Join Aaron for a discussion about the intricate and unique world of animal mating behaviors.
While leading day camps and family programs for 8 years, Aaron was asked many times why things are the way they are. When anyone goes far enough down the rabbit hole of why wildlife does something, it usually can be attributed to reproduction. However, with children around, answering those questions can be a bit sticky. Thus, the answers are short and ultimately gloss over all kinds of intricate beauty. Douglass has spent his career reading academic research about how and why animals reproduce. The wonderful, albeit underdiscussed, world has been Aaron’s unique niche.
“Nature’s Mating Game” (NMG) is the culmination of that never-ending research and a bit of obsession. While there are all sorts of unique animal behaviors and anatomy, NMG only covers South Dakota species. NMG takes a look at how South Dakota wildlife attract mates, what acts of mating can entail, unique anatomy, and what prairie voles can teach us about love. Monogamous coyotes, gift giving spiders, bisexual bighorn sheep, and more will be discussed in detail during NMG. The presentation will compare and contrast South Dakota wildlife reproductive behavior to human behavior. While there are certainly differences, there are some surprising similarities. Participants should expect to laugh and learn a lot. Though adult themes will be discussed in an academic way, content will not be appropriate for children.
About Aaron:
Aaron Douglass is the Interpretive Manager for Custer State Park. He grew up in rural Indiana to a farming family. Whether it was exploring the woods behind the house, hanging out with the dogs in the shade, or going to the local state park, plenty of his time after school was spent outdoors. While going to Ball State University in Indiana, Aaron started his park career at Mounds State Park as a Seasonal Interpretive Naturalist. As the youngest of 5 children, he learned that he could get paid to talk to people, which seemed like a sweet deal.
After graduating with a bachelor’s in science, he continued working at Mounds but also added working at Minnetrista Museum & Gardens. After a year, Douglass started full-time with the Indianapolis Zoo as an educator. While the diversity of education sites was great exposure, Aaron learned that parks would always be where his heart was at. After a short stint at the Indy Zoo, he spent the next 6 years as the Interpretive Naturalist for Turkey Run & Shades State Parks in Western Indiana, honing his craft.
Since 2022, Douglass has been responsible for the 5 visitor centers, as well all the educational programs that Custer State Park offers. As luck would have it, he now gets to work in a place full of core family memories from a vacation in 2000. Currently, Aaron is enjoying helping new visitors create their own core memories at Custer State Park.