KUKUI‘ULA — Snakes in the sugar cane? It could happen. Late Saturday afternoon, three dozen snakes were reported in the ornamental sugar cane patch at the National Tropical Botanical Garden visitor center. The mission of young snake hunters was to
KUKUI‘ULA — Snakes in the sugar cane?
It could happen.
Late Saturday afternoon, three dozen snakes were reported in the ornamental sugar cane patch at the National Tropical Botanical Garden visitor center.
The mission of young snake hunters was to find those snakes and report them to the groundskeeper.
Sneaky Snake Search was just one of seven specially created stations where children from ages 6 to 10 could interactively learn about native species (also referred to as “treats”) and invasive species (or “tricks”) at the Ghoulish Goblin Garden Bash.
“This is the first year we’ve had this,” said Jacqueline Kozak, Kaua‘i Community Outreach officer for the Hawai‘i Invasive Species Committee.
“The whole thing was a collaborative effort between the Kaua‘i Invasive Species Committee and the NTBG.”
Lea Taddonio, the volunteer coordinator at NTBG, said NTBG’s goal is to raise more awareness about the visitor center in the community.
“We want the community to be able to connect with NTBG and plants,” she said.
The bash, which was free to the public, coincided with the end of the visitor center’s operating hours. It featured special tents set up in one area of the lawn while other stations were established within the more specialized garden areas at the center.
The Sneaky Snake Search was one of the more popular stations. It featured the artificial snake specimens used in a snake training program, Kozak said.
“The volunteers placed them around the cane patch as if they existed there naturally, and the children had to count them,” Kozak said. “One youngster was so intrigued with the patch, he kept wanting to go back through.”
The “Great Pumpkin” and “Goat Boy” greeted the youngsters and lost little time getting them oriented into the theme of things, offering to tell them their aumakua, which was centered around a handful of native animals.
Gooey eyes, eggs and other wriggly things churned up the wildest creatures in the minds of blindfolded youngsters who were guided through the Halloween Senses station by “Mahi‘ai,” “Octopus Tree Lady,” or “Running Bamboo.”
Mahi‘ai represented the planter while the Octopus Tree Lady and Running Bamboo symbolized invasive species as they guided blindfolded youngsters to experience the squishy Java plum, slimy apple snail eggs, and other invasives.
Kozak, herself garbed as a jungle queen, came up with a mixed bag of native and invasive species in ‘Aina Trick or Treat. At that station, young patrons had to perform tasks like flexing their muscles and screaming “I am a weed warrior” whenever they encountered an invasive species. A native species earned kids a treat.
The spooky tour was climaxed at the storytelling and craft area.
All of the activities led up to a candy hunt in another of the NTBG gardens where children eagerly sought out the sweets while touring through the native plants.
Kozak said in addition to this inaugural Halloween-themed event, the KISC will be involved in an Arbor Day giveway Saturday.
