What got you interested in wildlife?

[AdamWargon]

Thanks for this great question!

We are social creatures, so it makes sense to bond over our shared love of wildlife. Because it’s so natural to seek out your tribe, this question has come up many times over the years.

I’m not sure whether the mods prefer to merge these threads, or to let each one stand on its own, but here are some related threads, in case you would like to explore previous answers:

https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-originally-got-you-into-nature/ (2020 Jan 7)

https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-makes-you-a-nature-lover-or-for-professional-what-makes-you-work-for-nature/ (2021 Aug 6)

https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-was-your-spark-organism/ (2025 Jan 15)

@AdamWargon

For me, it all started when I was a kid growing up in southern Ontario (a beautiful province in Canada).

One day, my dad caught a huge garter snake and put it in an empty gallon (4-litre) jug of vinegar. We carefully placed a Kleenex on top, held with a rubber band, so that the snake could breathe. But while I was gone for just a few minutes, the snake poked through the Kleenex and escaped!

This excitement sparked a lifelong passion for reptiles. I’ve since attended the International Herpetological Symposium, a meeting of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, and even the World Congress of Herpetology!

It’s amazing how one childhood moment can ignite a love for wildlife that lasts a lifetime.