Second Class Nature Requirement: Identify Evidence of Wild Animals

The Second Class Nature Requirement seems to be a stumbling point for some Scouts. The requirement reads: Identify or show evidence of at least ten kinds of wild animals (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks) found in your community. Some Scouts seem to think they need to go out to the wilderness to do this. And while I always encourage Scouts to get out hiking, they can do this requirement in their own backyard.

Squirrels and rabbits are plentiful in neighborhoods  here in the Midwest, as are many types of birds. If a Scout lives near a stream, he can look for minnows, crayfish, or frogs. So if you give some examples of common animals in your area and where they might be found, that will help your new Scouts. And he doesn’t have to actually see the animal. He can just see the evidence of the animal, like a nest or a burrow. If he is lucky he will find a snake skin. He might hear a bird or see a raccoon track.

Here is a worksheet to help Scouts keep track of what they have seen or heard. Patrol Leaders or Troop Guides can give these to Scouts who haven’t completed this requirement yet to encourage them to work on it.