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Calendar of Events

March 2006
Endangered Species

"...because nature has ceased to be 
what it always had been, 
what people needed protection from. 
Now nature tamed, endangered, mortal, 
needs to be protected from people."
Susan Sontag

What to Do This Month:
Help protect the natural areas our endangered and threaten species rely on by becoming a Weed Watcher.

Protect and support native habitats by reducing pollution.

Check out family events at area Nature Net sites!

Tricks of the Trail for Parents:
Making a Difference
If a discussion with your child regarding endangered species brings about a sense of urgency and a desire to help, be prepared with a fun and engaging activity to help them feel they can make a difference.  Often scientists and wildlife monitors require citizens like you and your child to be the eyes and ears of your area; to record and keep track of the plant and animal species in your park or back yard.  Cornell University, for example, asks collaborators to count and submit data on numbers and types of birds seen at the feeder. It's fun and easy and truly aides scientists in knowing which creatures are abundant and and which are not.  And from this information, they can devise a management plan to help maintain or restore populations...and make a difference.

Instant Outdoor Expert:
HIPPO! 
The Department of Natural Resources defines an Endangered Species as "any species whose continued existence as a viable component of this state’s wild animals or wild plants is determined to be in jeopardy on the basis of scientific evidence."  But, what causes a plant or animal's existence to become jeopardized?  Many things.  And, there's an easy way to remember the critical (and human-caused) components.  It's called the HIPPO dilemma.

• H: Habitat Loss - destruction of native habitat (where creatures find food, water, shelter, and space to live) for farmland, sub-divisions, or cities causes plants and animals, who are specifically adapted to their surroundings, to die or be forced to relocate.  
• I: Invasive Species - plants and animals not originally from Wisconsin are called Introduced or Invasive Species.  Often, these introduced plants or animals, which are not a part of the natural system, can take over or invade native lands and disrupt the fine balance of the ecosystem.
• P: Pollution - contamination of the air, soil and water in Wisconsin (and around the world), through use of chemicals, pesticides or fertilizers or improper waste management, can create levels of toxicity that are lethal to organisms; affect their ability to reproduce; and make them poisonous to eat. 
• P: Population Growth - 90 million people are added to the world population (of nearly 6 billion) each year.  This growing population has a growing need for natural resources - food, water, minerals, fuel - leaving less resources for earth's species and habitats.
• O: Over-Consumption - Using up the world's resources at a rate higher than they can be replaced puts a strain on natural habitats. 

So, what can you do to help solve the HIPPO dilemma?  You already have a start!  Awareness and an understanding of the situation are important, as is habitat conservation and restoration; proper use and recycling of the worlds natural resources; and helping collect data for for scientists and lawmakers.  Here are some specific suggestions from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Eco-Exercise:
Dances with Cranes
Live life like one of our local species who is on a comeback from non-existence in our State.  And get some exercise while you're at it!  Do the Whooping Crane Dance - with their long black legs,  and bright white neck and wings, Whooping Cranes make for a spectacular sight.  Stretch your legs and walk like a crane.  Flap your 8-foot wing span and anticipate your flight back to Wisconsin from Florida (~1,500 miles).  Can you make it off the ground?  Flap and jump!  Celebrate your return from extirpation!  Flap and jump again!

Featured Nature Net Site

Nature Craft

International Crane Foundation
The International Crane Foundation (ICF) has gained international acclaim as one of the world’s leaders in the conservation of endangered species, including Wisconsin's' Whooping Crane. ICF commits to a future where all crane species are secure - a future where people cooperate to protect and restore wild populations and their ecosystems. These efforts sustain the places where cranes live, to the benefit of countless other species.
Take a visit to ICF where you will learn about the techniques used to preserve some of the rarest birds in the world. For generations, cranes have captivated the people who live near them. They have become important figures in the legends and mythology of aboriginal peoples around the world.
During your visit, you may see the Wattled Cranes gracefully dancing in their grassland enclosure, or hear the haunting calls of the Red-crowned Cranes. You will also see the Sarus crane, the tallest flying bird in the world. At the Amoco Whooping Crane Exhibit, you can observe one of the world’s rarest birds, the Whooping crane, in a wetland exhibit. You may also want to explore nature trails through oak savanna, wetlands and tall grass prairie and learn about ecosystem restoration and preservation.
ICF invites you to learn more about the wonder of cranes, threats to their survival, and ICF’s efforts to protect them.

Open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April 15 to October 31. 
Guided public tours are offered daily at 10:00 a.m., 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. Memorial Day through Labor Day, and on weekends in May, September and October. Self-guided recorded tours are also available at the Visitor Center.
Admission is free to members; $8.50 for adults; $4.00 for children (ages 5-11); and children 4 and under are free.

Wolf Mask
The Gray or Timber Wolf is the only mammal currently listed on the Wisconsin endangered species list (though the American Marten and the Canada Lynx are both considered threatened).

To make this awesome wolf mask, start by coloring the bottom of one paper plate and the top of another with a black crayon.  Take the bottom-colored plate and hold it up to your face to determine where the eye holes should be.  Cut out the eye holes and add a scalloped edge around the bottom half of the plate.  For the mouth, cut a 2 1/2-inch rectangle from the bottom of the plate.  Now glue a 9-oz. paper cup to the plate (above the rectangle cut-out) for the muzzle and set aside to dry.

With the second plate (the one colored on the top), cut out ears and glue them to the top of your wolf mask.  Now, with white paper, cut out sharp teeth to glue on the sides of the muzzle.  You can add whiskers by cutting several six-inch-long pieces of fishing line, taping them together in the middle and gluing them to the end of the muzzle.  Cover the paper-cup bottom (the tip of the muzzle) with a soft nose pad (using gray felt or craft foam cut to size).

If you want yellow eyes for your mask, cut out two eye shapes from yellow craft foam and poke a hole in the center of each. Outline the holes with black marker (for the pupils) and glue them to your wolf face.

To finish your mask, punch a hole on each side of the mask, thread a piece of string through each hole and tie it around your head.

Now you're ready to howl at the moon! Find out more about wolf biology and their struggle to survive here from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

(Craft adapted from the San Diego Zoo)

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