Beth Teeters, of Ishpeming, and her daughter, Olivia, 3, look at an animal skull during a special educational program for children and adults held March 25 at the Women’s Federated Clubhouse. The activity was part of the annual “Celebrate the UP!” event held by the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition. (Journal photo by Christie Bleck)

MARQUETTE — What color is a red fox’s fur? OK, that might be an easy question, depending on what you consider red.

But learning the answers to other questions pertaining to things like the sharpness of a whitetail’s teeth might be more difficult.

To help kids — and their parents — learn such nature-related facts, one program at the March 25 “Celebrate the UP!” event, sponsored by the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition, focused on tactile activities like touching animal pelts and skulls.

Local environmental activists, teachers and other professionals gave a variety of presentations at the annual UPEC event.

Teaching the children’s program, though, were environmental educators Maggie Scheffer, of Iron River, and Nick Baumgarten, of Spread Eagle, Wisconsin.

Activities were visual as well, with pictures and casts of animal tracks part of the program.

For instance, 3-year-old Olivia Teeters, of Ishpeming, was shown pictures of various animals.

“Do you know what animal that is? It’s not a beaver. Striped trail, goes around at night,” Scheffer asked.

It was, of course, a striped skunk.

The girl also was shown a “blanket.”

“This used to be a real beaver, a really live running-around beaver, swimming-around beaver,” Scheffer said. “Now it’s the beaver’s skin. We call it a pelt.”

Baumgarten got even more specific, saying: “A beaver, specifically, is called a blanket.”

Using skulls as visual aids, Scheffer asked people to take a special look at teeth.

“These teeth that the deer have look like they’d be good for just biting off grass,” she said.

It helps if youngsters are enthusiastic about even such basic activities.

“I love that one!” Olivia squealed when showed a particularly large skull.

However, it’s also important they learn while having fun.

“Oftentimes if they see animals, it’s from a distance, and so by having the pelts here, and the skulls, it gives them a much greater familiarity with the animal, with its skin covering and the size of the animal and so forth,” said Scheffer, who believes it’s important to get that familiarity at an early age.

Although a large bear pelt or skull could be a little intimidating to a young child, that can be overcome.

Take little Olivia, for example.

“I mean, look at her,” Scheffer said. “She didn’t even want to get close to the skins. Now she’s realized they’re not going to hurt her.”

Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.