Rediscovering the "Dragons of Gondwana" with Joshua Pickett, Author of The Bichir Handbook
Among the most fascinating of aquarium fishes, the bichirs - including the “ropefish” and “dinosaur or dragon eel” – share primeval features with their ancestors, some of the earliest fishes on earth. My guest today, Josh Pickett, author of The Bichir Handbook, is obsessed with, and an expert of this group. Join us, as Josh digs up some ancient dirt on these prehistoric, yet modern fishes – and explains why you’ll want to keep them, too!
BIO:
Growing up in the English countryside with the River Avon at his doorstep, Josh had a natural penchant for freshwater wildlife and their significance to us throughout history. Where freshwater wildlife was out of sight, out of mind for some, he was captivated by its mystery; every body of water was teeming with life and so few stopped to notice.
Josh discovered with mystery, misinformation is just a short jump away, and with freshwater fauna so easily forgotten, fishes and their habitats are increasingly vulnerable. Graduating from the Falmouth School of Communication, he was able to apply his experience as a designer with his love of science communication to create exciting and educational media with the goal of informing both young and old about the natural world around them. In an effort to elevate unloved, misunderstood and forgotten fishes in the public eye, he has teamed up with ichthyologists and conservationists to create a series of books covering fishes plagued with misinformation—starting with The Bichir Handbook.