The Otter - Winter 2019-2020

WINTER 2020

TTER

WILDCENTER.ORG

OUT IN THE COLD

P4 Bill McKibben Speaks P10 Cuteness Alert P6 Winter Wild Walk P13 Island For Sale P9 Tie The Knot P18 Upcoming Events

A letter

FROM THE DIRECTOR

Dear Friends:

I delivered a version of these remarks when the inestimable Bill McKibben spoke here in August (see p.4). Normally, we use these pages to look forward, not back—but climate change is the greatest single challenge humans have ever had to face. And as inspired as I have been not only by Bill, but also the students who just joined us for the 11th annual Adirondack Youth Climate Summit and everybody else working so hard on this problem, I want to share. And I’d like to know: What have you done so far?

What more are you willing to do? I want to hear from you. My email is open: sratcliffe@wildcenter.org. We’ll share some of your responses in the next Otter.

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The first time I heard of global warming, I was among a group of interns touring the Smithsonian and meeting staff researchers.

On one part of our tour, we were led deep into the National Museum of Natural History’s storage area.

are inspired by and fall in love with nature they will work alongside us to take care of it.

We have a cardinal rule here—we never shake a finger and say, “you should.” Instead, we bring people together, offering

For some visitors, The Wild Center is the place where the scope of the problem we all face becomes crystal-clear.

At a lone desk in a back corner, we met a scientist who used diagrams and maps to explain how we were releasing too much carbon into the atmosphere, and that this trapped heat would eventually melt the ice caps and flood coastal areas. My first thought was: This researcher might have been in the basement a little too long. But his passion rang true. And I believed him.

Year by year, his prophecy became more widely researched and reported.

Some may have been surprised; I wasn’t.

For some visitors, The Wild Center is the place where the scope of the problem we all face becomes crystalclear. The Wild Center connects people to nature.

We know if people connect,

the latest science and a myriad of solution-based approaches and actions.

Then, we ask people to make their own decisions about how they want to act.

I don’t have to tell you that this topic can be overwhelming at times.

Our children and grandchildren need us as allies. They will have to deal with this crisis their entire lives. In almost every part of our lives, we have the power to move this issue forward and act.

So I urge you: Use your circle of influence to make a difference. Help us solve this crisis.

Sincerely, Stephanie Ratcliffe Executive Director

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TIME’S

UP

When Bill McKibben, human clarion call for climate change, spoke at The Wild Center in August, he was blunt: At this point, it’s going to take more than switching to LED lightbulbs to fix our warming planet. And the people who stand to lose the most did the least to cause the problem.

“Climate change is practically the most unjust thing we’ve ever figured out how to do,” said McKibben, who came to Tupper Lake in a partnership event with the Adirondack Explorer.

“There’s an almost perfect inverse correlation between how much of this problem you’ve caused, and how badly it’s hurting you now. If you’re a farmer in Bangladesh, you did nothing to cause this problem. Odds are you’re already having to figure out how to leave your home and move to a 4

cardboard box on the edge of the capital city because the ocean’s rising so fast.”

Still, he was hopeful, pointing to programs such as the Green New Deal, and the wave of activism that met Swedish teen Greta Thunberg upon her arrival in the U.S. this fall. But success, he said, depends on each of us continuing to agitate for change.

“The planet is way outside of its comfort zone—so you need to be outside your comfort zone,” he said.

SENSORY FRIENDLY DAYS The Wild Center is among a growing number of places offering Sensory Friendly Days, when we turn down the lights and sound so our visitors can better enjoy the experience here without distraction. We’ve been thrilled with the response—consider this note we received from a teacher:

“Every time I looked around, I was more surprised of everything you had thought of,” wrote the teacher, from Webb, N.Y. “One of my students, who has only recently learned to communicate with a special device, told me, ‘I go see animals.’ On his own, he walked me to the bench by the otters, where he sat, watched and listened as quiet and calm as could be.

THANK YOU!!! I have tears in my eyes writing this.”

Sensory Friendly Days are sponsored by a generous grant from the Landon Family Foundation. The next will be Saturday, April 25.

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For the first time, Wild Walk will be open all winter long— giving you an all-new way of experiencing an Adirondack forest. After all, many of the birds and creatures that call these woods home don’t take the winter off. Why should we? While you’re outside, pair a stroll on Wild Walk (open 11-3 daily) with a snowshoe journey through iForest, our immersive audio experience. Members and paid visitors can borrow a pair for free.

