The Guide to (Wild)Life

Submitted by Terry VanDeWalle, senior biologist (Waterloo, IA)

Many people enjoy the outdoors and watching wildlife. Polls asking people about wildlife have shown that over 80% of respondents said they participated in some form of nonconsumptive use of wildlife, such as wildlife photography or bird feeding. Birds, along with large, easily seen or charismatic species, are the animals most often seen. However, two groups of animals that are often overlooked or avoided out of fear or misconception—amphibians and reptiles (salamanders, frogs, toads, turtles, lizards, and snakes)—are fascinating creatures that can often be seen in your own backyard.

In October, two laminated pocket guides that I authored were published by the University of Iowa Press: “Turtles in Your Pocket” and “Frogs and Toads in Your Pocket.” These guides, along with “Snakes and Lizards in Your Pocket” that came out in 2010, provide complete descriptions of most of the frogs, toads, turtles, lizards, and snakes found in 12 Upper Midwest states along with information about each species’ range, habitat preferences, diet, and breeding. The guides were written for amateurs and professionals alike and were designed to be taken into the field. Each guide contains descriptions of similar species and a comprehensive key for identifying animals that you find. All three guides are illustrated with superb photographs by Suzanne Collins that also aid in identifying animals. A fourth guide, “Salamanders in Your Pocket,” is in the works and scheduled to be out in 2012. You can order the guides here.

My hope is that these guides, and others like them, will inspire people, particularly kids, to get outside, get messy, and enjoy nature. Many kids these days are growing up without the chance to experience nature firsthand, without the chance to hold a frog or a snake, or watch a monarch butterfly emerge from its chrysalis. We need these experiences to keep us connected to the earth and the other creatures that live here with us. As Chief Seattle said, “If all of the animals were to die, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit.”

And as a biologist, I also hope that engaging and educational tools such as these guides may even encourage kids to pursue careers in fields like wildlife biology and environmental science. The biologists and scientists at companies like Stantec regularly get outside in the mud and the muck, working with diverse groups of plants and wildlifesuch as those I described in the guidebooks.

An example: In August 2010, I was one of a team of Stantec biologists who responded to an oil spill on the Kalamazoo River in Michigan to assist with wildlife rescue and recovery. We spent hundreds of hours catching turtles and bringing them into the wildlife center. As of October 2011, more than 40 Stantec biologists have rescued and participated in the cleaning of nearly 5,000 turtles, over 90% of which survived and have been released. I am proud to have been part of the effort and had the chance to work with this dedicated group of individuals. Here’s hoping that more nature enthusiasts grow up to do the same.