Living With Wildlife in Newton
Wednesday, February 1, 2006

Students at the Horace Mann Elementary School had something in common with their counterparts at Hogwarts recently when a great-horned owl took up residence for most of the morning on a baseball backstop at Albemarle Field. The magnificent foot-tall bird, nicknamed “Winky” by the children, was unfazed by the rapt attention of all the teachers and students who came out to view this unusual live exemplar of wildlife in Newton during their recess. Winky appeared serene, even when faced with dive-bombing from nearby crows.

Teachers, some of whom took pictures of the celebrity with their cell phones, viewed this as a learning opportunity for their charges. Back in class, the kids quickly became familiar with owl facts and worked on drawings; some of them sculpted owl figures in the snow outside.

Such wildlife encounters are becoming increasingly common in Newton.

In recent years, a bald eagle was spotted feasting on fresh Charles River fish at Albemarle Field, an otter was found cavorting in a West Newton swimming pool, a turkey was harassing a postal worker in Newtonville and a wild moose chase occurred in our fair city. Meanwhile, deer, coyote, fox and fisher sightings are more common than ever.

This month’s environmental show, “Living with Wildlife in Newton,” is presented by the Newton Conservators, our local open space organization. In the show, Colleen Olfenbuttel, a staff biologist with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, discusses why we see more wildlife locally these days, based on her slide-show lecture at the Newton Library last December.

After hunting and the clear-cutting of Massachusetts forests for farming led to a decline in animal populations, the regrowth of forests has led to a return of many species. Animals find the suburban habitat and food sources well suited to their needs. The show explains the habits and characteristics of many creatures that have adopted Newton as their home, sometimes leading to conflict. Part 2, to be shown in April, deals with practical steps that can be taken to minimize such conflicts and to help residents coexist peacefully with their wildlife neighbors.