BioBlitz was a really wonderful experience for me. From the minute I got to Macaulay and my friend Emaad offered me donuts, to the minute I got back, tired and sweaty, I was having a great time. I was fortunately placed in the mammals group, which meant seeking chipmunks, squirrels, and raccoons. Basically, if it nursed its young, we were looking for it. As an animal lover and environmentalist, I was so excited to get BioBlitz 2014 underway.

Our guides, Jason Munshi-South and Mary Pearl, were awesome. They led us to the mammalian hot spots, and knew so much about everything we found along the way. First we went down by the Twin Lakes. We found many things, though most were non-mammalian. We came across hornets, dragonflies, a heron, and even a red-tailed hawk! Seeing these things was really interesting, as our guides knew a lot about all the residents of NYBG. In terms of mammals, we saw two chipmunks, one alive and one dead (RIP), a squirrel, and some raccoon tracks down by the water’s edge. On our way out of the Twin Lakes area, Professor Pearl informed me that looking for mammals can be frustrating, because unless they’re especially outgoing, they hide when humans come close. Because of this, we used traps to record the presence of other mammals in the gardens.

We set up metal tunnel traps for white-footed mice and possibly chipmunks, and then set up camera traps to see if any raccoons, coyotes, or skunks were milling about. Apparently these were a success! According to the tweets of one of our guides, we trapped a few mice and got some pictures of a little raccoon visitor. Professor Pearl also pointed out tiny disruptions in the forest floor, and informed us that they were evidence of a skunk looking for food. What a night, huh?

Being outside interacting with the environment and studying wildlife really resonated with me. For a long time I’ve considered switching my major from political science to something that involves the environment, because I love animals and I love learning about the world around me. After talking to Professor Pearl, who is a primatologist and a professor of biology at Brooklyn College, I am sure that I want to switch majors. I’d really like to go into conservation, and perhaps become a primatologist myself. Or a marine biologist! In short, BioBlitz was a success – I learned a tremendous not just about mammals, but about myself.