Much like our local black bears, the team at Champions for Wildlife has had an active summer! Before we jump into the new school year, we wanted to share a few highlights from the last two months.
But first, a wildlife mystery: What winged animal has five fingers that are essential for its survival? Keep reading to find out! |
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In July, we hosted Girls Empowered (GEM) for our Nature in Your Backyard program at Lake Julian! We had so much fun exploring nature trails, sketching local wildlife, and inspiring the next generation of Wildlife Champions to care for and protect wildlife.
A special thank you to United Way of Henderson County and the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County for making this meaningful day possible. We can't wait to partner with you and the GEM program again this fall!
For a glimpse into our exciting day, read the "How Can a Spider Jump So High?" blog post by our Outreach Coordinator, Lily Richards. This was Lily's first time witnessing our programs in action and - let's just say - the jumping spiders left her jumping for more! | |
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Did you know there are around 160,000 species of moths worldwide, compared to about 17,500 species of butterflies? That’s roughly nine moth species for every butterfly species!
Our team recently had the chance to discover firsthand the incredible diversity of moths during a Marvelous Moth tour led by naturalist and photographer Sharon Mammoser.
During the tour, we learned how to identify and photograph moths, examined their remarkable colors and patterns, and gained a new appreciation for wildlife that is often right in front of us but easy to miss.
Thank you, Sharon, for encouraging us to look more closely.
Interested in learning more about Sharon's work? Visit her website at natureformysoul.com |
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In case you missed it - our Wildlife Lookout is live!
This kid-safe online space is designed to connect kids with native wildlife through interactive learning, art, storytelling, and hands-on activities. Please explore and share it with the kids, families, and educators in your life! Visit www.wildlifelookout.org.
If you have any questions about Wildlife Lookout or how you can support the project, please contact Alexis Hinchliffe, Education Manager, at alexis@championsforwildlife.org. Thank you for helping us spread the word!
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Calling all volunteers! Interested in joining this growing pack of Champions for Wildlife volunteers? Now's the time! With over 350 programs planned for the upcoming school year, we need all the volunteer support that we can get. We have in-school opportunities in Polk and Henderson counties, and remote opportunities available wherever you are!
Our greatest need for volunteer support is in Henderson County, so if you know any Henderson County locals who may be interested, please send them our way.
For any volunteer-related questions, please contact us at volunteer@championsforwildlife.org |
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Champions for Wildlife volunteers and staff join forces for our Volunteer Training Day! |
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Cue the wing flaps, because Dale is done with his big brown bat sculpture! |
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Watch our co-founder and wildlife sculptor Dale Weiler’s video update to see how the sculpture came together, including the carving of its five-fingered wing. You might even find the answer to today’s mystery question! A note from the artist:
“I’ve finally completed the big brown bat sculpture, and it’s in hot pursuit of a mayfly. The piece is appropriately titled Dining on the Fly.” |
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To see all of Dale's wildlife sculptures, click the link below! |
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