Viewfinder: Every Creature Has A Story

On a recent visit to Meigs Point Nature Center, we got to know some of the residents and a few of their stories. Director Russ Miller, who proudly claims the nickname of "Ranger Russ",  guided us on our tour of the  land and sea creatures that reside there.

Miller sees the mission of the center as one of educating visitors about nature so that they will have a foundation to make intelligent decisions. "Not everyone will be a scientist. But everyone can vote." he told us.

Most of the native species on display have been captive bred or were acquired after being injured in the wild. A few non-native species, some of which have become invasive, are also displayed for educational purposes.

Miller does take some specimens out of their tanks to give visitors a closer look. Others, like the copperhead rattlesnake, are best left inside.

We quickly got to know Merlin, a 40 year old box turtle, who seemed quite comfortable taking a self guided tour through the rooms of the center.  His first stop was at a floor level tank where took time to gaze through the glass at a female box turtle.  It was tempting to try to ascribe human characteristics to Merlin when he seemed to pose for our camera, inching closer while maintaining eye contact. Miller told us that Merlin was probably curious to see his own reflection in the camera lens.

We learned that some native snakes, like the eastern garter snake and the milk snake, though unnerving when encountered unexpectedly, are not dangerous to humans and have of place in Connecticut's ecology.  We also learned that the red eared slider turtle became an invasive species once pet owners released this non-native turtle into the wild.

We concluded our tour by paying a visit a 40 pound lobster in the marine touch tank downstairs.   If he could tell his own story he would talk about being harvested from sea by a lobsterman, then being carried off to a family feast where he was destined to suffer the fate most harvested  lobsters do, only to be saved by being too big to fit in the pot.

If you visit Ranger Russ at the Meigs Point nature center  you can hear more stories about creatures of Connecticut and Long Island Sound.

The center is now open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and stays open until 5 p.m. during summer hours.

You can find out more at the Friends of Hammonasset website.