Ecology center event to raise awareness of local wildlife

As the North Shore hunkers down for winter, humans aren’t the only animals hiding from the weather.

The Evanston Ecology Center is hosting a free party Saturday night called “Hibernation Hoe-down” to teach families about local wildlife and how animals in the area cope with frigid Midwestern temperatures.

“(We offer) encouragement to get people outside when they wouldn’t be otherwise,” said environmental educator Karen Taira, one of the two center staff members who will lead Saturday’s activities. She said the center would like to see people learn about wildlife in their area.

The party will be indoors at the recently renovated Lovelace Park field house.

But so many residents have registered in advance that planners now considering moving some events outside to accommodate more people.

“Twenty-five are signed up right now,” Taira said. “The wait list has 15, so we’re now assessing if it can be expanded.”

The guest list comprises mostly families, Taira said. The children range in age from about 2 to 12 but most are between 3 and 7, she said.

Popcorn and lemonade will be offered. Activities will include square-dancing and educational activities, games and songs.

The activities will focus on two animals: bats, which hibernate, and chipmunks, which are dormant. This means they sleep for weeks at a time, then wake up and make short excursions around the wintery world.

“We like to talk about that,” Taira said. “‘Dormancy’ isn’t a term everyone is familiar with.”

The ecology center tries to sponsor a free event every season to promote its mission of increasing the public’s knowledge of wildlife. The center is supported by the Evanston Parks/Forestry and Recreation Department and also receives funding from the Evanston Environmental Association. The association, an Evanston nonprofit, started the original ecology center and currently is supporting building renovations at the offices of the ecology center.