A Little Bit More
If we want to be really “wildlife friendly” we wouldn’t pick up ANY animals we might find on a walk, but educators do this all of the time to share what they’re seeing outdoors. But there are ways to do this without putting an animal in danger of injury.
No doubt, as naturalists, we’ve all been guilty of seeing an interesting animal, picking it up to share with fellow hikers while in a standing position – I know I have. Holding an animal, especially a small one, requires that you do so very gently and this immediately puts any critter at risk of slipping off of your hand and falling some distance to the ground. A good way to model appropriate behavior for children, students, or just anyone that is with you, is to immediately squat close to the ground (preferably over soil, not sidewalk or road) when you’re holding an animal. Those around you can remain standing if they wish and can easily look over your shoulders to view the specimen in your hands. Be sure to explain too why you’re squatting. With gentle handling, a small toad, salamander, or snake is sure to slip out of your hands now and then. But when it does, it only has a few inches before it hits the ground.
Activities
Science – Be Kind to Animals
Objectives: Provide some safe behaviors for handling animals
Materials: Assortment of common household containers
We’re certainly not advocating that people pick up animals they find on a nature walk. But, we also realize that educators will do this to help students learn about an animal, and the general public will do as they wish when in the field. But there are some simple ways to minimize possible damage to delicate animals that can be taken.
As an activity with students, you may want to visit a natural area with some prepared “equipment”. No, not specialized equipment from a scientific supply house, but you can bring an assortment of different kinds of containers that can be used to capture and observe an animal for a short while. People use a wide range of different kinds of containers (eg. yogurt container) each and every day of our lives and many of these can be used to scoop up an animal and observe it without ever touching the animal.
Before going out on a walk, think about what you might find and bring along a few appropriate plastic containers that you can use for holding an animal for a short observation period. You may also find that 4X5 cards make especially good “scooper-uppers” to get an animal (spider, beetle, snake, or toad) into the containers you’ve brought along. Once everyone has had time to see and learn about your subject, it can be gently released where it was found.
No matter how you choose to handle wildlife you might encounter along any nature walk, it’s always important to stress our obligation to treat these animals in a respectful way.
Key Concepts
Environmental Issues, Behavior and Regulation
Questions
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