Researchers share tales of scientists at work

How do you tell gray wolves (Canis lupus) apart by their howls? How do you track muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) in a polar bear (Ursus maritimus) costume? In a series on the website the Conversation, researchers tell the tales of scientists at work firsthand.

“On Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean, my apprehension heightens as I approach muskoxen herds on all fours,” writes Colorado State University polar researcher Joel Berger of his polar bear disguise. “There is always a possibility of being gored, yet for my protection I can’t carry a gun, and it’s too cold to pepper spray when they charge. But I can leap from the ground onto my feet, which confuses them and halts any charges.”

The series has more than 40 entries. Read more here.