Sumer camps have long been an important part of many children’s lives and those gatherings have traditionally included arts & crafts, swimming, softball and soccer. The Toledo Zoo has embarked on a revision of that format and created hands-on, science-laden summer camps that are equal parts fun, education and muddy shoes.
The Zoo’s “Saving Species Camp” focuses on providing 10-15 year olds with an exceptional opportunity to learn about wildlife and take part in conservation activities out in the field. There are no more watching videos about salamanders, turtles or butterflies – the campers engage with the real thing and meet these unique creatures in the environments where they live.
“It is one thing for kids to hear about turtle conservation or learn about it in a classroom setting, but it is much better to be in the place where turtles are found, and even better to be the one setting the trap that advances the study of these species,” said Josh Minor, assistant director of education at the Toledo Zoo.
The Saving Species campers will work side-by-side with Zoo conservation staff on fieldwork and research at Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge and Magee Marsh, which includes the trapping, measuring and tagging of box turtles and the threatened Blanding’s turtle.
“When kids have an experience like this, they are over the moon excited,” Minor said. “Hopefully, they develop a lifelong connection with conservation and wildlife.”
The turtle study program the campers take part in involves checking the traps the following day and learning how to use telemetry to track the movements of box turtles in the wooded and swampy areas. The young campers also are involved in research work and population surveys, counting salamanders and butterflies.
“When kids are a part of the real work being done in the field, they become much more connected with these different animals,” said Nicole Martin, education manager at the Zoo. “We see a lot of campers that do this once and then want to come back.”
Three sessions of the five-day “Saving Species Camp” are offered this summer, and it is just one of the myriad options in the Zoo’s Summer Safari Camp series. The Zoo provides campers with a variety of options covering a wide range of age groups that includes: single day camps; “Tag-a-long” camps for 3-5 year olds; half-day camps for 4-5 year olds; a menu of Safari Camps for 6-10 year olds; specialty camps for 8-12 year olds emphasizing art, theater, photography, and science; Junior Zookeeper camp for 10-15 year olds; and the Experience Camps for 10-15 year olds, which includes the “Saving Species Camp.”
More information, dates, costs and registration for all of the summer camps offered at Toledo Zoo is available at the hippoway.toledozoo.io/education website, or by contacting the Zoo’s education department directly at 419-385-5721. Registration remains open until the camps are full, and some of the Zoo’s camps tend to fill up quickly, Minor said.
“We strongly encourage parents to look into these camps and find the one that best fits their kids, because the larger the demand, the more opportunity we have to expand our camp programs,” he said. “When we first started this effort many years ago, we had to actively seek out people to sign up, but now the Saving Species is one of the first camps to fill. Word of mouth has spread—it is a very unique experience.”
