WEEKLYPRESS.COM ·
UCREVIEW.COM · OCTOBER 05 · 2011
Virginia Riddle Pearson, Academy of Natural Sciences and Princeton University Weeknights at the Wagner lecture series
T ursday, October 6, 2011, presentation begins 5:30 PM I
n 1971 the Pentagon Papers were released, Jim Morrison was found dead in Paris, Apollo 14 landed on the moon and there were 1,300,000 el- ephants worldwide. Forty years later the number of Asian and African elephants has plummeted to 400,000. Ivory poaching, relentless agricultural expansion onto elephant rangeland, and lethal elephant herpesvirus- es may wipe out these last remnants of the 100 million year old lineage of Probos- cidea, the taxonomic order of mammals distinguished by tusks and a long trunk, which once included the mighty mastodon and wool- ly mammoth. Elephants are a fl agship species for the conservation of natural re- sources and as their numbers diminish and their habitat vanishes, so follow countless other species into decline. Elephant scientist and conservationist, Virginia Riddle Pearson has studied
elephants for forty years in the wilds of Africa, in the laboratory and in zoos. Her story is a lifetime with el- ephants and her quest to save them. She will discuss the evolution and complex life history of these magnifi - cent creatures, the perilous future these sentient beings face and her research to fi nd a cure for a lethal virus in elephants.
Bringing to life their ancient beginnings, Ms. Pearson will trace the proboscidean departure from the main mammalian lineage 100 mil- lion years ago through their evolution to look like ele- phants, beginning nearly 60 million years ago. She will share her fascinating insight into the secret lives of these incredibly intelligent mam- mals who express emotions similar to humans, who celebrate the birth of their offspring, mourn the death of their kind, communicate with a complex language inaudible to human ears,
who laugh, cry, solve com- plex problems, play jokes and recognize themselves in the mirror. Discover how elephants are rather like hu- mans and how their future is in our hands – only hu- mankind can act to preserve their place on earth. “What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, men would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are con- nected.” - Chief Seattle, Suquamish Tribe Virginia Riddle Pearson is an Honorary Associate in the Department of Verte- brate Zoology at the Acad- emy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and an Emeri- tus Trustee of the Zoological Society of Philadelphia. Her research has taken her to the African continent three times in the past twenty- four months in search of the origins of the devastating disease in elephants known
as elephant endotheliotro- pic herpesviruses. She is a Guest Researcher in the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton Univer- sity and works closely with colleagues at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research to address the critical question of why these herpesviruses are lethal to elephants while most other herpesviruses, ubiquitous in mammals, have relatively benign symptoms and rarely cause death to the host species. The museum will stay open until 7 PM for this event. The Lecture begins at 5:30 PM. Come early to explore the Wagner’s National Historic Landmark building and its unparalleled collections! Admission is FREE. Donations of $10 for adults and $5 for students/seniors help support the mission. For more information please visit: www.wagnerfreein- stitute
“Elephants: Past, Present, and Future?” An illustrated presentation by
7
Virginia Riddle Pearson in Africa for research.
kidsincentercity.com
WSLCKAGTTE E
EP A
S I
TOWIN 500!
AC
GNU
HOVER$ CHANCE ENTER CI P FOR O
RANDA EWORT
UR E-NE TY PRIZ
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16