Scientist At Work: Notes from the Field

Some of you may be interested in a new blog at the NY Times: Scientist At Work: Notes from the Field. For the next few weeks, Dr. Christopher Raxworthy, a herpetologist from the American Museum of Natural History, will be blogging his expedition in Madagascar to study reptiles and amphibians.

There are already a series of post up about the beginning of the expedition.

Wednesday morning in Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, which is known as Tana, and with all research permits now in hand, it is time to start thinking about the practical aspects of starting the fieldwork. That means trying to plan (and pack) for everything that can go wrong. And a lot can go wrong in Madagascar. For example, when the car breaks down and strands you in the middle of nowhere, with absolutely no roadside towing, except maybe a couple of zebu cows in the closest village, if you can find their owner. So, a very good place to start the practical preparation is with the car – my trusty old Land Rover, “Baby.”