10 Sep From Shadowing to Leading: My First Lesson in Environmental Education
I work in Environmental Education at Mammoth Cave National Park, and this week I gave my first solo class. Up until now, I’ve been shadowing other rangers as we visit schools or welcome kids to the park. However, this week it was my turn to lead a lesson, and I decided to talk about bats.
To prepare, I read a few books and researched key facts, educating myself on the topic ahead of time. I’ve found that this process is a great way to keep my mind engaged and learning every day.
I learned about the main bat species found in Mammoth Cave, including the Tricolored Bat and the Little Brown Bat. In total, six bat species live in the main cave system, and around thirteen can be found throughout the park. Unfortunately, in recent years they have been exposed to White-Nose Syndrome, a fungus that damages their skin tissue while they hibernate. This disease causes bats to repeatedly wake during hibernation, burning through their stored energy and often leading to starvation. To help prevent its spread, Mammoth Cave has sanitation stations set up at the entrances.
Coincidentally, this past week was Bat Day. I had the opportunity to volunteer with scientists as they captured bats using mist nets. The bats were carefully processed, measuring their wingspan, recording their sex and approximate age, and tagging them before release. That night, we were able to process over 100 bats, and the experience gave me valuable insight just before teaching my solo class.
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