Episode 4: Jaguars, Turtles, and Macroinvertebrates - Student Research in Belize

This past spring we took five McNair scholars from Talladega College to Belize to complete their senior research projects in terrestrial turtle monitoring, analyzing the biodiversity of the the rainforest using camera traps, and freshwater macroinvertebrates.

For this episode, we reinvited Dr. Andy Coleman, Chair of the Biology Department at Talladega, to talk about these students, what they learned from their experiences in Belize, and his ideas for the 2025 McNair trip. 

For more information on these projects, visit: inspire-edventures.com/student-research-projects-in-belize

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Transcript

…Hi everyone This is Michael from IE and I'm here for yet another episode of the inspired adventures podcast. And once again today I am with Doctor Andy Coleman, chair of the biology department at Talladega College, and Weeter of the McNaire scholars we've heard so much about in our previous podcast. So hey Andy You're back. I I am back I'm still waiting on the check Still waiting on the check Yeah Well don't worry Okay. I will send you a check That's not no questions or problems with that Perfect. Well okay Now now we started off with that we are here today though to talk with Andy a little bit about our trip this past March where we brought five students from Talladega College, down to Belize to continue to work on their research projects as part of their McNaire scholar program. And we're gonna hear a little bit about those students but also we wanna talk a lot today about these research projects because we've had some, pretty interesting success stories coming out of a out of a cup up them And I wanna make sure that Andy shares those So before we begin…okay. how is everything going with Mcnair at Talladega now? Good Good several of those students, four out of the five students that…came with us to believe that this past, spring is graduated and going on greener pastures and so looking for a a a new batch of students for the two thousand twenty five trip. Great And those are some pretty those are some pretty fun students We had a really a really good time with them They came from pretty diverse backgrounds and the the fifth student though was just a sophomore So it's not like she didn't graduate Right So No Yeah Yeah Yes Yep So she she's still working towards that degree So yep. I'd love to see her come back too because really had a lot of fun working in stream ecology, with her Mhmm. So each year Andy, before you go down you usually try to identify some some projects for them to do So these students are just remind everybody These students are not coming down just for a tour of Belize. They're actually coming down to satisfy their graduation requirements as McNaire's correct? Yeah So I as part of the program…participants are required to execute a research project, that they help develop They execute…collect data analyze data and then write up and and so the students who have gone to believe so far have done have done that And so we will continue with that And these these projects are great. And that they are…things that the students probably have never dreamt that they would ever be working on. And, it gives them, real life skills…that they can then go apply to whatever career path they choose…but also it gives them some lifelong memories And so it it's just a it's a great experience for them and…I am just grateful to IE to to give us that opportunity to do that. You're very welcome because I'll tell you what it is actually It really has become the highlight of my year for for going down there I mean just when you experience beliefs to the eyes of a student I think it's a whole different experience for you you know and and the wonder of the things that they see And not only that getting to know these young these young women we've now had seven seven students go with that on there with us Yes Mhmm. Yeah I proved that even four more for twenty twenty five So today I wanna really talk about these research projects because you know with time they're kind of they're kind of morphing and becoming something really pretty interesting I so I'm gonna let you talk about it I think what's gonna start off with maybe the the trail cams the camera traps Yeah I mean this is a project that kinda started it all for us in in our partnership…I had mentioned…on a previous episode that we…I kinda reached out to you…during the COVID year when I just started at Talladegh I was in my first year, and I needed virtual research projects and and oh man that that is a tough, tough ask. but I kept up with you and and your colleagues at IE and all the great work that y'all have been doing down in Belize and and saw that y'all…been putting out these trail cams and and so I just reached out and said Hey I have a student that needs a virtual research project could she analyze your trail cam photos And you were gracious enough to allow for that And, And so that was back in twenty twenty And the Eliza who just went with us in March She is the fifth student who's been working on this long term project and and this is just…a really interesting project, you know documenting…jack work populations in areas that they hadn't really been studied for sort of on the the periphery of public lands, and private property. And that has been…documented as being, an important…or really a critical, piece of the puzzle for their future survivors…you know because they they have such large home ranges they they need to be able to, cross public and private property And so to be able to do that to to get these really important data and and now that we have several years of data, you know you and I are talking about taking that next step of of publishing, because we wanna get it out into the scientific community…communicate to those who are doing other, the same research in other areas of beliefs communicate it to the government, and and those who are who are tasked with managing this, this endangered species And so, I I'm just excited…to for where the project has come and where it's going to