Clean your paws with opossum prints

March 7, 2018

Randy Zellers

Assistant Chief of Communications

PINE BLUFF – Ever come across a random animal track in the wild that you just couldn’t figure out? A fun new class at the Gov. Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center can wash away that doubt by giving you the opportunity to craft handy paw-print replicas made of soap. The class will begin at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21 at the nature center in Pine Bluff Regional Park.

Identifying the tracks of Arkansas animals has been available in workshops ever since the nature center opened in 2001, but Regional Educator Laura Rogers has added a little good clean fun to the program by switching out the traditional plaster casts with glycerin soap. 

“We’ve used molds of tracks with plaster for as long as I can remember, and it was always messy and took forever to get the tracks to dry,” Rogers said. “I met one of our fellow educators at the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, who had come up with this neat idea to try the soap. Not only was it faster and cleaner, it gave people even more reason to want to take the finished product home with them.”

Rogers says participants will get to choose the colors, type of track and scent they want their soap to be. Every type of track from deer and ducks to coyotes and bobcats will be available to create. There is no registration or fee for the workshop, but Rogers expects a good crowd during Spring Break. 

“It’s a great way to enjoy some time with your kids while they’re home from school,” Rogers said. “The outdoors can really spark creativity in a young mind.” 

The track casting program is just one of many special events planned at the four nature centers operated by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for Spring Break.

“Too often, children use this break from school to sleep in, sit in front of a television or computer and veg,” Rogers said. “And parents can go mad trying to find new and interesting things to keep them entertained. A visit to their nearest nature center can be the break everyone needs from Spring Break.”

Visit www.agfc.com/naturecenters for a lineup of Spring Break activities at a nature center near you.