WINNEMUCCA - On Thursday, Feb. 2, Ed Partee with the Nevada Department of Wildlife called and invited Kings River students out to witness the ram catch and release program. The students learned many different lessons with this field trip.
They learned about the different ways in which animals release heat. The bighorn sheep lose body heat through their horns, compared to humans that sweat. They also were given a wonderful opportunity to view (on a laptop) from the helicopter's point of view, how the sheep are rounded up and captured. Ensuring the safety of the bighorns was pointed out again and again by the various individuals that spoke to the students. The students were able to see how they cared for the animals once they were brought in by helicopter. There were many individuals that saw to this care, from biologists to vets.
Social studies was another component to this field trip. Many of the students were not aware of the local industries and/or opportunities that contribute to the bighorn program. They learned some of what NDOW does, from this program (bighorn sheep) to water systems throughout Humboldt County. They saw the many career opportunities available within their own backyard.
Mathematics was also a lesson learned on this day. The students asked many questions such as how far the net gun can go, how much fuel is burned in the helicopter and how often they need to fuel up, among others.
Overall this was a wonderful learning experience for both the students and teachers in Kings River.
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