go in the future. And that's great I you know I I'm so excited by this because when we first started…doing the trail cameras and the camera traps, they were really for educational resources just to show people who were in the jungle. And it's really changed…my daughter Kayla who's a biologist at IE. she's worked on this with you and I know she's learned a lot about the process of how to identify these jaguars But just just make sure we have this you know we're not just looking for jaguars though aren't we Oh no No I mean, Yeah Absolutely I mean and you know kind of add to your point I mean I I'm a turtle biologist and I'm studying Jaguars…I mean I I think that's breaking awesome And, like one of the great things I tell people about science and teaching science is I love learning just as much as I do teaching and in…to be able to kinda get into this world and and learn about…another species and and not only this species but community of which, it is a part of because like you say we're not just looking at jaguar so we're looking at the other big cat species ossicles, plumas Jagarundis, were list were you know looking at documenting their potential prey species, peccaries…looking at tape here you know all these different observations. again, it can be…can add to the wealth of knowledge that's already there, but also in we're doing it in areas that hasn't really…received a lot of attention in it And so, how can our, kind of piece of the pie you know add to the the successful management of these species…And you know these these cameras do present some challenges for us too First of all sometimes identifying things like things like you're saying. One of my favorite things about the camera traps is the what the heck is that moment Okay When you're trying to either identify a piece of an animal or because they don't always just start up in front of the camera and you know pose for you or it's just something like terra's…tapirs, curacao's I mean there's all sorts of animals and that we've seen that I just have I've never seen before in my wife. And I've never and from the same perspective they they say what's that And we say well we gotta get out the book and figure it out aren't we? Yeah Absolutely. I you know I didn't have necessarily learning the the birds that believes in in my future…or the ma small mammals But I mean that that's a cool thing about this It is the opportunities that it has opened up for us. So we've done this trip now twice well we've been doing the camera traps for a while You've done it twice now with students there What would you like to accomplish in the twenty twenty five trip? yeah you know just continue you know setting cameras maybe even in new areas…Within the larger properties that we've been setting, and and get new students on the project. Right? So I'm gonna give you another challenge. we heard about this the last time we were down there You know we every once in a while we'll hear about these black jaguars. Okay and you know they're kind of like this mythical creature although they they do exist Right Everybody says they've seen one Okay But nobody actually knows exactly where they saw it It usually is Right But this time, we've actually had a second sighting, just a couple miles from where we originally heard about about the Black Jaguar which is right alongside the Saboon River So it would be kind of nice someday to get one of these onto a camera. Okay Especially if we now know that it's in this certain area. We do know they move They move obviously but always be a nice challenge I think that if we could actually get a black black shag around the camera we just retire at that point It's just safe. Yeah. Yeah I mean I think You would hear me screaming from Alabama. Exactly. Yeah…Yeah It would be a definitely a career moment. Okay So our our second project is one that you are actually very well trained for been training your entire life for and that is the Turtle monitoring project So I wanna hear like what are the students doing and where is this going for you? Yeah So you know, when I kinda felt like we would be able to get some trips going down there…You know I wanted to okay Let's let's see what turtles are down there And so, I was able to get permits for the past two years it gets students trapping turtles. So we have been kind of focused on, aquatic habitats…that are near our, you know places where we stay, that mostly in the in Saboon River watershed, and so we we go out there We set traps. and then the turtles that we catch, we identify them. We we measure them. And then we also tag them or mark them. so that if we catch them again in the future, we're able to say hey, you know we caught this You know at this point in the past, let's see how much it's grown. and and interestingly…the first place we trapped this year we we had a recapture of a turtle that we caught last year And so, that's always exciting to see and and And so what I what I want to do is just again expand the the knowledge on turtle populations and beliefs…and, share that information with with others that are doing, similar research and share that with with the managers…of of those natural resources. And we're trying to expand that monitoring project out a little bit Andy actually set me up to go down in May when I was on it for my trip to do some turtle collecting which is pretty brave of Andy Okay That it actually let me into his research project to harvest turtles Okay and but that didn't really go well mostly because some of the conditions down there were absolutely some of the worst we've seen a long time They experiencing a multi month drought. There was a lot of problem with fires and excessive heat and many of the habitats were completely dried up or not you're basically not usable And I had this question for Andy and I let Andy answer it again I mean what usually happens to turtles during these times I mean they must be able to survive drought conditions at their turtles and they're very successful animals Right? Yeah I mean you know it's…you know different species can have different responses but more than likely what they did was they, you know