“Eagles hate people,” said Robert Fisher to reporter Marty Graham. “They hate dogs. They don’t mind vehicles; but as soon as a door opens and a person steps out, they take off and don’t come back for a week. If at all.”

While the verb “hate” might sound like we are trapped in a fable, it’s fair to say that golden eagles find us aversive, at least inside an 800-meter buffer. That poses a problem for both conservationists and researchers such as Dr. Fisher.

Nevertheless, since 2014, he and his team have managed to trap, tag, and monitor golden populations from San Diego, Riverside, and Orange counties. The data are adding up, both giving us a clearer picture of golden eagle behavior and informing habitat conservation decisions.

Few biologists have such familiarity with so elusive a species. It takes grit and patience to study the golden eagle and this month’s speaker is the one to lead us through this emerging story. Travel to the mountainous terrain west of the desert; no roads, no trails, no easy way in. Hear first-hand the data and intricate patterns that just might save one of our most majestic birds. Dr. Fisher will help us make sense of it all and

understand what must be done.

Put on your lab coats. Science is in the building.

Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Social: 6:30 p.m. Program: 7:00