NATURE IN ACTION
Animal ambassadors are an attraction at state parks
Animals, nature and education are intertwined not only at zoos, aquariums, educational farms and wildlife parks, but at nature centers at various Oklahoma state parks. As students end up spending so much time in front of a screen, being able to see an animal up close and, in some cases touch it, cannot be overvalued.
Nature centers at different state parks help provide connection with the natural environment in the form of animal ambassadors at parks that include Robbers Cave, Beavers Bend, Tenkiller, Lake Murray, Sequoyah and Bernice/Grand Lake. Visitors can find native, live animals about which to learn. But Sequoyah and Bernice also have mammals and the naturalists there enjoy sharing tips, tricks and anecdotes about their often very funny residents.
Oklahoma state parks offer residence to native animals that are unable to return to the wild. Those animals may have very clear physical injuries, such as a one-winged bald eagle at Sequoyah State Park Nature Center and a 16-year-old gray fox named Ike, who along with his littermate Mike, survived a wildfire.
Sequoyah's newest animal ambassadors are quite the duo: Bixby Youngblood Beaver is a 7-month-old beaver kit who has endured a lot of trauma — including his family being killed. His new roommate is a 5-month-old otter pup that has been dubbed Harry Presley Otter. Harry's poor diet led to his bones not forming well and being overweight, so he was more slug-like than a playful otter when he arrived there. Now, these two have a big pond, dens, a bridge and tons of adoring fans.
The parks' mission with the animals are twofold — they give them a second chance at life with great food, veterinary care, enrichment and a safe place to live while offering visitors a chance to see them up close and learn about the beautiful and interesting animals that are right here in Oklahoma state parks.
Many of the animals and those at Bernice have come
from Wild Heart Ranch in Foyil, which takes in thousands of animals each year with the goal to eventually release them to the wild. But, sometimes things don't work out, so relationships between rehabbers, state parks and game wardens through the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation give the animals a new lease on life.
Grand Lake State Park-Bernice Area and Nature Center is home to Henry, a 2-year-old blind raccoon, and Opal, a 1-year-old leucistic opussum. These
animals were given a new lease on life by former and current state Wildlife Department game wardens. And at Lake Thunderbird State Park, there's Bella, the ball python; Elsa, the corn snake; Donk, a bearded dragon; Pear, a rat; and my favorite — Hedgie, a hedgehog.
All these animals, some of which can be touched, help kids and adults learn!
Normally there are a few in-person interactions, but the digital presence at some of the state parks has been increased because of the pandemic. It's helpful for interacting and connecting with past and future visitors. People from all over the world follow the various animals' shenanigans.
It should be pointed out, owning any of these animals is illegal for the lay person. But the parks and nature centers have licensing through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, state Wildlife Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for those animals, and the parks also have regular inspections.