Kids, seniors explore native mammals

The Memorial Park Community Center went a little wild with the "Native Mammals: Unusual Facts Presented" event put together by Johnson City Parks and Recreation. Kids and seniors alike got to broaden their knowledge on native wildlife that can be seen in the backyard as mammal pelts were passed around the room while facts were shared by Connie Deegan, Johnson City park naturalist. Deegan said while most of her work is presented outside, she "got creative" with the indoor event, using pelts from a variety of mammals to give a hands-on experience for participants and share the significance of nature in the region. "I've been doing this a long time, and I think there's more of an interest in what's going on with the natural world now, and attendance has definitely picked up," she said. "Even since I've been in Johnson City, people really have an interest in this kind of information. It's really cool to be a part of that." An opossum, raccoon, beaver, gray squirrel, skunk, gray fox, red fox, coyote and groundhog were the animals Deegan shared bits of information about as elderly and young fingers brushed across the furs of each creature. Curiosity seemed to be at its peak, no matter the age. One young attendee, eight-year-old Ethan, was with his mother Nicole Shelumiel. Ethan said the presentation helped him to better understand the animals in the region. "I always never liked woodchucks and skunks and things," he said. "Ever since this presentation, I kind of like them a lot. Also, there's just things I never knew, like I never knew a raccoon could really intelligently open a latch and stuff like that." Nicole added being at the event was beneficial because of the educational aspect for kids and adults, having learned a lot herself about the local wildlife. "I liked how interactive it was with seeing the pictures of the animals, learning about things that we've seen in our backyard and also getting to feel their fur because most of these animals we never get to feel in person," she said. Amy Buselmeier and her 10-year-old, Evelyn, were also at the event. Evelyn said looking at the red fox pelt and hearing the facts was her favorite part of the presentation, while her mom said the educational aspect behind each animal was something she enjoyed. "I just enjoy having the chance to listen to all the fun facts and getting to see these things that we don't normally get to see," Amy said. Katy Rosolowski and John Hancock were a couple of older participants at the mammal presentation and were no strangers to Deegan's presentations. Rosolowski said Deegan's expertise combined with the facts were what brought her to the event. "The way she talks about it is so interesting," Rosolowski said. "We should know more about the creatures that we share Johnson City with." The duo added learning about the opossum was something they enjoyed, with Rosolowski mentioning it changed her mindset on the marsupial in realizing how it benefits the environment. The entirety of the presentation, though, provided an interesting, engaging way for the community to connect with one another and the environment around them. "Basically, it's a learning process and very entertaining," Hancock said. "Good stories come out of it," Rosolowski added.