found…you know sort of muddy habitats, where they could kinda bunker down and wait till when environmental conditions approve. Some species may have left…have those those aquatic habitats that that were drying up and have found refuge in more terrestrial habitats And so It just it just kinda depends on the species but you know having long term data, you can ask those kind of bigger…ecological and evolutionary questions on how they respond to, environmental disturbances and and how those populations can rebound. and so it'll be interesting when we go back next year and go to the same spots and and do the same, tracking methods Do we see new individuals Do we see some of the recaptured individuals…How how did they respond to this disturbance? And that's the way I think that you know science works Right I mean you don't you're often responding you know to something that you didn't expect. Right We we weren't expecting to see this Okay We're expecting to find turtles…Yep Absolutely. you know, a number of my projects in the past have have…not begun with a preconceived question It's more like okay. Starting with observations like and then why are we seeing what we're seeing Right And go on from there It was really interesting And I can't wait to go back and see what we do catch you know when we go back and set them up again for next year or maybe even later this year if I head back down. The third project it's relatively new for you Okay and it really comes down to something that we've been doing at IE for a number of years down there with previous student groups but it was water quality monitoring sharing and so what led you to this, okay this idea, and tell us a little bit about what you'd like to be able to do down there with it. Yeah Well with with taking more cities…down there, I I wanted to…try to think about what more, in country projects we could do and I know you communicated to me in the past that this is something that y'all have done. Before looking at aquatic invertebrate communities as a indicator of water quality in different spots And…so you know I said why don't we do that and and see what we see and we could even compare what we're we're you know if we do it at the same sites, are some of the same sites that you have done in the past. What did we see this year versus what did what have we all seen in the past and Were there any changes and what may have prompted those changes? I think it's really important because we have been doing this this type of macro invertebrates surveys for a long time down there but the area along the Saboon River where we been working is really recently undergoing a very drastic agricultural change Okay What was basically citrus is now being pretty much farm for corn. a very different crop Okay. Probably gonna end up with a lot more sedimentation things ending inside the rivers themselves. and so it'll be interesting to see how that how that works out, overall. And the fun thing about that part of the project is first of all it was very warm okay as it always says in belize in March And it was kind of fun getting out into the into the streams…It was nice and cool. I can't remember the student's name who was working on it but we could not get her out of the stream. Right He goes Yeah. Everybody's screwed up Yeah You know that was it Yep. Yeah Robert was her name and and yeah And that's that's a great thing You you love…when a student really latches on to to his or her project. and they may may have some…concern their trepidation at first but if they can really dig in and really, find that enthusiasm for the project, and that's such a great feeling, as as a research mentor as a teacher. And and she did I mean she really, jumped in once once she kinda you know…got some more comfort, it being in the habitat, and I think she did a great job. I do too I think all I think they all did a great job for their projects and so glad to hear that four of them are done and maybe you know maybe the other one will come back with us again to work on the project or teach some others how to how to do that Yeah. Yeah So we are heading back in March twenty twenty five hopefully, and Yep With the next generation of McNaire scholars from Talladega College. this is not the last time we're gonna hear from Andy though for a while because…in season two of of our podcast which is beginning next month we're gonna be talking about sharing science one of the projects we're gonna be talking about is Andy's Urban Turtle project, in which he runs basically in Birmingham Alabama, to teach people about basically the turtles that are found in their local streams. And I think and you'll have some surprises for us. Yep Yep Yep It'll be it'll be good And it's been a great project one that kinda, you know…just sort of hit me one day and said hey you know I I need to put these turtle skills to work. and so it's it's I've enjoyed doing it This is my, six year, and it's just it's It's so much fun Yeah It's a great project And I can't wait to talk more about it and about that type of communication so Andy do you have anything left to share with us before we let you go for the day Or No I'm I'm just excited for the twenty twenty five trip and getting back down to believe that such a a great country and and beautiful. Yep. Yeah Thank you And thanks to all of our of our partners and beliefs for helping us out with these projects. And I can't wait to see what we can do next year as well Yep Yep A huge huge thank you to IE and the the Belize zoo. all all the partners that would go down there and stay with It's just that like I said, with without all of your work and contributions, we wouldn't be able to do what we do And and so I I'm just forever grateful. Yeah We're we're very lucky We have some excellent guys down there Jerson at classic expeditions Belize, who would be lost if we didn't have him down there helping us on things at Fible Lake National Parks and and a a number of others Arzari resorts. So okay Andy Well that's great I'll let you get back back to it and I will be talking with you soon and we'll be in Belize before you know it Alright Can't wait Thank you…