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As a tongue-in-cheek Valentine’s Day fundraiser, Nature Reach at Pittsburg State University is providing the chance for you to symbolically name a cockroach, mouse, or rat after a not-so-special someone in your life, and they'll then be fed to one of the program’s animal ambassadors.
Animal ambassadors include birds of prey, reptiles, and other critters that are injured and can't live in the wild, but can be used for educational purposes.
There are two ways to donate: in person at the Love Bites Table in the Overman Student Center on Feb. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., or online from now until the end of February at the PSU Foundation giving site.
Those who donate in person will receive a certificate with a dedication in honor of your ex. Those who donate online will receive a digital certificate. Suggested donations include $2 for a cockroach, $5 for a mouse, and $10 for a rat.
Nature Reach, based in the Biology Department since 1985, was established to provide natural history and environmental education outreach programming to school and community groups.
It also provides Biology students a hands-on learning opportunity; many of them have hopes of one day becoming veterinarians, park rangers, nature center interpreters, and other related careers for which Nature Reach prepares them.
Note: Nature Reach does not feed live rodents to animal ambassadors; they are delivered frozen from a company that specializes in raising food for captive animals. Roaches also are sourced from a company that specializes in raising food for animal consumption. Rodents and insects are a normal part of many of the diet of animal ambassadors.
