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A: Other than protecting the area from human impacts, Little Cat has many rules that are followed in order for people to enjoy the area without harming it. For example, we have rules that state people cannot take from the grounds, meaning they should not remove anything that may serve as a habitat or home for a species. Also we encourage people to stay on the marked paths to reduce habitat disturbances. Little Cat allows people to make a connection with wildlife and become aware of it, without damage being brought to the areas and organisms.

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Q2: What kind of programs does Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation area offer to the public for them to become more aware of conservation issues?

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A: Little Cat offers many programs to increase public awareness and education on certain topics of interest, usually on subjects involving wildlife. We sometimes host 'Nature Talks', which includes having people come in and talk about a variety of topics. For example, we have had coyote talks, snake talks, turtle talks, bat talks, and fisher talks. We think it is very important to inform the public about these animals, especially the ones that people are afraid of so they are aware of the persecution these species are subject to, and learn how to live together peacefully.

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Q3: What are your personal views on conserving wildlife?

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A: Personally, I believe that every species has its role in their ecosystem and that balance is needed, between animals and humans, in order to conserve species and their habitats. I also think we should not persecute and harm an animal out of fear. This subject needs to be acknowledged because if we continue to kill certain species, such as snakes, then there are going to be consequences, which we will have to face. Such a consequence could be an increase in rodent numbers if we eliminate snakes.

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Q4: Do you think that enough is being done to protect species and their habitats?

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A: I'm aware that there are many organizations that work towards the conservation of species, and I think they are very effective, as we have had species that have been on the edge of extinction and brought back because of the efforts of these organizations. However, I still think that it is beneficial to keep track of what to protect, and take more action to ensure these species are here for future generations.

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​Interview 2: Dr. Steve Lougheed - Queen's University

Unfortunately, Dr. Lougheed was unable to meet with us for a full interview, due to travelling. However, we did get a statement from him about what he does and his views on reptile conservation!

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As stated by Dr. Lougheed:

" We are interested primarily in looking at the effects of range fragmentation on snake species of conservation concern using a combination of radiotelemetry, GIS and the latest analytical tools of the merging field of landscape genetics. Importantly we are also interested in disentangling the genetic signature of past fragmentation events and the effects of Pleistocene glaciation and post-glacial expansion from those of anthropogenic habitat fragmentation. We are also pushing into other aspects of snake ecology that might speak to fitness and population persistence including looking at rates of growth of individuals, parasite load, and foraging ecology. We have worked on Grey Rattlesnakes, Massasauga Rattlesnakes, Eastern Hognose Snakes and Eastern Foxsnakes. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention phylogeography which has been a core interest in my lab since its inception. While it may not speak directly to species conservation it does provide some important inputs in prioritizing populations with respect to genetic distinctiveness."

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