Fires,
Tortoises,
Marylou
Moore
BY TERI R. WILLIAMS
PHOTOS BY RUTH ENGLISH & MARYLOU MOORE
Marylou’s mother taught her children
to be aware of science, biology, and
the natural world around them.
Former students from Toombs
County High School and Brewton-Parker College
would expect nothing less of Mrs. Moore, a
teacher of science and biology at TCHS for thirtysix
years and Environmental science, Astronomy,
and Geology at BPC for an additional ten years.
But the reason Mrs. Moore’s daughter is a Wildlife
Biologist today actually has more to do with her
older brother Jack, her father Donald, and the
Ohoopee River.
The biodiversity along the river’s edge and
undergrowth of the cypress and pine trees nearby
held secret hiding places for amphibians and
reptiles, two of Marylou’s favorite finds. “We
went to the Ohoopee River a lot growing up.
Jack always had his dip net or seine. We would
catch all kinds of cool critters together and bring
them home,” said Marylou. Of course, having Mr.
and Mrs. Moore as parents probably helped her
chances of keeping these captured critters.
After graduating from Toombs County High
School in 2004, Marylou went to the University
of Georgia. She knew exactly what she wanted to
study. “I was interested in reptiles and amphibians
from the get-go,” she said. In 2009, she graduated
HOMETOWN LIVING AT I TS BEST 57
&
As the Georgia Department of Natural
Resources' Gopher Tortoise Biologist,
Marylou Moore works hard to protect the
habitat of Georgia's native species–
even if it means starting some fires.