These past two weeks have been full of campers as we hosted our Camp Wild program during winter break. Our first week was focused on animals around the world. Each day we picked a different region around the world and learned about the animals that live within that region and the adaptations they have. The campers were able to meet a box turtle, ball python, and bearded dragon during this week and learn about the specific adaptations they have for their native environment. In addition, we also played fun games like sharks and minnows, red light, green light, and “What time is it Mr. Fox?”. We explored our property daily with favorite activities like bug hunting and visiting the many non-releasable animals in our exhibit area.
Ecosystem engineers was the theme for the second week during which we explored how different animals and organisms influence and impact the ecosystems where they live and the roles they play in their communities like predator, prey and keystone species. This week brought about more animal visits with Drumstick our gopher tortoise, one of our resident American alligators, and our resident screech owl, Ewok, and discussions regarding why these species are important and how we can help to protect them. We introduced a new game that emphasized the importance of all animal roles within an ecosystem.
Camp Wild is an environmental day camp operated for the past 17 years at Sawgrass Nature Center and Wildlife Hospital that provides opportunities for campers to explore the great outdoors and learn about the natural world. Our camps are geared toward campers between the ages of 6 –12 years old and provide opportunities for learning, fun, and socialization outside of school. Join us at our next camp session, Spring Break, beginning March 20th. See our website, sawgrassnaturecenter.org, for more information.
