Re: [vernalpool] Amphibian Residents for Classroom

Very good advice, Leo. As a horticulturist, I would like to tell a confirming story that illustrates the problem, even outside of the herp realm.

For some time, someone has been marketing a butterfly larvae collection to hatch in the classroom. The larvae are shipped from the southern states with careful instructions about the very specific plants that the caterpillers will require from the moment they hatch.

The unsuspecting teachers are delighted to find that the same plant species are available here in the northeast! But someone neglected to tell them that the hatch of the larvae and the leaf stage of the plants must be in synch or you end up with hungry larvae from Georgia and dormant Boston plants without the hint of a leaf and none due for several weeks.

"Born Free..." splat.

Nicola Cataldo

---- Original message ----
>Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:52:17 -0400
>From: vernalpool@yahoogroups.com (on behalf of Leo Kenney <kenney@vernalpool.org>)
>Subject: Re: [vernalpool] Amphibian Residents for Classroom
>To: vernalpool@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
> I can come in on this discussion from seemingly both
> sides. I have kept
> animals in a classroom (animal room) for most of my
> years of teaching
> (retired now) and have seen great benefit in it.
> During that period, I
> recognized that certain animals were "comfortable"
> in the classroom,
> many difficult to keep, and others entirely unsuited
> for classroom
> use. That statement covers all vertebrates but also
> is applicable to
> herps. I made some mistakes. I do not like to see
> animals stressed,
> removed from their habit, nor mistreated. Yet I do
> have turtles placed
> in my care for >30 years as unreleasable that are
> still doing well, with
> special care. These turtles would not be suitable
> for captivity nor
> classroom use under normal circumstances.
>
> I have posted a comment on the Windmiller thread
> along this topic. I'll
> try not to overlap.
>
> I don't advocate just any teacher placing a frog
> (adult or tadpole) in
> an aquarium and keeping it for classroom
> observation. Unfortunately for
> some, I would also apply this to packaged science
> curricula where
> animals arrive from a supply house on a regular
> basis as part of a food
> chain or food web lesson plan.
>
> To keep this short, my issues are legality,
> classroom care, and ultimate
> disposition of the animals. Legality (in MA) is
> covered in the other
> post. Care cannot be addressed here but if you are
> thinking of legally
> keeping an animal, search the internet for health
> requirements for this
> species. I don't just mean amphibians!
>
> The ultimate issue is disposal of the animals. Using
> a native species
> as Jessica is suggesting is simple. Return it to
> point of capture. The
> animals purchased from supply sources, pet stores,
> donated by parents,
> captured on vacation are a major issue. For most
> schools, the "science
> kit animals" do not come with a disposal plan. Often
> the teacher or a
> student lets them go in a nearby wetland. This is
> not a good plan!
> Jessica's request has a classroom plan and a
> disposal plan. I know her
> program and this works for me.
>
> Sometimes "disposal" is because of the clueless. I
> recently was
> informed that a local elementary school principal
> needed space for a
> copier and over a weekend had the custodians throw
> the school turtle
> tank into the dumpster and release the three turtles
> in a local stream.
> The species of turtle are not clear but one could be
> non-native.
> Teachers and parents are upset but the turtles are
> still out in the
> wild. (Parents retrieved the tank from the
> dumpster.)
>
> But addressing the concerns of others. There is too
> much wildlife
> going into classrooms with little understanding of
> appropriateness,
> care, or disposal. I think this is a lot of what
> others are saying. We
> need to be sensitive to the wildlife.
>
> I am famous/infamous for saying at teacher
> workshops, when you raise
> salamander eggs you bought from a vendor or
> purchased a turtle and the
> end of the year has arrived and you must "release"
> them...
>
> "Gather the students around. Sing a verse of "Born
> Free" and then smash
> the animal with a brick. If you are not prepared to
> do this, don't
> bring non-natives into the classroom or keep them
> for 40 years. (OK,
> there are non-brick alternatives, but you get the
> point.)
>
> The point was mostly to get them to consider not buy
> or keeping species
> that were not appropriate for release.
>
> Leo
>
> On 3/18/2012 10:26 AM, KestrelE wrote:
> >
> > Hello, I am looking for gray tree frogs and / or
> eastern newts who
> > could be residents of a middle school science
> classroom from soon
> > until mid - June. We are doing some vernal pool
> and general ecosystem
> > studies. I have experience caring for these. Not
> sure if I need an
> > educational permit, as well. Does anyone know of
> anywhere I can find
> > these, or do you have some you could allow my
> classroom to hold onto
> > until June? If it's better, we can keep them
> permanently or release
> > them to site of capture after the school year is
> over, all depending
> > on situation and what is best for the animals.
> There are no non native
> > animals in the classroom and the amphibians will
> not be handled by
> > students, only observed.
> > Thanks,
> > Jessica
> >
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>