ fore, raised from $100,000 to $130,000. ○
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○ Center, voted to became known as
straight wire into a hook and retrieved ○ A motion for approval of the 2003 ○ P. L.A.N.T . ,
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the small bucket of food. ○ Budget in the amount of $154,600, the ○ Project for Land-
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The startled researchers devised a ○ Investment policy cap of $130,000, and ○ scape and Natural
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new experiment to test Betty’s unusual ○ the special project funding for Interpre- ○ ○ Tranquility.
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behavior, placing one piece of straight ○ tive Signs ($15,000) and Oliver Ranch ○ Anyone that
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garden wire on top of the tube, then ○ Scholarships ($10,000) was unani- ○ hasn’t been
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waited for either crow to try for the food. ○ ○ mously passed. ○ around the Visitor
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Abel retrieved the food only once, with ○ ○ Three new members were elected to ○ Center since the
a straight wire. In her ten successful re- ○ the board of directors. Two additiional ○ middle of April
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trievals, Betty bent the wire into a hook members, Grace Sayles and Al Berg, ○ probably missed
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nine times. Betty almost always tried the were nominated from the floor for the ○ the flowers. It
straight wire first, then made hooks of position of Director-at-large. Election ○ ○ looks like most of
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