2nd Class Req. 5

[le Voyageur 72]

 

Identify or show evidence of at least ten kinds of wild animals (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks) found in your community.

 

Pictures are worth a thousand words - from my neck of the woods (feel free to add from your neck of the woods)

 

Beaver

http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh427/Chowanoke/DSCN0396.jpg

 

Beaver

http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh427/Chowanoke/DSCN0382.jpg

 

Deer

http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh427/Chowanoke/DSCN0375.jpg

 

Squrrel

http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh427/Chowanoke/RSCN0365.jpg

 

pileated woodpecker

http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh427/Chowanoke/DSCN0364.jpg

[oldsm 10]

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking for? Pictures of "evidence"? Or are you suggesting that a scout can "identify or show evidence" by submitting photos he finds online? Or pictures that he takes himself?

 

My troop follows the practice of having a scout show or identify the actual animal/scat/tree hole/beaver dam/etc. in the wild - usually on a camping trip.

 

How do other units handle this requirement?

[le Voyageur 72]

 

My thinking is that as Scouters we share images as a resource tools to help those new Scouters/Unit Leaders who are starting out, and are working at improving their outdoor skills. This thread should be considered nothing more then an opportunity to help those new Leaders to better serve their Unit.

[eagle90 125]

If the scout took the photos himself, I would certainly pass him on this requirement. But not if he just copied internet photos.

[eghiglie 10]

We do what oldm does.

 

With technology today pictures can be created and appear realistic so we want to see it for real.

 

 

[le Voyageur 72]

Were I a Unit Leader, I would accept no photos. This is, as I see it, a requirement to be done in the outdoors. Not at a computer terminal. It's needs to be done in the outdoors, as it provides the SM/ASM with a living classroom, and teachable moments to explain to the Scout, how all things are interconnected to the enviroment in which those signs are found.

This thread is intended as a resource for those new Unit Leaders to get them off, and running and working with their Scouts. Also it would provide them a place a post an image that they are not sure of to allow us to put our collective heads together to figure out what it is...(This message has been edited by Le Voyageur)

[jeff-o 10]

Personally, I see nothing wrong with accepting photos that the scout has taken himself. One scout took pictures this past summer while on vacation with his family and showed us prints of animals he saw. I thought that was pretty impressive.

[Buffalo Skipper 13]

Jeff-o,

Not to disagree with you, but the requirement is to show evidence in "you community." I view this as key. I see it as raising awareness of what animals (or plants for 1C) are in your area. I do interpret this loosly; when we camp within 75ish miles of our home, which is 85% of our outings, I consider that local/community.

 

I also like to see that the scouts know of whether or not the animals/plants are indigenous to the area. As an example, wild boar are not native to North America, but it is not hard to find evidence of them in some places. That is not to say it should not be counted, only that scouts should be be aware of the difference of native species. Likewise, if one was up in the upper reaches of the Smoky Mountains, seeing the dead Frasier fir trees would be evidence of the Balsam woolly aphid, which is native to Asia.