WINTER WILD WALK

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“Museum Access,” a TV show that celebrates some of the country’s best museums, has taken viewers to places as unique as the Harley-Davidson Museum, the private CIA archives— and, now, The Wild Center. Host Leslie Mueller, who visited Tupper Lake in 2018 to tape an episode that aired this August, gave viewers a close up of Wild Walk, our birds and more. “It truly is an American model for a world that’s looking for a way that people and nature can co-exist,” she raved.

Museum Access airs on local public television stations nationwide and is available for streaming on Amazon Prime.

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LIGHTS! CAMERA! (climate) ACTION!

At the 11th Adirondack Youth Climate Summit, held in November, we brought together 200 students eager to work on climate change—and working with AdkAction-sponsored filmmaker Cameron Audia, we gave them tools to reach even more. With an eye toward competing in the upcoming Beyond the Peaks student film festival, Audia discussed scriptwriting, editing and all the steps in between that go into making a movie.

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We do!

Emily and Jay got married here this summer, and so can anybody: Invite up to 200 people for a reception under our tent or in the soaring Great Hall. And we’ll keep our exhibits (including the animals) open for two hours after the Center closes to the public, just for you and your guests.

For more information, contact Leanne Favreau at 518-359-7800, ext.143.

Photo by Beth Cleveland.

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CREATURE YOU OTTER KNOW: Meet our two newest otters (Lontra canadensis), Tawi:ne and Rohsno:re!

SIZE: North American river otters, the only type found in New York, typically grow up to 31½ inches long (50 inches, including the tail) and weigh between 11 and 30 pounds.

DIET: River otters are members of the weasel family and are carnivorous.

They eat whatever they can find, but prefer freshwater mussels, fish and crayfish.

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TO THE RESCUE: Their taste for crayfish almost did these two in. Crayfish farmers in Ohio consider otters a pest, which is how Tawi:ne and Rohsno:re wound up trapped.

Typically, trapped otters are killed for their fur, or relocated to areas where they don’t have enough food. We got word of these two and took them in.

NEW LEASE ON LIFE: In captivity river otters can live 16 years or longer, while otters in the wild typically live 8 or 9 years.

Our new boys appear to be 1-2 years old.

FEATURE WORD HAS IT: We asked the Akwesasne Boys and Girls Club to give us a hand naming our latest additions. The students went with Tawi:ne (da-weeneh), which means “otter” in Kanienkehaka, and Rohsno:re (low-snow-leh), which means “he’s fast.”

OTTER TRACKING: With a name like “river otter,” that’s where you might think to search for them.

It’s more likely you see them near swamps and beaver ponds, though.

(They’ve been known to share lodges with beaver, in fact.)

WHAT, US SHIVER? No matter how cold it gets here (40 below or colder, some years), you’ll find otters happily playing in the water. That’s because their thick, dense fur traps air pockets, making for incredibly effective insulation.

HOW MANY OTTERS DO YOU HAVE, ANYWAY? We’re proud caretakers of five, now, including Squirt, Scarlett and Louie.

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THE WILD CENTER CHANGED ME Our alums do amazing things: Their time working here as interns, fellows and other staff is often the foundation for careers at other museums, conservation groups and more. We’re excited to share some of their stories with you!

Name: Tori Herkalo Hometown: Plattsburgh, N.Y. Occupation: Education Coordinator, Wilton (N.Y.) Wildlife Preserve & Park Wild Center Job: Animal Care Intern

How did you get to The Wild Center?

The Wild Center influenced me long before my internship; I visited often while growing up. So when I started studying environmental science in college, I made it clear: I wanted to work here someday.

Luckily enough, I got that opportunity in the summer of 2019.

How did your experience here affect your career?

I thought I would continue in animal care, but this internship exposed me to so many different opportunities and I changed my goals. I fell in love with interpretation: The staff nudged me out of my comfort zone, doing things like explaining owl adaptations in front of 40 guests. I started off shaky and unsure, but the staff (especially Leah Valerio) was so encouraging, and I 12

gained confidence in public speaking. So I switched fields and became an environmental educator—and I owe it all to The Wild Center.

What’s the best part about what you do?

I love my job! I interpret in school classrooms and on trails. Sometimes, I am working on program development, finding ways to make material informative and entertaining. Other times, I am assisting the Department of Environmental Conservation in protecting the endangered Karner Blue butterfly, which lives at the preserve. It’s exciting to be the type of person I looked up to as a kid, knowing I have the opportunity to be that to others. My internship was just three months, but working at The Wild Center opened so many doors for me in environmental education, and gave me confidence and skills that made me into the career woman I am today!

