If you've ever wondered what megafauna we used to have in Kansas, I've got a video for you! Coming tonight, Kansas’ Lost Wildlife will give you a brief introduction our historic wildlife that I'll expand on throughout the year.

#kansas #histodons #envhist #blackbear #elk #grizzlybear

📷's from the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service

I found this historical footage of a bear cub chasing a fawn. It's super adorable while they're both babies.

Source: National Archives video edited by me

I remember some people questioning (my admittedly weak at the time) argument that sometimes "prairie wolves" or "wolves" in sources meant #coyotes. I feel so freaking vindicated right now! From the Kansas Herald of Freedom on 04/07/1855.

#histodons #envhist

I just found out about The First Migrants from the University of Nebraska Press and can't wait to read it! Before I stumbled into coyotes, all my research was on Exodusters in Kansas. I met a few descendents of Exodusters who were thrilled about my work because their history has been buried.

Everyone knows about the Europeans who settled the Great Plains. Almost no one knows about the former enslaved people however. I'm happy to see more books about these people!

I finished up my coyote bounty script tonight and wanted to share this article from The Wellington Journal on 05/09/1903.

I've read hundreds of similar stories but this one got me thinking. The main claims are that more pups were being turned in than adult females and that females can have several litters a year (not true). 1/2

I'm happy to have a stable day job but oh my goodness it's boring. Doing research and writing without the pressure of grad school is so much fun. One of tonight's finds is absolute gold. This is from The Dighton Herald on 05/09/1907.

Nine coyotes being worth 80 acres of wheat is interesting. I'll have to see if I can verify that. People subverting #coyote bounties is probably my favorite part of coyote history. I wish I had more than these brief articles.

#histodon #histodons #envhist