Barb and Sandy don’t let fame go to their heads, even though they can be a little prickly at times. These two spiky balls of cuteness are the stars of Porcupines Up Close, one of the educational animal encounter programs at Maymont, where critters share their lives openly with guests and school children who visit their Virginia Wildlife Trail.
The Trail, which recently reopened after a two-year renovation, is located in a valley between the historic estate, the Maymont Farm, and The Robins Nature Center and features around a dozen different native Virginia species in thoughtfully designed habitats. Enhancements include updated habitats for coyotes Bernie and Punkie and porcupines Barb and Sandy, as well as other habitats along the mile-long stretch. Visitors will also enjoy expanded viewing areas with better visibility, interconnected pathways throughout the mile-long trail, and outdoor classrooms at the bobcat, porcupine, and black bear habitats.
While the renovated Trail offers visitors an even closer look at Virginia’s native wildlife, the animals are only part of the experience. Every habitat is designed to spark visitors’ curiosity about conservation, animal behavior, and the important role these species play in our ecosystem. Through educational encounters, school programs, and hands-on experiences, Maymont helps visitors of all ages connect with the natural world in meaningful ways.
Meet the Animal Ambassadors
Barb and Sandy are accustomed to the attention they receive in their habitat. On one encounter, while Barb was busy devouring a little corn on the cob, Maymont animal ambassador specialist Diana Wickersham took the opportunity to teach a visiting family about animal training and behavior as they watched Barb snacking.
“I told them I’d be taking Barb out of her exhibit to have her walk around on our porcupine adventure platform, and the little girl in the family asked me whether I would pick her up to get her out,” says Wickersham.
Rather than forcing Barb to participate, Wickersham explained that Barb was trained using positive reinforcement to walk into a crate voluntarily when she wanted to go out and come back in when she was ready. “She gets to choose what she wants to do, just like us,” Wickersham says.
Wickersham had barely placed the crate on the ground when Barb yanked the door open with one paw and waddled inside. Later, when Barb was tired, she opened the door with her paw and meandered back inside. “So, she knows when her nap time is,” the little girl said to Wickersham, smiling.
Moments like these are exactly why Maymont’s education staff values animal encounters.
“They are a great representation of their species,” says Rachel Riesbeck, education manager at Maymont. “A lot of people have not seen porcupines in person, but we are starting to see signs that they are moving back into the area. They are dynamic animals to watch and fun to talk about.”
Although Barb and Sandy may not realize it, they — and more than 300 other animals at Maymont — serve as ambassadors, teaching visitors and school groups the importance of animal education.
“Animals teach us about the beauty and fragility of life,” says Joe Neel, Maymont’s senior manager of zoology. “[They give] us a better understanding of all the life that surrounds us — big and small — and it’s what creates that synergy that makes this wonderful blue planet so exceptional.”
Lessons from the Trail
Helping visitors understand how animals survive in the wild is at the heart of Maymont’s educational mission. Animal adaptation, the unique ways that animals learn to thrive in their environments, is a major focus of the programs.
“Few people realize that porcupines, seahorses, and elk are native to Virginia,” Neel says. “[Visitors] learn about special animal adaptations that allow them to survive in the wild.”
Maymont is one of the only places in Virginia that specializes in native wildlife. Most of the residents of Maymont’s Virginia Wildlife Trail are rescued or rehabilitated animals that cannot safely be released back into the wild.
“We provide them with their forever homes, along with special care and enrichment,” says Krista Weatherford, director of programming and curator of natural resources. “We also provide veterinary care. Thanks to that, we see them living longer in our care.”
For many visitors, especially those in underserved communities, Maymont offers a rare opportunity to see these animals up close. “I’m extremely proud that we are able to provide this opportunity to so many at little to no cost,” Neel says. “Ultimately, my hope is that it creates that emotional bond between people and the natural world and piques their interest in being active participants in conserving that natural world.”
That connection extends beyond science lessons. Ma’asehyahu Isra-Ul, an independent public historian and former Richmond Public Schools instructional specialist, believes experiences like these help students connect classroom learning with the world around them. Introducing children to animals in real-life settings can help them appreciate both wildlife and their role in protecting it.
“We are our environment and our environment is us,” Isra-Ul says. “We shape it as it shapes us.”
During his time with Richmond Public Schools, Isra-Ul made sure that students received not only superior classroom instruction but also place-based instruction in locations like Maymont, helping teachers to connect the Standards of Learning (SOLs) to real examples in the physical world.
