Hi Friend,



As life has slowed down, I’ve been trying to appreciate the new pace.



I’m fortunate enough to spend this time in an area with low human population density. So I went for a walk in the woods, and I decided to try something different.



Instead of frantically tallying every bird species I could find, I resolved to follow a single animal for as long as I could.



I settled on a muskrat skimming across the surface of a pond. I watched him for the better part of an hour. (I chose to call the muskrat "him" because that's what I call myself, and I wanted to cultivate a sense of closeness.) Swimming back and forth along the shore. Holding his tail above the water. Diving, surfacing, repeating. Crawling up on an island. Grooming his fur.



Despite my diligence, I didn’t learn much. Was his pacing leisurely or paranoid? Was the tail thing a warning sign, or just a quirk of his posture? Was he happy - or bored - or some emotion I’ve never felt before?



For a little while at least, it was enough just to wonder. To sit in uncertainty. To remember how many different stories this big weird world contains.



But thanks to my colleagues, we don't have to stop at wonder. This month, the Wild Animal Initiative researchers have been exploring all sorts of new ways to understand our nonhuman neighbors better. We've read some great papers (see our new "Recommended Reading" section below) and found some promising projects (see our newly updated research agenda).



Thank you for joining us on this journey, through good times and hard times alike.



All my best,

Cameron