I have a bone to pick with our wildlife expert source Bonnie Bradshaw. Several weeks ago, based on her intel, we published a story about area raccoons suffering from distemper. Our post was well-read, but when the Morning News, later on, interviewed Bonnie for the very same subject, she gave them a quote that catapulted the sick-raccoon story into virtual stardom.
She told the paper that the glazed eyes and lethargic movements of a distemper-infected raccoon made them seem like “zombie raccoons”.
News editors smartly used that term “zombie raccoons” in the headline and next thing you know, I had 20 emails asking me if I knew about the zombie raccoons in Lake Highlands. The News‘s story led the Government Technology newsletter, so, yeah, see what I mean? Fame.
Note to self: headlines need more “zombie”. Experience shows “vampire” or anything having to do with sex, nakedness and/or machetes works too.
In the March Advocate, read our interview with Bonnie (at whom I am just kidding about being mad) about wily coyotes, crafty armadillos, monstrous snakes and other urban wildlife. And werewolves! OK, no, not really.