“Children have the ability to engage, understand, and eventually appreciate their co-inhabitants (animals), and that will hopefully help them to see and make connections in their learning, increase their respect for the environment, and realize that we are all connected. So when we mistreat the environment, we are in the end mistreating ourselves in some way,” he says.
“Animals teach us about the beauty and fragility of life.” — Joe Neel, Senior Manager of Zoology
Learning by Experience
Education has been part of Maymont’s mission for decades. The original habitats along the Virginia Wildlife Trail date back to 1959, when local philanthropist William B. Thalhimer, Sr. and civic leaders advocated for teaching urban children about Virginia’s natural environment firsthand.
Maymont’s visitors can encounter American black bears, bison, bobcats, coyotes, elk, porcupines, red foxes, sika deer, and various raptors, including bald eagles, hawks, and vultures. Depending on the species, habitats may be home to one animal or several, giving visitors the opportunity to observe different behaviors and interactions throughout the Trail. The Trail and its resident animals help educate the public about wildlife as well as about environmental awareness and care for the ecosystem, so we can all learn to share our habitat together.
In a typical year, Maymont welcomes about 18,000 students and works with several local area school districts. It also offers summer camps and a variety of programs that include guided Trail Treks and Breakfast with the Bears programs that continue throughout the fall.
Trail Treks feature a guided hour-long walking tour of the full Virginia Wildlife Trail and includes a meet-and-greet with one of Maymont’s animal keepers, who introduces participants to one of the animals so they can see them in action. Breakfast with the Bears programs give guests a behind-the-scenes look at the bears’ behavior while a Maymont educator shares information about their natural history and unique adaptations to our environment.
Every Animal Has a Story
Behind every habitat is an animal with a unique journey. Neel oversees the acquisition and care of the animals that call Maymont home, working closely with veterinarians and state and federal agencies to ensure compliance. He gets to know the animals at The Robins Nature Center, the Virginia Wildlife Trail, and the farm and loves sharing stories about the animals’ distinct personalities.
Percy, Maymont’s beloved Sicilian donkey, has a knack for knowing when someone new is working with him. “Just like a mischievous toddler, he will see what he can get away with. However, once he gets to know the person, he will share his lovable and playful side,” says Neel. “I had to go through it as well when I first started. I won him over by playing tag with him.”
Neel also likes to tell people how Monty the bobcat came to Maymont. A couple was hiking and found an abandoned kitten, which they brought home to care for. When they took it to their veterinarian, the vet informed them that it was not a domesticated cat, but, in fact, a wild bobcat. The little bobcat was taken to the Wildlife Center of Virginia, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Waynesboro.
“Unfortunately, he became habituated to humans and was no longer viable for re-release back in the wild. In 2008, he was transferred to Maymont as his forever home,” Neel says. “Since then, not only has he played a role in educating and delighting millions of guests, but he has been thoroughly spoiled by our animal care team. He just turned 18 years old back in May and is still sprightly and healthy due to proper nutrition and habitat, consistent enrichment, and outstanding medical care.”
Beyond the Wildlife Trail
The learning doesn’t stop outdoors. Inside the Robins Nature Center, visitors can see animals from the James River watershed, including fish, reptiles, snakes, turtles, snapping turtles, amphibians, and two river otters named Louis and Nola.
“We introduce [the animals] to students and bring them out for summer campers, so they can touch [the animals] while we are talking about them,” Riesbeck says, noting they also bring them out during the year for school programs. “Snakes are the best message spreaders because they can dispel some myths around animals.”
One of the summer camp educators saw firsthand how children learn from the animal encounters when she was teaching 3-year-olds in Maymont’s Cub Camp. She brought out a live snake during a hands-on learning experience about reptiles, and the kids watched as the snake slowly wrapped its body around the educator’s arm. The educator saw this as a valuable teaching opportunity and explained that snakes are cold-blooded animals and often seek warmth by wrapping themselves around warm objects, such as a person’s arm.
The following day, the educator witnessed a child putting what they’d learned into action. A 3-year-old selected a stuffed snake from the classroom and intentionally wrapped it around their own body. As they did so, the child explained that the snake was “staying warm,” demonstrating a clear connection to the previous day’s lesson.
It’s a small moment, but one that perfectly captures Maymont’s mission. Observing animals gives people an opportunity to see how animals interact with the space around them, and perhaps they can teach us to be better citizens of the world.
“Their behaviors tell us more about them and how they interact with each other and the world around them,” Riesbeck says.
“We are our environment and our environment is us. We shape it as it shapes us.” — Ma’asehyahu Isra-Ul, Public Historian
