DNR Press Releases - Jan 4, 2008

[Windknot]

SUMMARY OF RELEASES FOR JAN. 4, 2008
1. WILDLIFE RESOURCES DIVISION APPOINTS NEW ASSISTANT CHIEF OF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) announces the recent appointment of Matt Thomas as new assistant chief of the fisheries management section. As former fisheries management region supervisor in Richmond Hill, Thomas brings a great deal of experience and knowledge to his new position.
2. NONGAME WORK AIDS OTHER WILDLIFE, TOO Projects led by the Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section, which is charged with conserving nongame species as diverse as bald eagles and pitcherplants, also benefit game animals, their habitats and the sportsmen who pursue them.
3. STUDY REVEALS BIG-EARED BAT NUMBERS, HABITAT A graduate student’s summer spent tromping through Georgia swamps, flashlight in hand, has shed light on the range and favored roost sites of secretive Rafinesque’s big-eared bats.

WILD Fact: Why green anoles are brown
If you move a log or stone this winter, you might find a small brown lizard, the green anole, hibernating underneath. So why is this reptile brown this time of the year if it's called green? Green anoles change colors depending on their activity level (not to match surroundings, as true chameleons do). When cold and sluggish, these lizards usually will be brown. On warm winter days, though, green anoles may move around and bask in the sun, in which case they'll probably be green. This common lizard is great for pest control because it eats lots of bugs and spiders!
-WILD Facts is a regular feature written by Linda May, a wildlife interpretive specialist with the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division.

For more information, contact
Jennifer N. Barnes, senior public relations and information specialist
- (770) 918-6795