VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Nicandri Nature Center engages visitors with wildlife programs
Noah Love: Birds, fish and bears, oh my. The Nicandri Nature Center in Massena, New York has an abundance of learning activities and sights to see. The nature center opened in the 1980s and has faced hardships through the years.
Linda Besio: In 2010, there was a fire that burned the old nature center. But because of that, we are now in the brand-new building that opened in 2017.
Love: Linda Besio has worked at the center for 26 years and loves it because it’s lots of animals, kids and fun. One of the fun programs that happens at the end of every month is “Turtle Weigh in.”
Lucas Hanss: It’s important for us to get the data of the turtle weights, to see how they’re functioning, how healthy they are, etc. But we just turn that into a public program, because it’s cool to get the public involved on the backend of that to start the conversation of how we’re taking care of the animal.
Love: The center has nine resident turtles, ranging from a tiny spotted turtle, named stripes, to a big snapping turtle, named donut.
Hanss: Number one good reason is it’s taking care of the animal which is our utmost priority. Our second priority is educating the public. And so tying those together in one program is a really great thing for everyone involved.
Love: One of the turtles here at the nature center is Leonard. Leonard is a wood turtle, and one of his favorite things to do is to try and bite you. Leonard has a very interesting story as to how he became such a biter.
Hanss: So Leonard came from someone who shouldn’t have had him in the first place, and they thought he was a snapping turtle. And they thought it was funny when he would bite. So, they gave him treats. But he learned that biting was a good way to get treats.
Love: Every turtle was weighed, and all of them are very healthy, except for this stinkpot turtle named Stinky, who Lucas Hanss says is a little chubby. Hanss started working at the center out of college three years ago and says this was his dream job. According to Hanss, the nature center has had more than 100,000 visitors already this year, and that number is going to grow when the cross-country skiing and snow shoeing kicks off.
Hanss: We’re teaching so many people about nature and instilling a love for all things natural with them as well. I’m an ecologist at heart and getting people excited about finding a salamander or seeing a fish or live animal programs is something I’m incredibly passionate about.
Love: Noah Love, NCC News.
MASSENA, N.Y. (NCC News) — From birds to fish to fake bears, the Nicandri Nature Center offers visitors a variety of interactive programs and wildlife experiences. The center, which first opened in the 1980s, has overcome significant challenges over the years.
“In 2010, there was a fire that burned the old nature center,” said Linda Besio, a naturalist who has worked at the center for 26 years. “But because of that, we are now in the brand-new building that opened in 2017.”
The center is known for its programs that connect the public with nature, including the monthly Turtle Weigh-In, a fan favorite.
“It’s important for us to get data on the turtles’ weights to monitor their health and functionality,” said Lucas Hanss, another naturalist at the center. “But we turned it into a public program because it’s a cool way to involve people in the behind-the-scenes work and start a conversation about animal care.”
The center houses nine resident turtles, ranging from a tiny spotted turtle named Stripes to a large snapping turtle called Donut.
“Taking care of the animals is our utmost priority,” Hanss said. “Our second priority is educating the public, so tying those together in one program benefits everyone involved.”
Among the turtles is Leonard, a wood turtle with a biting habit that stems from an unusual backstory.
“Leonard came from someone who shouldn’t have had him in the first place,” Hanss explained. “They thought he was a snapping turtle and gave him treats when he bit, so he learned that biting was a way to get food.”
During the latest weigh-in, all the turtles were found to be in good health, except for Stinky, a stinkpot turtle whom Hanss described as “a little chubby.”
Hanss, who joined the center three years ago after graduating from college, said working at the center has always been his dream.
“We’ve already had more than 100,000 visitors this year, and that number will grow when cross-country skiing and snowshoeing begin,” he said. “I’m passionate about teaching people about nature and getting them excited about things like finding a salamander or seeing a fish.”
With its engaging programs and mission to inspire a love of nature, the Nicandri Nature Center continues to be a community treasure.