By Sofia Kicillof, age 13
Bear Spotlight
On the third night of camp, Senior Camper Nell C. was a few feet from her bunk at Wel-B-Yon (WBY), alone and without a flashlight. She was completely unprepared for what would happen next. Practically swallowed up by darkness, Nell was startled when she saw that the trash can on her bunk’s porch was completely knocked over. Then, from behind the trash can came a dark shadow. The bear! She immediately broke into action. “I had heard in my Workshop that I should make loud noises if I encountered a bear. I started clapping and shouting, ‘The bear is here!,’ but the bear started growling.
At that point, I got a bit nervous and started retreating, until I eventually bumped into my friends. By the time we went back to the bunk, the bear was gone. All of the cookie wrappers from the earlier snack were scattered everywhere, all over the porch.”
WriCampia has had multiple visits by the young black bear which has been described as black, medium-sized, and about 2.5 to 3 ft long.
WriCampia’s first sighting of our resident black bear was on Monday, Aug. 12, a few hours before campers began to arrive. Tasnim Hussain, the Lower Camp Division Head, was the first person to spot the bear. “I was walking up the path to the dining hall. The bear seemed to be searching for something. He was standing still and moving his head around. Then, he turned his body and walked into the trees.”
Catherine M-P, another Senior Camper, spotted the bear the very next day, on Aug. 13, after the WriCampia Olympics. “Me and a couple other senior campers spotted the bear walking on the path next to the basketball court that is farthest from the theater,” Catherine said. “It was sort of a stomach dropping moment because bears are scary. After the initial shock though, I took a look because I felt safe doing so (the bear was pretty far away). I have decided that the bear is quite cute. Rebecca [Wallace-Segall], one of the directors, was nearby and missed the bear sighting much to her disappointment. He lumbered into the forest, looking like he ate something.”
Rebecca and the other directors discussed the bear situation with Danbee directors.
At the time of the writing of this article, the bear was last spotted on Aug. 17 after lights-out. The bear was outside WriCampia’s operations team’s bunk for two hours in the middle of the night. “He was dragging our garbage can and its contents across the grass, enjoying a leisurely dinner,” shared camp IT guy, Matt Wong.
Black bears have extremely sensitive noses, with a strong smelling ability. According to the North American Bear Center, a black bear’s nasal mucosa area is about 100 times larger than humans, therefore bears can smell food wrappers and food from a very far distance. It is important to not keep wrappers or food inside of the bunks, in order to avoid a visit from our young black bear. Campers and staff have been keeping garbage cans inside accordingly.
Some campers have expressed discomfort or fear about our furry friend. It is important to know that black bears are generally not aggressive. In order to help the bear not feel threatened, we can be cautious about littering, give the bear space, and make noise if the bear approaches us.
Nonetheless, we want to make sure that the bear does not get adjusted to humans or scare future campers. Danbee staff will be relocating the bear soon.
White-Tailed Deer
On Friday, Aug. 17, as I was hanging out in my bunk 4A, I looked out the window and saw Rebecca. Excitedly, I ran outside, hoping to get a golf cart ride to Newspaper Track (I was successful). But when I stepped outside, I received a very different gift. I noticed that a lot of people were looking at something, and I immediately spotted a deer and a fawn grazing in the field. They were hanging out eating grass when someone walked by, at which point they quickly ran away. A white-tailed deer, or Odocoileus virginianus’s, primary distinguishing characteristic is the tail that we can see on the deer that were spotted at WriCampia. This tail comes in handy when the deer are being threatened. The deer can stick its tail in the air, a bright white warning to anyone who tries to come close and a signal for fawns to follow when a deer must run away! These deers’ beautiful brown coats will not stay that way for the whole year. White-tailed deer coats change color from gray in the winter to reddish-brown in the summer. As the writer of the Creatures of WriCampia article, I was so grateful to be able to experience this beautiful moment with the quiet and sweet White-tailed deer that visited our camp!
American Red Squirrel
A baby American Red Squirrel was recently spotted at WriCampia at 6:45 am on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Kendra Jones, an instructor, was the one to see it. Kendra said, “I was on a run and passing by the theater; the little guy was just sitting there with his breakfast! He didn’t move until I got really close, and he scampered across a branch that was laying on the ground and into bushes.” This adorable American Red Squirrel, or Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, as it is known in the scientific community, has three identifying characteristics. According to the National Wildlife Federation, these squirrels have a white eye ring around their black eye, a red tail, and a white belly. Their fur color can vary from grayish-brown to bright red. In the photo Kendra took, we can see that our squirrel friend is holding a nut. Squirrels carefully collect seeds and nuts throughout the summer in order to have food for long and cold winters. Squirrels occasionally misplace their nuts, bestowing a gift on the environment as they plant trees throughout their habitats. These animals are cute, hardworking, and take care of our environment.
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
On Tuesday, Aug. 13, a counselor and camper saw an Eastern Cottontail Rabbit, also known as Sylvilagus floridanus. The rabbit was spotted near the library box, on the path going up to Acres. Irine Le, a counselor, spotted it, along with camper Maxanne W-S.: “Maxanne and I saw it hanging in the grass, but when we got closer it got startled and ran back into the woods.” According to National Geographic, Eastern Cottontail Rabbits are extremely fast animals. They can hop away at a speed of up to 18 miles per hour. When faced with a predator or a threat, these rabbits move in a zig-zag pattern, making it harder for them to be caught. When this bunny was spotted, it was hanging out in the grass. This may be because these rabbits are herbivores that eat grass, clover, fruits, and vegetables.
Bat
On the third night of camp, Director Rebecca walked into the dining hall to grab a cup of tea and was greeted by this skittish bat, who seemed to be trying to find their way back out. “I snapped a few photos when the Danbee team came in to help the bat exit! It all happened very quickly…. One of the never ending surprises that comes with the exciting adventure of being away at camp,” she said.
Bats can fly as fast as 100 miles per hour, so this bat was way too quick to identify. Nonetheless, this event was thrilling to those who were there, and we are all very thankful that the bat was able to find its way outside.
Porcupine
On Aug. 17, a porcupine was spotted by Instructor Kendra Jones’ workshop while ziplining. “A giant porcupine came out of a bush and stood there and stared at us,” Kendra said. “All of the campers began to shout different animals. ‘A beaver, a groundhog, a hedgehog!’ I laughed and told them it was a porcupine. None of us had ever seen a porcupine in person before, so it was pretty crazy.” Many people confuse porcupines with hedgehogs (and groundhogs and beavers too, apparently.) Although they have some similarities, they are quite different animals. While hedgehogs are extremely small, porcupines can be up to two to three feet long. Hedgehog quills are also much smaller than porcupine quills. In response to danger, porcupines become bigger and aggressive, while hedgehogs roll into a ball. Porcupines are strictly herbivores, enjoying a diet of bark, trees, plants, and fruits. Although hedgehogs do enjoy fruits, they mainly snack on invertebrates, such as worms, slugs, and caterpillars.
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All of the beautiful creatures that bless us with their presence at WriCampia make Camp Danbee feel that much more welcoming and mysterious. We are so lucky to have all of these animals making their home right next to us. Learning about these creatures has been an amazing experience that made me feel so much closer to the wildlife here, and helped me be aware of the beauty that nature holds. Wildlife is so important to us, and we love hanging with our furry friends. It is vital to remember to take care of the Creatures of WriCampia, and always treat wildlife with respect.
