Ecology professor hosting megafauna event in Palm Desert Wednesday night

A professor of ecology and evolutionary biology will be in town Wednesday to discuss large animals and why they matter.

James Estes, who teaches at the University of California, Santa Cruz, is known for his research into the ``ecosystem-level influences of large predators,'' according to the university. He is also known for his studies of sea otters and kelp forest ecosystems.

Estes will be at the Palm Desert campus of the University of California, Riverside, to discuss megafauna, or large animals, like elephants, whales, giraffes, cows -- and why they are important.

The event -- which is one of several in coming months organized by the UCR Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center -- is free and begins at 6p.m. at the UC Riverside-Palm Desert campus, 75080 Frank Sinatra Dr.