An Unlikely Family
/What if you decided to study wild animals by joining their herd?
Joe Hutto spent years embedding himself with a herd of mule deer in Wyoming (photo courtesy Joe Hutto)
“You don’t need to fear affection … and falling in love with an animal. That’s not going to blind you.”
— Joe Hutto
We often assume that scientists are not supposed to fall in love with their research subjects. They’re supposed to remain objective — to keep their feelings and emotions out of their work.
Wildlife researcher Joe Hutto did exactly the opposite. Over a decade ago, he embedded himself with a herd of deer in Wyoming. He figured the best way to understand an animal was essentially to become one of them.
This is the story of how he did that. It’s a story of love, curiosity, and sadness. And it’s about what happens when the line between fact and feeling becomes blurred.
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To hear more about Joe Hutto’s experience living with the deer, check out his book, Touching the Wild.
The Tuesday Spotlight
On Nov. 24, we’ll be launching a new series on our blog and social media, called the Tuesday Spotlight.
The series will highlight people and organizations you might otherwise not hear about, but who are engaging with the outdoors in fascinating and thought-provoking ways.
Listen to “An Unlikely Family” for a sneak peak at the new project. And make sure to follow us on Facebook or Instagram to see the profiles as soon as they’re released.
(Photo courtesy Jawnie Payne, Nashville Zookeeper)
