Becoming Nature Detectives with Tiaki Taiao

If you want to find a creature, you have to think like one! That’s what we learned on February 18th when Leigh from DOC and Laura from Enviroschools visited our Tiaki Taiao group. We spent the session learning how to use tracking tunnels to see what animals live around us. To get our "detective eyes" ready, Leigh showed us some real footprints that had been found in tracking tunnels. We had to look closely at the shapes and toe marks to see if we could guess which animals they belonged to! We found out that tracking tunnels help us see the footprints of the creatures we usually can’t find during the day. We even learned that some animals are "claustrophobic"—they won't go inside if there is only one door! They need an entrance AND an exit to feel safe enough to walk through the ink. After learning how to bait and position the tunnels, we set one up right by our school garden. We are so excited to take these skills to Lake Kaniere soon to see who is living in this area. Thank you, Leigh and Laura, for helping us become kaitiaki of our environment. We can't wait to share our new knowledge with everyone in our Rōpū!