Animal ambassador conservationists: Ding Darling

Ding Darling

One of the Dickinson County Nature Center’s red-eared slider turtles is named Darling. Not because it’s a darling name — although it is — but because he is named after Iowa conservationist Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling. Jay Norwood Darling was born in 1876 in Norwood, MI, but he moved with his family to Sioux City Read More »

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Animal ambassador conservationists: Aldo Leopold

Aldo Leopold

The great plains toads at the Dickinson County Nature Center are named Al and Wally. Photo of Great Plains toad Wally is named after Alfred R. Wallace (read more about him here), and Al is named after Iowa-born conservationist Aldo Leopold. Leopold was born in 1887 in Burlington and spent much of his youth in Read More »

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Animal ambassador conservationists: Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt

Teddy the ornate box turtle at the Dickinson County Nature Center is named after former president and conservationist Theodore Roosevelt. Teddy the ornate box turtle Roosevelt, whose nickname was Teddy — even though he didn’t like it, was born in 1858 in New York City. He grew up homeschooled due to medical conditions and grew Read More »

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What we love about our animal ambassadors

Great Plains toad

We love the animal ambassadors at the Dickinson County Nature Center! Here are some reasons why: 1. Pinki’s irridescent hair Pink is the perfect color for Valentine’s Day, so Pinki the tarantula fits right in. She has irridescent pink hairs that were the reason her species was named Chilean rose-haired tarantula. Those hairs are more Read More »

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Five facts you probably didn’t know about painted turtles

painted turtle

Annie and Jeff loved the Dickinson County Nature Center. But they’re not visitors. They don’t even work here. Actually, they live here! That’s because, even though they have human-like names, Annie and Jeff are the nature center’s painted turtles (Chrysemys picta.) Annie the painted turtle Everyone loves checking out our painted turtles, so here are Read More »

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What animal ambassador are you?

[wp_quiz id=”6319″] Are You Smarter Than a Naturalist? By kiley | April 13, 2020 Personality quiz: Which pollinator are you? By kiley | June 10, 2019 Earth Day trivia quiz By kiley | April 24, 2018 What animal ambassador are you? By kiley | February 26, 2018

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