Best wishes to the Maehr family; may your sadness soon be replaced by all the wonderful memories of this truly wonderful man. He was a great hero for Florida conservation and is much missed by all of us.
I did not know Dave well, but enough to see that he was a brilliant scientist and conservation biologist, and an extremely decent man. He helped me periodically at the journal Conservation Biology with papers on bears and other carnivores, and I always valued his insights and advice. His loss is immeasurable and another reminder to all of us that life is short, unpredictable, and precious. David, you will be missed by so many, but we pause to thank you for all you gave us. You were a good man of great integrity and will be with us always.
One of my life’s fondest memories thus far is the time I was able to watch Dave in action in the field working with 2 captured bears. One, a young female, so cute to me. I watched as Dave and his new intern Sean Murphy worked up the statistics of this beautiful creature. When all the work was done, the limp animal was gently place in some nearby bushes and allowed to wake on its own. Bear #2 was a very large male and Dave was very excited to find it was the bear he’d been trying to trap for weeks because he needed to get the collar from it. Measurements were taken, pictures were snapped and I was fortunate enough to have my image captured kneeling beside the bear. What a great experience. Dave was like the Jacque Costeau of the woods – his passion was infectious and admirable. Dave, thank you for all you were able to accomplish during your short time on this earth. We were put here to “cultivate and keep the earth” and you did just that. We will miss you, your kindness, your sense of humor, your warm smile and bright eyes. Peace be with you and your family.
I just want to say that I am gald to have known Dave even if it was mixed in time and space from UK to Archbold and many points in between. Your influence on me was very profound, and I am sorry that I never got to be a grad student under you. Thanks for all the advice you gave me. I must say there are not many Dave Maehr’s left in this world.
It was with such sadness that I learned of David’s death. I had the great pleasure of working with Dave in Naples when he was with the FWC. He was an outstanding biologist with a sincere dedication to the survival of bears and panthers in our area. He always made his knowledge and expertise available when called on for assistance for which his colleagues will forever be greatful. David, you will be missed.
Dave will always keep our curiosity alive. And his love for carnivores will never shadow his love for everything out-of-doors. He re-awakened the term “naturalist”. Only Dave could make my fondest memories in the field include capturing spotted skunks, and hunting for muskrat sign. Thanks for the long hours of companionship to the best skunk enthusiast I’ve ever known. Dave once wrote, “may your curiosity remain always with you”. Well, maybe we can strive to do just that.
I first met Dave 25 years ago on a birding trip to the Dry Tortugas. We kept in touch occasionally over the years and I kept up as well as I could on his research work in Florida. His death was a shock. It’s always a same to lose someone so dedicated to Florida’s remaining wild places.
Bob Simons introduced us back in the early 80s. A few years before, Dave had quit his job at coal mining after being threatened for crossing a picket line. He told me that wildlife was a safer job. Well, it is and it isn’t.
We both moved away and lost touch, but a couple of months before his passing we reconnected. As I have never seen a bear in the woods despite having lived, worked and recreated there all my adult life, Dave said he would get me out in the field on one of his surveys. After all those years, Dave offered renewed friendship instantly, and I was eagerly looking forward to spending time again with him in the woods.
I met Dave in 1999 whilst researching my masters Thesis on the Florida Panther. from the University of Wales in the UK. I flew up from Tampa to Lexington, and was shown a day of absolute hospitality and attention by Dave, including Lunch!
I have only just discovered this terrible event now whilst trying to find his details, and I am shocked and saddened by the death of this incredible human being. He inspired me in my Masters, which helped me move on into my PhD. The scientific community has suffered a great loss.
Cammie Donaldson said,
June 26, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Best wishes to the Maehr family; may your sadness soon be replaced by all the wonderful memories of this truly wonderful man. He was a great hero for Florida conservation and is much missed by all of us.
