Third Annual Keep Wildlife Wild Event a Great Success!

This year the volunteers for the third annual “Keep Wildlife Wild” event took a positive approach to educating visitors about the importance of not feeding the wildlife in the park.

Leading by example, 21 volunteers targeted picnic areas along the Nisqually and Steven’s Canyon corridors with brooms and dustpans to sweep up crumbs left by picnickers. They shooed deer from the roadsides to keep them safer from traffic and “well intentioned” feeding, as well as Townsend’s chipmunks, Douglas squirrels, Steller’s and grey jays, Clark’s nutcrackers, and ravens from their usual spots around picnickers. Uniformed in shirts with the “Keep Wildlife Wild” logo and the message PEOPLE≠FOOD, most volunteers took to the park’s free shuttle bus system to provide informative handouts and stickers to visitors along the stops of the bus route.

Many of the volunteers had backgrounds in teaching and outdoor stewardship. The group was made up of both new and returning participants whose dedication to wildlife protection and visitor education helped make the event a success.

Thanks go out to all who participated!

-Sarah Yates
Wildlife Biologist
Mount Rainier National Park