Cape Cod National Seashore to Host Evening Program - Wildlife at Cape Cod National Seashore - The Rare and Unseen Among Us

Date: July 21, 2014
Contact: Sue Haley, 508-255-3421

Join Cape Cod National Seashore Wildlife Ecologist Dr. Robert Cook at 7 PM on Tuesday, July 29 at Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham for a one-hour presentation focusing on some of the lesser-known and less conspicuous species of wildlife in the park, what we do and do not know about them, and the roles they play in the seashore's ecology.

The habitats of Cape Cod National Seashore help support hundreds of species of wildlife that live in or pass through on migration each year. Of these, relatively few are large, conspicuous species easily seen and well-known to park visitors and area residents. The vast majority of these creatures remain largely unseen as a result of being rare or having habitat needs or behaviors that keep them out of the public eye. Although they may be out of sight and out of mind, these species often play important roles in the functioning of the seashore's natural systems and contribute to the native wildlife species diversity that the seashore protects.

Bob Cook is a wildlife biologist who began his career with the National Park Service in 1979 at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at Gateway NRA, New York City where he concentrated on wildlife inventory and population restoration projects. Bob also spent a couple of years at National Park of American Samoa, working on stream surveys, terrestrial snail surveys, and feral pig management. He currently works on wildlife inventory and monitoring projects at Cape Cod National Seashore. Bob has a BS and MS in wildlife biology, a PhD in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, and has conducted inventory and monitoring, research and management projects on freshwater fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and a variety of bird species.

This program is part of the annual "Tuesday Evening Series" at Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham. Held weekly at 7 PM in July and August in the air-cooled comfort of the visitor center auditorium, programs focus on the diverse natural and cultural resources on the Outer Cape and are suitable for all ages. Programs are free of charge and accessible. The series is sponsored by the Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore.

to assist with activity planning. Visit the museum, view a park film, enjoy panoramic views of Salt Pond and Nauset Marsh, and shop in the gift and bookstore featuring national seashore-related items. For more information about the seashore's programs, visit the park website at .

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