Dr. Tim Bean

And then finally, the final night, second night, we go out to dinner with like all the other faculty in the department and they ask again, like, what are you going to study if you get up here? It popped into my head. I had seen this talk a couple years ago by this guy, Rick Schweitzer, who does a lot of conservation work in the Sierras and had done his graduate work on porcupines in Nevada.

He was saying, we don't see porcupines anymore. They're not where they used to be in the Sierras. I just blurted out, I don't know, maybe porcupines? That clicked. Everyone around the table was like, oh, that's such a great idea. Porcupines would be amazing. The students could go out. They can do these behavioral observations. It's such a cool species. And

He was saying, we don't see porcupines anymore. They're not where they used to be in the Sierras. I just blurted out, I don't know, maybe porcupines? That clicked. Everyone around the table was like, oh, that's such a great idea. Porcupines would be amazing. The students could go out. They can do these behavioral observations. It's such a cool species. And

He was saying, we don't see porcupines anymore. They're not where they used to be in the Sierras. I just blurted out, I don't know, maybe porcupines? That clicked. Everyone around the table was like, oh, that's such a great idea. Porcupines would be amazing. The students could go out. They can do these behavioral observations. It's such a cool species. And

All the tribes in the area, like the Hoopa and Yurok and the Karuk have all been asking, like, where are the porcupines? We used to have porcupines here and we can't find them anymore. So that was sort of, I don't know if it got me the job, but it was just sort of this like light bulb moment. And so, yeah, started research up there when I got the job.

All the tribes in the area, like the Hoopa and Yurok and the Karuk have all been asking, like, where are the porcupines? We used to have porcupines here and we can't find them anymore. So that was sort of, I don't know if it got me the job, but it was just sort of this like light bulb moment. And so, yeah, started research up there when I got the job.

All the tribes in the area, like the Hoopa and Yurok and the Karuk have all been asking, like, where are the porcupines? We used to have porcupines here and we can't find them anymore. So that was sort of, I don't know if it got me the job, but it was just sort of this like light bulb moment. And so, yeah, started research up there when I got the job.

Yeah. I mean, yeah, they are. They're super cool. And they're sort of, They're kind of like, you know, we talk about like a comics comic or a writer's writer. Like, I think porcupines are kind of, I think, the species that a lot of ecologists really like, but they're sort of underappreciated and understudied. You know, everybody loves porcupines.

Yeah. I mean, yeah, they are. They're super cool. And they're sort of, They're kind of like, you know, we talk about like a comics comic or a writer's writer. Like, I think porcupines are kind of, I think, the species that a lot of ecologists really like, but they're sort of underappreciated and understudied. You know, everybody loves porcupines.

Yeah. I mean, yeah, they are. They're super cool. And they're sort of, They're kind of like, you know, we talk about like a comics comic or a writer's writer. Like, I think porcupines are kind of, I think, the species that a lot of ecologists really like, but they're sort of underappreciated and understudied. You know, everybody loves porcupines.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

They need to be able to smell really well. Some of the noses of porcupine accounts on social media, I think some of those are South American species where they have this big, bald nose that's sticking out. North American porcupines also have really big noses. but they're furred. But they just need to have a really good sense of smell. I mean, they're folivores. Most of what they eat is leaves.

They need to be able to smell really well. Some of the noses of porcupine accounts on social media, I think some of those are South American species where they have this big, bald nose that's sticking out. North American porcupines also have really big noses. but they're furred. But they just need to have a really good sense of smell. I mean, they're folivores. Most of what they eat is leaves.

They need to be able to smell really well. Some of the noses of porcupine accounts on social media, I think some of those are South American species where they have this big, bald nose that's sticking out. North American porcupines also have really big noses. but they're furred. But they just need to have a really good sense of smell. I mean, they're folivores. Most of what they eat is leaves.

And so they need to be able to smell where the good leaves are and where the other porcupines are. So yeah, highly evolved nose for scent.

And so they need to be able to smell where the good leaves are and where the other porcupines are. So yeah, highly evolved nose for scent.

And so they need to be able to smell where the good leaves are and where the other porcupines are. So yeah, highly evolved nose for scent.

That's exactly what it feels like.