University of Wyoming's Haub School Dean and international squirrel expert, Dr. John Koprowski, is set to deliver a free public talk to discuss the history and significance of Groundhog Day, the biology of the groundhog, and what the day tells us about our connection to the natural world, according to a recent release.

Koprowski will present "Groundhog Day: Facts, Myths and a Celebration of Our Connection to Wildlife," at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 2—Groundhog Day—at the Berry Center Auditorium on UW’s campus, as well as via Zoom webinar. The celebration is co-hosted by the University of Wyoming’s Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and the Biodiversity Institute and will include a Groundhog Day cake to share.

This Groundhog Day, satisfy your quest for knowledge as we explore the meaning of life through our revered rodent prognosticator. Obtain answers to important questions such as, "What is a whistle pig?", "How long will our winter last?", and, "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?”

Dean Koprowski is a leading global expert on the ecology, conservation, and management of squirrels with more than 200 publications on this group including the compendium Squirrels of the World from the Johns Hopkins University Press. He even includes a publication on groundhogs on his list!

His research uses squirrels and other wildlife species as common indicators of the complexity of environmental and conservation challenges in human-dominated landscapes. John’s research has focused on the ecology, conservation, and management of biodiversity through community-based approaches in the United States and more than a dozen international locations, providing data-informed solutions to conservation challenges.

His efforts in wildlife conservation, with the help of more than a few squirrels, have led to his election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, The Wildlife Society, and the Linnean Society of London. In 2022, he was recognized with the Aldo Leopold Memorial Award by The Wildlife Society, the professional society’s highest prize for contributions to wildlife conservation. He serves on the IUCN red list as North American Coordinator for small mammals and evaluates the conservation status of squirrel species from around the world.

For more information, visit www.uwyo.edu/haub/events or contact Anastasia Brady at abrady2@uwyo.edu.

If you’d like to attend via Zoom, please pre-register for the free webinar HERE.

Wyoming Winter Adventures For You To Enjoy

If you're new to Wyoming, it's probably wild to know that we have almost 10 months of winter. So, instead of dreading it, go out and have fun! Enjoy the snow with some of these fun winter adventures!