The Annual “Animal Naming Contest” concluded last night. “Gatorela” is the name of the baby alligator living at DaggerWing Nature Center.
I have been in the volunteer service to this wonderful spec of wildlife left in south Florida. Once upon 28 years ago when I moved to Florida, wildlife was expansive. Life abounded in the lushness of plants and grasses and trees and bushes. Sightings of Marsh Rabbits were right on your front lawn. Box tortoises bungled into my backyard. Indigo or black racer snakes laid long rectangular eggs under my garden tarp used for weed control. Anoles walked slowly from branch to branch, disappearing into the green. Tree frogs clung to the outer screen at night when the room lights were on. These creatures are gone. Their habitat died. All that is left is the oasis of DaggerWing Nature Center.
Once upon a time, our beloved nature center was the sanctuary for humans in discovery of nature. Now it is the tiny home of what’s left of nature in Boca Raton, Florida.
I believe that children need nature. Not just because that’s the resource for food, products and oxygen, but because it is what Life looks like. Children who touch nature realize they are part of a greater planet. They develop a sense of respect for the cycles of life. They realize a deep part of who they are in themselves. We humans are animals; our technology-only world is ripping our instincts from us. Children who have a healthy exposure to wildlife and nature develop intuitive thinking strengths.
DaggerWing Nature Center’s mission is to bring educational wildlife and nature to the community. Their exhibits and displays are geared for the young learners. Old persons like myself also continue to learn from the naturalists and animals. It is a haven for the wild. It is a sanctuary for those of us who know that being ‘wild’ is not in being uncivilized. It is the freedom of being nurtured by Mother Nature who presents us with the energy of Life.
Yes, wonderful nature-inspired experiences are found at Daggerwing, along with a mix of wonderful people who love to share and give back to the planet, parks, schools, and our Boca community at large. With caring teachers such as Sirce, who help teach children what it means to respect our environment and the animals and creatures that live in it, we can only hope that our kids will learn what it takes and get involved in a myriad of ways, then pay it forward to keep the necessary efforts ongoing! – Sand Sinclair, FOD Member