The Catalina Nature Program opens its Saturday program October 26th at Catalina State Park for its 18th year.
October and the desert is starting to cool down and the Catalina Nature Program at Catalina State Park will resume on Saturday the 26th. This program has been going on for 18 years. Started by Jim Cloer and friends in 2000 and for the last 6 years it has been under the directorship of SaddleBrooke resident Jerry Schudda. This program been staffed by many SaddleBrooke resident and other volunteers over the years. Programs are designed by director Jerry Schudda, Jim Cloer and Rick Bowers and assisted by regular volunteers Prudy and Bob Bowers, Jo Eaton, Karen Gray, Bill Huffman, David Leary, Floyd Newsom, Tom Stout, and Jim Themelis, and others.
Take a closer look!
Come see and learn about rocks plants and a menagerie of reptiles, arachnids, and animals which inhabit the Sonoran Desert. Some animals that may be on exhibit include rattlesnakes, Gopher snakes, Gila Monsters, desert tortoise, tarantulas, and scorpions!
Nature program director Jerry Schudda and visitor admire live exhibit
Purpose: Education
Our purpose is to educate the public about the flora and fauna native to Catalina State Park and southeastern Arizona. We include in our presentations the importance of local wildlife and how to live in a place where wildlife is so abundant. We make sure that they understand the importance of keeping wildlife wild. We are also trying to get people to avoid the use of poisons as "Pest Control" by understanding the value of the natural world that they have chosen to live in and the dangers of secondary poisoning.
Facilities
Specimens are housed at Catalina State Park in a climate controlled building called the Bunkhouse... This building is not large enough to handle the 500 or so visitors to the program on Saturdays. So, each Saturday the volunteers meet at 8am to prepare the days exhibits. This includes moving tables, terrariums with live specimens as well as photos, rocks, Flora and Fauna, bones and skins etc. to the parking lot at the trailhead. By 10am the exhibit is open to visitors and is staffed by our well trained docents.
Unfortunately at 1pm the program shut down, so that all can be returned cleaned fed watered and prepared for the next week. Each day during the week one or more volunteers attend to the needs of the “Bunkhouse”
Naturalist on Call
Demonstrations, programs and exhibits are arranged for schools, scouting groups, clubs and associations either at Catalina State Park or off site.
Be a Volunteer. Find out how you can fit in to a great program educating people about nature. We are always looking for new volunteers for our programs (You DO NOT have to do anything with snakes!) We have many displays going on such as mammals, birds, plants, insects, rocks and minerals, cultural exhibits and children’s arts and crafts. If you think you might like to join us as a volunteer give Jerry or Jim a call.
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