Photo: Shelldon, the Moosewood Nature Center’s rescued snapping turtle, peeks out at visitors during the center’s presentation on U.P. native species on Wednesday night. (Journal photo by Abby LaForest)

MARQUETTE — The Moosewood Nature Center held a presentation about native species in the Upper Peninsula on Wednesday evening, educating the public on each animal’s importance, their roles in the environment, and where they’re commonly seen.

Volunteers with the Moosewood Nature Center shared species that are native to the Upper Peninsula in their presentation, such as black bears, snapping turtles, and the infamous blue-spotted salamanders.

A few fun facts about native U.P. species shared during the presentation include:

≤ Native blue-spotted salamanders are a mole species, living almost exclusively underground except during their migration season. In Marquette, that’s typically from March to April.

≤ Black bears and moose are vital seed spreaders in the ecosystem, digesting seeded fruits and depositing them in other places through their excrements.

≤ Perhaps surprisingly, one of the moose’s primary predators is actually an orca whale, due to moose diving down into the water to eat seaweed and other oceanic vegetation. Luckily, the Upper Peninsula isn’t home to any orca whales, and this is more likely to happen in coastal areas.

≤ Snapping turtles can live anywhere from 40 to 100 years depending on their environment, and they don’t reach sexual maturity until they’re 10 years old.

≤ When vultures feast on dead or decaying animals, it helps to prevent disease transmissions from the corpses and unnecessary carbon dioxide emissions.

≤ Blue jays, when they sense that a predator may be nearby, will make noises to alert other prey animals of the predator’s presence.

The center also has a few animals and taxidermied models on display, where Shelldon, their rescued snapping turtle, likes to swim and play around in his large tank in the front lobby.

While the center is supported by the City of Marquette, their financial support comes from a variety of different sources, and volunteer work helps to keep the center offering educational programs and experiences for all ages.

A full list of events hosted by the Moosewood Nature Center can be viewed online at moosewood.org.

Abby LaForest can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 548. Her email address is alaforest@miningjournal.net.