Thomas, WV – The local conservation group Friends of Blackwater visited the Mountain Laurel Learning Cooperative on May 16, to talk with students about wildlife and the importance of protecting rare species.
Students from pre-schoolers to pre-teens looked at what makes some species common and others rare. The students shared their own experiences with local wildlife
The program started with petting a live chicken, to represent domestic animals. Then the program moved to wild animals like deer and groundhogs, and then to rare species like the Cheat Mountain salamander, and West Virginia northern flying squirrel. The students played with puppets representing the flying squirrel and several threatened species of bats.
The program was part of “Endangered Species Act Day,” which celebrates the landmark environmental law. Students learned about animals brought back from the brink of extinction. For example, the bald eagle, once jeopardized by the chemical DDT, can now be spotted around the region, and many of the students had seen these beautiful birds.
For more information about Friends of Blackwater, contact Kate Leary at 304-345-7663 or kate@saveblackwater.org.