Science & Outdoors
UWSP biology department mascot goes by Al
The Pointer
kbeck271@uwsp.edu
Meet Al the American Alligator, more specifically “Alligator mississippiensis,” mascot of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point biology department. He enjoys eating chicks and mice and relaxing under his heat lamp. No handshake necessary.
Although an alligator living in the Trainer Natural Resources building is a bit hard to miss, Al’s history and the work that takes place behind the scenes to care for Al and many other animals in the building is less widely known.
When full-grown, Al will be 10 to 15 feet long, meaning that in two to three years he will have to leave UWSP for a larger habitat. Right now, he is four or five years old, though his exact age is unknown. Co-manager of the UWSP live reptile and amphibian collection Matt Rucker describes Al as a “loveable guy.”
The UWSP collection includes 24 reptiles of 18 species and 56 amphibians of nine species, most of which, including Al, are rescued or donated pets. In fact, of the 80 in the collection, 50 were raised captive, 22 were caught in the wild and eight are of unknown origin. These animals are cared for by volunteers and paid student positions from the Herpetology Society.
The mission of the Herpetology Society, according to President Brooke Johnson, is focused on learning about the basic care, handling and habits of reptiles and amphibians in nature and captivity. The organization, which meets Mondays at 6 p.m. in TNR 354, relies heavily on volunteers to take care of the many animals in the collection.
According to Rucker, caring for “herps” is about more than just supplying food and water. Other requirements of general husbandry include cleaning up after the animals and supplying the correct amount of humidity and lighting.
Along with giving student caretakers invaluable experience, the live reptile and amphibian collection is also used for educational purposes. Eric Wild, advisor to the Herpetology Society, uses the animals as a teaching tool in many of his classes, from general biology to advanced courses.
College students aren’t the only ones given an opportunity to interact with the animals. The Herpetology Society presents educational shows at the Women & Science Days and travels to local elementary schools to educate kids about the importance of amphibians and reptiles, said Johnson. Many school groups also visit the UWSP campus to learn about the animals as well.
When not presenting educational shows, herpetology Society members stay busy traveling to zoos within Wisconsin and herpetology shows such as the North American Reptile Breeding Conference, Midwest Frog Fest and South East Wisconsin Exotic Reptile Festival, said Johnson.
