Education
Dekay’s Brownsnake
Dekay’s brownsnake is common, small, secretive, nocturnal and seldom found out in the open. Their Latin name is Storeria dekayi. The species name dekayi honors James Ellsworth Dekay, a naturalist/zoologist who collected the first specimen of this snake on Long Island, New York and Storeria honors David Humphreys Storer, an American physician/naturalist/ zoologist. This is…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 04/16/2025
Hoppy #WildlifeWednesday! Let’s leap in and learn some fun facts about the impressive American bullfrog! The American bullfrog is the largest frog in North America, with adults weighing more than a pound. The name “bullfrog” comes from the noise males make during the breeding season, which sounds like a bull bellowing. Their croaking call is…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 04/09/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday! You may have noticed more than the usual number of large dark birds circling and soaring in the sky overhead lately. Welcome back, Turkey Vultures! While some Turkey Vultures stay in Ohio all year, most migrate for the winter, traveling to the southern USA and even as far as South America. Often associated…
Read MoreApril 2025 Full Pink Moon
April’s full Moon is called the Pink Moon, and it occurs on Saturday, April 12. The Moon will look full when it rises at 8:01PM EST, but it won’t be a true full Moon until 8:22PM EST when the Moon has moved in its orbit so that Earth is directly between the Moon and Sun. …
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 04/02/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday! They’re on their way! A truly delightful harbinger of spring is the dazzling appearance of hummingbirds as they return from their wintering grounds in Central America. The most common species of hummingbird in Ohio is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, which is the only hummingbird that breeds in the eastern part of the United States.…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 03/26/2025
Hoppy #WildlifeWednesday! Wood frogs have recently been treating vernal pool habitats to their loud quacking chorus of song, so let’s learn some fun facts about these fascinating amphibians! Wood frogs are forest-dwelling and spend most of their time during warm months on the ground near freshwater wetlands. They have extreme cold tolerance, and in the…
Read MoreSnowshoe Hares
Snowshoe hares are found throughout Canada and in the northernmost part of the U.S. They were native to the northeast corner of Ohio but disappeared in the early 1900s due to the clearing of forests to create farmland. Early attempts to reintroduce these hares to Ohio were unsuccessful; however, in 2000 the ODNR Division of…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 03/19/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday! We are celebrating today with some interesting facts about the Virginia opossum! The Virginia opossum is the only species of opossum found in Ohio and is also the northernmost marsupial (animal that carries its young in a pouch) in the world! It is an omnivore and has 50 teeth, more than any other…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 03/12/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday! It is the time of year when we observe, appreciate, and celebrate Ohio’s state amphibian (and a TWC mascot), the spotted salamander! A type of mole salamander, this cute creature with bright yellow spots and a perpetual smile lives most of its life underground. After a long winter of brumation (similar to hibernation),…
Read MoreWildlife Wednesday 03/05/2025
Happy #WildlifeWednesday! It’s that time of year! The days are getting longer, temperatures are getting warmer, and birds are starting to migrate! Spring migration is the seasonal movement of birds from their wintering grounds to the areas where they will breed and spend months nesting, taking advantage of the warm weather and plentiful food sources.…
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