Tamis striatus — the eastern chipmunk – is a tiny rodent found in the eastern half of the North American continent and in magical corners all around campus at the University of Rhode Island. These resourceful omnivores are known for their intricate underground burrow systems, where they hide and store food. Chipmunks live in their…
Cottontails — sylvilagus — are a common genus of charismatic and herbivorous rabbits found on campus. The University of Rhode Island and the state as a whole overlap the range of two different species of cottontail. You may see the more common eastern cottontail, sylvilagus floridanus, or its more elusive and vulnerable cousin, the New…
Marmota monax – the groundhog – a humble, mostly herbivorous rodent, is found in ecosystems in much of North America, largely on the eastern half of the Mississippi River. They are known for their burrows and for their hibernation period, which has been canonized in our culture in the celebration of Groundhog Day. For a…
Spizella passerina – the Chipping Sparrow – is a tiny bird found regularly on campus and in the adjacent North Woods. Chipping Sparrows can be found in most parts of North America and are one of the most common bird species in Rhode Island. Although they are primarily granivores (seed-eaters), they’ll nab the occasional insect…
Sciurus carolinensis – the Eastern Gray Squirrel is a rambunctious rodent known all around North American university campuses for their charisma and coexistence with students. These resourceful omnivores can be seen prancing around campus and jumping tree to tree. Unlike some other woodland creatures, squirrels can thrive in suburbia. If you ask one, I’m sure…
State Rep. Terri Cortvriend and Sen. Victoria Gu announced bills to protect shoreline access points on March 26, according to a Rhode Island General Assembly press release. One bill would allow towns in Rhode Island to preserve abandoned roads that act as access points for shore recreation, some of which are abandoned or are threatened…
The Rhody Ridiculousness improv troupe took to the stage on Friday in their first performance of the spring semester, where members of the club played out scenarios based on suggestions from the audience. “We had a really great audience with really great suggestions, and I think our troupe did really well with incorporating them while…
The backbeats were at the forefront at the University of Rhode Island’s Fine Arts Center on Saturday for the 25th annual Rhode Island Percussion Ensemble Festival. The event, put on by the Percussive Arts Society, featured nine ensembles representing eight middle school, high school and community groups. Kyle Forsthoff, the classical percussion specialist at URI,…
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration withdrew a speed limit reduction law originally intended to limit ship-strikes for whales on Jan. 15, prompting concerns from Graduate School of Oceanography emeritus marine researcher Robert Kenney. Under the current speed limit regulations, most vessels that exceed 65 feet in length are limited to a speed of 10…
The University of Rhode Island marine affairs department brought in University of Akureyri professor and Fulbright Scholar, Rachael Lorna Johnstone, to give a lecture on the Indigenous people of Greenland’s fight for self-determination under international law on Feb. 25. Johnstone discussed the history of Greenland and the people that have inhabited the land. As reflected…