Annette Aldridge
 

From the time that I was a little girl I loved and admired animals. Growing up in Florida, I watched sea turtles lay their eggs, swam with porpoise, and climbed trees to commune and learn from the birds. As I grew older I worked with Erna Nixon to establish the Erna Nixon Hammock and the Carlton Teat Foundation to establish safe zones and rescue centers for indigenous animals. More than once I rescued birds, squirrels, turtles and snakes (very unpopular with my mother), nursed them to health and returned them to their homes. Lunches during high school were spent eating outdoors with the squirrels and birds, enjoying their company and learning from them.

Even though I went on to earn BS’s in Mathematics and Computer Science, all of my electives and seminars were animal-based. In 1985 I moved to Colorado and continued to learn all I could about every animal I encountered or ever read about. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to establish and teach science, ecology, and animal biology/behavior in enrichment programs, Boys & Girls Clubs and outdoor camps, as well as work with excellent organizations like YNP, Audubon, Sierra Club, Plant a Million trees Foundation, etc.

Who am I really? I am the “crazy” human who stops traffic and protects a snake making its way across the busy road. I carry gloves in my vehicle to remove a fallen comrade from the roadway so that fellow animals can dine in safety, and stop my car to release a trapped insect safely. I take every opportunity that I can in my daily life to use human-animal interactions as teachable moments, explaining that animals are not mean, scary, helpless, or “icky.” Knowledge creates understanding, compassion, and love. I know that humans, animals, and the planet are in symbiosis and the actions of each one of us affects the others, whether positively or negatively.

I have always wanted to reach even more people and to teach and advocate for our fellow creatures. Several years ago I began to see a trend in the media “villainizing” animals. Even the word “animal” carries a negative connotation within our society—why? When speaking with a friend I realized that we both carried the same love and passion for our planet and ALL of its inhabitants….and Taproot Guru was born!

It is my hope that Taproot Guru will connect us all to answer questions, dispel myths and rumors, and make learning fun. Welcome. I am so happy that you have joined the global movement to give ALL animals a voice!

 

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