Category: Anole Art, Literature, and Humor Page 1 of 11

Some would say there is a glorious history of anole-inspired poetry; others would say there is a history. But everyone can agree that it has been brief. Regardless, the best—and worst—of this work has been featured on Anole Annals (and nowhere else*). Last week, with multiple looming grant and paper deadlines, plus a lecture (or two or three) to write, I didn’t anticipate adding to this history (after reading the below, you’ll be glad that it is, now, history). However, I did open Twitter which is a pretty good sign that I was running out of useful ways to procrastinate. Near the top of my feed was this tweet/reply combo from Ken Feeley and James Stroud:

Without question, these are both great titles, but they brought another to my mind:

“Anolis, how do I love thee?”

Having begun, and with procrastination as my muse, I couldn’t stop there and leave the thing unfinished. But, before you read further, if you’re not familiar with the famous poem whose title I have modified (i.e. ruined), you can read it here. It may help make sense of what follows (or maybe not). Regardless, to the memory of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and all appreciators of beautiful (or any other kind of) literature, I am deeply sorry.

Anolis, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My lasso can reach, when clinging out of sight
For the ends of twigs and trunk and grass.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Sampling size, by sun and head-light.
I love thee freely, as we strive for statistics right.
I love thee purely, as they remain robust.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old hypothesis, and with my co-author’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost data. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if the AE choose,
I shall but love thee better after the reviews.

So there it is. You may tolerate it or hate it. No on agrees on literature (very loosely defined) anyway. However, if there’s one thing we can agree on, it is that the whole thing is James Stroud’s fault (just kidding, James, I take full responsibility).

I posted the ‘poem’ on Twitter and so it is only fitting that Twitter should have the last word. Thus, I’ll leave you with this reply to my tweet from one of my past PhD students, which I think sums up the whole experience rather nicely:

*This isn’t actually true, but hey – artistic license. It turns out anole poetry has featured elsewhere and the history hasn’t been that brief either: https://www.anoleannals.org/2012/07/11/anole-poetry/

(Top) A recycle themed community workshop resulted in this amazing anole artwork, designed to spur the recognition and conservation of Utila’s endemic Bica Anole – Anolis (Norops) bicaorum (photographed bottom).

Community engagement and local acknowledgment of important species is essential for effective conservation. On Utila Island, researchers at Kanahau Utila Research & Conservation Facility have been working hard to not only research and document populations of the endemic Anolis (Norops) bicaorum, but also increase community awareness and recognition towards this local lizards conservation plight.

An excellent example and interactive method found to raise awareness is through the creation of art!

Prior to a community based ‘recycle themed’ workshop held on Utila Island, Honduras, staff and volunteers at Kanahau (and other collaborators- Utila Beach Clean-Up,  Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center (WSORC), the Bay Islands Conservation Association (BICA) and Utila Handmade Co-Op) performed beach cleans with the intention of sourcing suitable washed up plastic materials (i.e. bottle caps, polystyrene, etc), from which to re-purpose and use in our conservation-themed art!

With the kind inspiration, help and guidance of abstract artist Yioula Koutsoubou, we created some conservation-themed murals from the collected plastic materials, inviting children from the local schools to be involved. The event was held and artwork assembled throughout the day at the public park (a prominent location in Utila town), and so many people stopped to watch the artwork progress and ask questions. Overall, it was fantastic to see collaboration between the island NGO’s, as well as children,  locals, tourists (people of many ages) attending, all being involved, helping and importantly learning about the conservation issues surrounding Utila’s biodiversity.  In addition to the Anole art, a Sea Turtle mural was also created; which is currently positioned for all to see above a small recycle area in town (promoting the importance of limiting disposable plastics/sorting and recycling domestic waste). The Anole Artwork now hangs ‘pride of place’ on the front of the Kanahau Facility (located adjacent to Pumpkin Hill – the site observed with the highest anole abundance). Here (visible to all who pass by on their scenic route up the hill) it serves to honor the populations of Utila’s endemic anoles, whilst spreading appreciation and recognition for the species!

Why make Anole art on Utila? – Preliminary observations and research from the Kanahau facility (funded by MBZ) suggest that populations of Utila’s endemic anoles are substantially threatened owing to the unsustainable expansion and development of agriculture, infrastructure and the tourism industry (see N . bicaorum – Brown et al. 2017;  and N. utilensis – Brown et al. 2017). The greatest threat to these species is considered the loss of their primary hardwood forest habitats, of which less and less sadly remains. Environmental education and engagement of the local community with key issues (such as biodiversity decline and the importance of protecting island resources/habitats) is considered essential for successful conservation of these anoles.

* Many thanks to Yioula Koutsoubou, Andrea Albergoni, Daisy Maryon and the many others who assisted with the event that day!  A big thanks to all the islands NGOs and workshop collaborators (Kanahau, WSORC, BICA, Utila Beach Clean & Utila Handmade Co-Op ) for organizing and supporting the event!