Isle

SPECULATION Ever dream of island living?

On beautiful Tupper Lake?

Do we have something to show you.

A creative, forward-thinking Wild Center donor left us a 40-acre waterfront parcel on County Line Island. This forested site— which includes 3,675 feet of waterfront —is accessible only by boat. And it could be yours.

Listed at $250,000, we’re selling the parcel in order to help fund operation of the Center in Tupper Lake. When you purchase it, you won’t just be making an investment in our future. It’s also an investment in yours, as you’ll have a prime location to build a vacation home, or keep it undeveloped as your own camping or picnic spot.

“The donor who left this generous gift wanted to support the work we do here, and needed to find a creative way to do so,” said Hillarie Logan-Dechene, deputy director of The Wild Center. “We were so happy to work with this family to come up with a solution that fulfilled their wishes.”

For more information contact Heidi Cheney of Gillis Realty at 518-637-6736. If you’re interested in pursuing creative ways of supporting The Wild Center, contact Hillarie Logan-Dechene at hlogan-dechene@wildcenter.org or 518-359-7800, ext. 1103.

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STAY SOCIAL 14

L

You sure make us look good! As always, your social media shots were showstoppers. To @kelly.marsh86, four free passes and a gift from The Wild Supply Co. are on their way, for this shot of a monarch butterfly caterpillar enjoying a leafy meal in August.

Here are some other recent faves, which will get copies of “A Wild Journey,” our photographic history (from the top): @eb.photogeography @jgbackpack @jmyboo2 @one.eyed.shuck Don’t keep those great pix to yourself—share them! We’ll keep an eye out for your #wildcenter photos on social media and share some more in the next Otter.

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Try It

Can you find these tracks outside?

There may be snow on the ground where you live—but naturalists don’t sleep. And neither do a lot of animals, which stay active all winter long! So go outside and look down—you can find some telltale signs of life even in the coldest part of winter, by looking for these tracks.

X Marks The Spot.

FELINE TRACK

You can tell the difference between canine and feline prints by looking for the X. Canine prints—like those from a dog, or a coyote—can be identified by the ‘X’ shape that

Y Is For Rabbit.

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CANINE TRACK

can be drawn through the pads of their paws. (Feline tracks don’t have an ‘X’ pattern. You can tell cats by the three lobes on the pads at the back of their paws.)

When rabbits bound across the snow, they land with their hind legs in front, and their forward paws in the rear, one in front of the other—leaving a telltale ‘Y’ shape in the snow. (Their fur-covered paws don’t leave claw marks, either.)

ore expl ure? e tout nat k i l e o b ou com Do ylearn a it takes to be t a d h n w se a got t! ls. U nts ’ve s skil

la li u list ls, p tura n yo tura anima r and The nior Na r Na e te you bserv d Cen a Ju o il test ay, ses to The W dacks. d me o n T t eco ny iron r se ts a a to b you habita the Ad you te as m it. t ide and ughou l gu Comple your vis make il ro w th klet ALIST! during ily and ild o o b m UR W This IOR NAT ossible and fa iendly p N fr ds a JU ites as h frien from v acti re wit for help lo . p k ts s x E ralis to a sure r Natu te Cen

Think Square.

Think Squirrel.

Squirrels tend to hop, also, but they land with their feet together, so their pawprints form a squareish pattern. Its longer hind paws will be in front, and its smaller front feet will be trailing.

Walk The Line.

Some animals save energy by walking in their tracks— it’s easier, after all, than breaking new trail over and over. Deer (which have heart-shaped hooves) and fox (which have the canine X-pattern) walk in a straight line.

JUNIOR NATURALIST WANTED!

Hint

m p fro e a ma o guid ure.

Grab issions t advent Adm on your you 2

The Wild Center is a great place for budding naturalists to get their start—and a new booklet, authored by our in-house educators, helps children get on the right track as they start looking at the world around them.

“People are looking for a little bit extra to guide their children through an experience,” says Kerri Ziemann, program director. “It’s not an answer-driven booklet—it’s experience driven.”

The booklet, which contains many illustrations by our own staff, encourages children to use all their senses while they’re here, and make inferences about the animals and habitat they see.