Gary Meffe said,
June 27, 2008 at 8:41 am
I did not know Dave well, but enough to see that he was a brilliant scientist and conservation biologist, and an extremely decent man. He helped me periodically at the journal Conservation Biology with papers on bears and other carnivores, and I always valued his insights and advice. His loss is immeasurable and another reminder to all of us that life is short, unpredictable, and precious. David, you will be missed by so many, but we pause to thank you for all you gave us. You were a good man of great integrity and will be with us always.
Gary Meffe, Editor
Conservation Biology
Debbie Upp said,
June 27, 2008 at 9:24 am
One of my life’s fondest memories thus far is the time I was able to watch Dave in action in the field working with 2 captured bears. One, a young female, so cute to me. I watched as Dave and his new intern Sean Murphy worked up the statistics of this beautiful creature. When all the work was done, the limp animal was gently place in some nearby bushes and allowed to wake on its own. Bear #2 was a very large male and Dave was very excited to find it was the bear he’d been trying to trap for weeks because he needed to get the collar from it. Measurements were taken, pictures were snapped and I was fortunate enough to have my image captured kneeling beside the bear. What a great experience. Dave was like the Jacque Costeau of the woods – his passion was infectious and admirable. Dave, thank you for all you were able to accomplish during your short time on this earth. We were put here to “cultivate and keep the earth” and you did just that. We will miss you, your kindness, your sense of humor, your warm smile and bright eyes. Peace be with you and your family.
Jeff Hutchinson said,
June 28, 2008 at 5:06 am
I just want to say that I am gald to have known Dave even if it was mixed in time and space from UK to Archbold and many points in between. Your influence on me was very profound, and I am sorry that I never got to be a grad student under you. Thanks for all the advice you gave me. I must say there are not many Dave Maehr’s left in this world.
Dorothea Zysko said,
June 29, 2008 at 12:07 pm
It was with such sadness that I learned of David’s death. I had the great pleasure of working with Dave in Naples when he was with the FWC. He was an outstanding biologist with a sincere dedication to the survival of bears and panthers in our area. He always made his knowledge and expertise available when called on for assistance for which his colleagues will forever be greatful. David, you will be missed.
Chris O'Brien said,
July 29, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Dave will always keep our curiosity alive. And his love for carnivores will never shadow his love for everything out-of-doors. He re-awakened the term “naturalist”. Only Dave could make my fondest memories in the field include capturing spotted skunks, and hunting for muskrat sign. Thanks for the long hours of companionship to the best skunk enthusiast I’ve ever known. Dave once wrote, “may your curiosity remain always with you”. Well, maybe we can strive to do just that.
Tom Palmer said,
November 5, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I first met Dave 25 years ago on a birding trip to the Dry Tortugas. We kept in touch occasionally over the years and I kept up as well as I could on his research work in Florida. His death was a shock. It’s always a same to lose someone so dedicated to Florida’s remaining wild places.
Buford Pruitt said,
November 19, 2009 at 9:56 am
Bob Simons introduced us back in the early 80s. A few years before, Dave had quit his job at coal mining after being threatened for crossing a picket line. He told me that wildlife was a safer job. Well, it is and it isn’t.
We both moved away and lost touch, but a couple of months before his passing we reconnected. As I have never seen a bear in the woods despite having lived, worked and recreated there all my adult life, Dave said he would get me out in the field on one of his surveys. After all those years, Dave offered renewed friendship instantly, and I was eagerly looking forward to spending time again with him in the woods.
If I ever do see a bear in the wild, …
Stephen Davies said,
December 17, 2009 at 1:28 am
I met Dave in 1999 whilst researching my masters Thesis on the Florida Panther. from the University of Wales in the UK. I flew up from Tampa to Lexington, and was shown a day of absolute hospitality and attention by Dave, including Lunch!
I have only just discovered this terrible event now whilst trying to find his details, and I am shocked and saddened by the death of this incredible human being. He inspired me in my Masters, which helped me move on into my PhD. The scientific community has suffered a great loss.
My thoughts go out to his family and friends,