Wildlife Lesson Comes to Wedgwood
Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge Brings “Raptors and Reptiles” Presentation to Wedgwood Elementary First-Graders
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP – Raptors are more than just the dinosaurs made famous in the Jurassic Park movies. That was one of the lessons learned by Wedgwood Elementary School first-graders on Monday, May 20th, as Lee Yeash from Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge visited the school for a program entitled “Raptors and Reptiles.”
The students were nearly in complete agreement when Yeash asked them what raptors were. But the dinosaurs that came to mind did have something in common with the present-day raptors – the super sharp talons that help them catch their prey. Yeash brought in an Eastern Screech Owl to show the students. The smallish bird can only prey on animals smaller than itself, and it preys at night, using comb-styled wings that are silent when they fly. Yeash also showed models of the wings and talons so the students could get a closer look.
For the reptile portion of the program, Yeash first discussed the three characteristics common in all of the species – they have rough, scaled skin; they produce eggs; and they’re cold-blooded. Then she brought out an Eastern Box Turtle to show the students. The turtle is on the endangered species list, so it is protected and treated well at the refuge. Yeash educated the students about why the box turtle has a tough life – it cannot swim, and it struggles in extreme temperatures, especially – and also explained the importance of not interrupting the species when found the wild.
Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge is located in Medford on 171 wooded acres. It includes a nature center with hands-on exhibits, a housing area for more than 60 native animals, trails to explore uplands and wetlands, and a rehabilitation hospital. Yeash’s visit on Monday was made possible by support from Wedgwood parent Mike Gillespie.
-WTPS -