Armando Ubeda–primarily appearing in his guise as a shark expert, although his CV is notably long
and wide, having studied marine fauna ranging from coral reefs in Nicaragua to crocodiles in Florida—recalls being first intrigued by the ocean as a young boy, corroborating my observation that being in the sea, and researching its inhabitants, seem to be a prominent thru-line of his narrative. The sea has also long served Ubeda as a source of pleasure and recreation, swimming and diving, he affirms, acknowledging that consequently he feels more connected—maybe even more protective—of the ocean, as a scientist. This brings us to recounting his stint as a coral reef researcher in his native Nicaragua, drawing comparison to more recent investigations of coral issues in Florida, noting the pivotal role that climate change plays. He also addresses one of his postgraduate courses that particularly caught my eye—crocodile ecology…describing the challenges of sexing crocodiles, and we acknowledge that it’s not uncommon for many people to find it 
surprising that crocodiles exist in Florida, such is the powerful association, apparently, of the mighty
alligator. As the conversation darts into shark territory, Armando exudes infectious enthusiasm. Probably not all that surprising, given that he’s a Ph.D. candidate whose thesis is about sharks…with his research focusing on shark reproductive behavior and population structure. That latter element of his research provides a portal into a debate that’s emerged in recent years: Are there more shark attacks these days, or just more reports of shark attacks? Armando resides unequivocally in the more-reports camp, where he believes his fellow scientists also land, citing the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), described as the world’s only scientifically documented, comprehensive database of all known shark attacks. It’s housed at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Armando offers a sneak preview of his talk, “Coastal Sharks of Florida,” he’s delivering on April 10, part of the Florida Birding & Nature Festival, April 9-12, in and around Apollo Beach. (https://www.floridabirdingandnaturefestival.org/, https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/author/aubeda/)
ALSO: I spoke with Ann Paul, a longtime organizer of the Florida Birding and Nature Festival—again, a multifaceted, multi-day extravaganza, scheduled to take place April 9-12, in and around Apollo Beach. Ann reviewed the history and mission of the Festival, and its important changes over the years—notably including shifting the event from October to April: The migration travels the other direction, but with minimal risk now of the Festival proceedings being disrupted by a hurricane. We know, of course, that Armando Ubeda will be giving a talk about sharks on April 10, but Ann outlined a number of additional lectures, field trips, boat outings, and other activities the Festival is offering across the four days. Some of these, she added, are free to attend, and some require tickets, (https://www.floridabirdingandnaturefestival.org/)
COMEDY CORNER: Robert Schimmel’s “Punching A Shark In The Nose”
MUSIC: Rebekah Pulley’s “Talking Animals Theme,” instrumentals
NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Joni Mitchell’s “Black Crow”
AUDIO ARCHIVE:
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