Thanks to our sponsors:

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E HAV N FU R L PO EX

DAILY ACTIVITIES

2020 Events and Programs GET OUTSIDE this Winter at The Wild Center

Experience the age-old Adirondack tradition of ice fishing, venture onto Winter Wild Walk, hit the trails with complimentary snowshoes, and warm up next to the fire while learning about fresh maple syrup when the sap starts to flow.

Winter Wild Walk Open daily during winter hours Get stunning views of the snow-capped Adirondacks and revel in the snow.

Ice Fishing

Peek under the ice into the amazing winter world of fish and sharpen your ice fishing skills. The shanty will be open all winter with daily opportunities to fish on Greenleaf Pond. Equipment provided. Free for Members or with paid admission.

Open Shanty

Saturday, January 11 Celebrate our new ice shanty with all-day ice fishing and other family activities.

Learn more about the winter habits of fish and how ice fishing is part of Adirondack culture. Free for Members or with paid admission.

Community Free Day

Monday, January 20 Enjoy free admission in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Get outside and enjoy our new winter experiences, such as an hour-long Forest Bathing Snowshoe walk, a winter wellness activity.

Carl Heilman Photo Workshops

Saturday, February 8: Winter Landscapes / Full Moon Adventure Photo Tour. $ Saturday, May 9: Perfect Pictures Every Time Photo Workshops. $ Saturday, October 3: Fall Landscapes and Waterways Photo Tour. $

Winter Week

Friday, February 14-Sunday, February 23 Learn how Adirondack animals survive in winter, venture on a guided snowshoe hike, or see how the world changes with the seasons in Planet Adirondack.

We’ll be open all week with live animal encounters, warm winter beverages and wintertime watercolor projects. Free for Members or with paid admission.

Night on the Ice

Saturday, February 15 An adult outdoor event celebrating ice fishing lore and local fishing feats to benefit year-round programming. More details to come. $

The Otter is published by The Wild Center 45 Museum Drive Tupper Lake, NY USA 12986 wildcenter.org 518.359.7800

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Nancy K. Simpkins Chair Stephanie Ratcliffe Executive Director

The Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks (DBA as The Wild Center) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with Federal Tax ID # 14-1811534.

Printed on paper proudly produced at International Paper’s Ticonderoga mill using fiber from sustainably managed Adirondack forests.

Forest Bathing—Immerse Your Senses in Nature Saturday, February 15 and 22 & Saturday, May 9, 9-11:30 a.m.

A wellness activity to open yourself to the sights, sounds, smells and textures of an Adirondack forest. Snowshoes provided for February walks. Led by certified guide Helene Gibbens or Suzanne Weirich. $

FEED Back—Everyone Eats!

Thursday, February 27 This year’s Food Justice Summit will focus on the intersection of poverty and food. Participants are invited to work as problem solvers, as we seek to identify the obstacles and the successful initiatives for addressing this inequality. $

Sensory Friendly Day

Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

We’ll turn down sounds, limit attendance and offer a range of tactile activities during this day meant for guests who prefer a quieter, less-stimulating environment. RSVP. $

Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival

Friday, May 8, 5-8 p.m.

Adirondack middle and high school students will create and screen films in multiple genres. Sponsored by AdkAction in partnership with the film class at Tupper Lake Central School District. For more info: AdkAction.org/filmfest. RSVP

Log-Grown Shiitake Mushroom Cultivation Workshop Saturday, May 16 Learn to grow mushrooms with the help of a Cornell Cooperative Extension expert. Gain a better understanding of mushrooms, their importance to the ecosystem, and their many uses. All participants will take home an inoculated log of Shiitake mushrooms. $

Homeschool Day

Tuesday, May 19, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Homeschool students are invited to spend the day exploring with us, as you experience our exhibits and trails, engage with hands-on activities, and get up-close with Adirondack wildlife. RSVP. $

Family Winter Weekends

WEEKLY EVENTS

Fridays-Sundays, January 3-March 29 Join us every weekend for fun winter programs, inside and out. Free for members or with paid admission.

Behind-the-Scenes Tours

Fridays-Sundays, January 3-March 29 and May 3-25, 3-4 p.m.

Get an up-close look at our green energy system, animal care areas and more on this guided tour. $

Community Maple Project

Fridays-Sundays, March 1-29 The Sugar Shack will be fired up and sap will bubble when spring gets near. Try freshly made syrup, learn more about our community collaboration and make new friends while you enjoy the campfire.

See more details at wildcenter.org/events • Fees apply where noted: $ Many events have LIMITED SPACE—please register early.

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CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

The Wild Center 45 Museum Drive Tupper Lake, NY 12986