There are many great ways to humanely enjoy nature and help wildlife!

Create a backyard wildlife habitat.  Plant native shrubs and bushes, hang bird-feeders, or create a butterfly garden.  As you build your backyard habitat watch how native insects, birds, and small mammals come to enjoy your kind efforts!

Help protect and preserve the environment for wildlife--hold a litter pick-up event.  Whether in your neighborhood or a state forest park, animals live in the environment!  They may try to eat trash that could harm them or animals can get caught in debris like six-pack soda rings.  Pick up litter and always throw all trash into garbage cans.  Ask your family to help recycle trash and consider creating a compost pile.

Take photographs of wildlife or study them from a distance.  Draw or paint pictures of the animals.

Do not make loud noises that might frighten wildlife.  Sit quietly and listen to nature--you will enjoy the many sounds!

Do not feed bread to birds or ducks.  It is not healthy for them to eat and the birds and ducks will become dependent upon people feeding them.  Feeding causes the ducks and birds to stray from their regular migration patterns and this could be dangerous for them.

Leave animal nests alone!  Never move or play with a nest that has babies in it.  The mother will care for the young until they are old enough to be on their own.

If you catch a fish, frog, toad or other small animal, be very careful so as not to cause any injury.  It is interesting to look at an animal up close, but remember to release it immediately afterwards and to release the animal where you found it.

Never throw rocks, sticks or other items at wildlife.  Put yourself in their place...would you like it if someone did that to you?

If you go fishing, be very careful in properly disposing extra fish line.  If left on the bank or in the water, fish line can terribly injure and possibly kill fish, ducks and other animals that become entangled in the line.  Children and adults may also be injured by hooks and fish line that has not been properly thrown away.  Be responsible!  Use a closed container to throw extra fish line away.

Write letters about animal issues you care about and send them to your legislators.  Click here to learn about an opportunity to practice your writing skills!

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