Dripping Springs -

Have you ever wondered what it's like to do an autopsy on an animal?

In late February, three 7th grade science classes at Dripping Springs Middle School conducted a quail necropsy, courtesy of the Texas Wildlife Association and its L.A.N.D.S. curriculum (Learning Across New Dimensions in Science). Necropsy means post-mortem examination, especially in animals.

Three hundred and eighty students learned about Bobwhite quail by examining external and internal characteristics such as size, color, gender, age, and overall health. Through detail examinations, they learned how to age a quail (primary wing coverts), where it holds its food (crop), how many stomachs it has (2; upper-proventriculus and lower-ventriculus or Gizzard), and how the digestive system works.

Student reactions included, "That was cool" and "I've never seen the inside of a quail before. Things are so tiny."

This exercise, plus much more, is part of the L.A.N.D.S. curriculum, available through the Texas Wildlife Association Youth Education program. For information, contact Koy Coffer at (830) 792-3070 or kcoffer@texas-wildlife.org

Special thanks to Volunteers who helped lead the Dripping Springs classes: Craig & Nyta Hensley (Texas Parks & Wildlife), and Virginia Roberts (Texas Brigades).

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