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Outdoor Activities
-Outdoor Activities Menu - How to See More Wildlife - The Ears of a Fox
Nature in Your Neighborhood
 Who are the most secretive animals in your area, and how can you learn to see them?
Many people are surprised to discover the variety of wild animals that live around their home. Animals that are typically thought of as "country-dwellers", such as foxes and hawks, can often be found in the suburbs and even in the city. It can be a fun challenge to try and spot some of the more elusive animals around your home.
If you want to see animals, think about what they need to survive: food, water, and safety. They need to get to food and water without being eaten by other, larger animals.
For example, if you want to see a fox, try thinking like one! Think of what a fox eats and how it must get to its food. Foxes like to eat small animals such as mice, rabbits, birds, and even earthworms. Did you know they also eat a lot of fruit during the summer?
So first, ask yourself where these foods could be found in your neighborhood. Is there a meadow or a vacant lot nearby - or a park? That's where a fox would go to catch mice. Are there any bushes around where birds might be living? Where is the nearest bird nest? Where could you find earthworms - the robin will tell you this answer!
 What kinds of wild fruits grow in your area?Grapes, raspberries, and madrones are all favorites treats for foxes, but they also eat many other types of fruit. Gray foxes can climb up trees to get at the fruits, but red foxes can only get the ones within their reach or that have fallen on the ground.
Next, think of how a fox could safely get to these foods. What other animals must a fox avoid? Coyotes will chase foxes out of their territories. In the suburbs, dogs will chase foxes. Foxes will make their trails in places where they can avoid these dangers. Their trails will lead them safely from one feeding area to another. A fox's trail may go across a yard, through a fence and then into a thicket, and then meander across another lawn. Where would you go if you were a fox?
Try this:
Pick an animal that lives around your neighborhood. Find out: What does it eat? Which of its favorite foods are around your area?
Make a map of your neighborhood:
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Put your house in the middle of the map.
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Mark which direction is north.
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Draw in all the places where food sources are.
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Add to your map any possible dangers that the animal must avoid.
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Then, draw in places that could provide safe travels for the animal: bushes, tall grass, places with shadows. . . what is the easiest and safest way to get to the food?
After you make your map, take a trip with your family to see if you can find any evidence of the animal! Watch out for footprints, scat (droppings), scent, hairs, and even scratch marks on the trees. Don't forget to post your story on our blog page.
Learn more about nature at our fun Family Wildlife Day programs, where you can see animals and explore the outdoors.
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