When Lu-Anne Spencer-Hartle, our dedicated Chief Critter Keeper, began working with Sacramento Splash in 2001, the program had just one critter—a California Tiger Salamander named Hannah. Hannah had been part of a research project at the University of California, Davis, and she joined Splash after that project. “In those early days, Splash was a nomadic program, much like the seasonal vernal pools it studied,” Lu-Anne recalls. “Every April, we would pack up our equipment and disband until the following January.”
Given Lu-Anne’s extensive career working with animals and her passion for amphibians, she would take Hannah home at the end of each season. At the end of Lu-Anne’s second season, with the blessing of founder and director Eva Butler, she began searching for a second critter. She found a Pacific Gopher Snake named Sir Hiss a Lot, available for adoption through a reptile rescue in the Bay Area. Sir Hiss had been captured in the wild as a young snake and kept as a pet.
“It soon became clear that the stories behind these animals were powerful tools in teaching students about the impact of human actions on the vernal pools and their ecosystems,” Lu-Anne explains.
The students who visit Splash are always eager to see a living, breathing critter. While there is always a chance of spotting a critter or two during the outdoor portion of the field trip, many of these animals are very secretive, and sightings are rare. Lu-Anne fondly remembers, “When the student who had studied the California Tiger Salamander got to see Hannah, the excitement was palpable. This special interaction sparked the idea for Critterville.”
Sacramento Splash added a Western Pond Turtle named Yertle and a California King Snake named LeRoy to the growing collection of critters. Lu-Anne aimed to add one or two new critters to the collection each year. That was challenging, especially since she had to bring them all home at the end of every season. However, in 2006, Splash moved into a new building that still houses the Splash Center today, and Critterville became a permanent home for the critters.
Critterville evolved from housing a single California Tiger Salamander to a thriving habitat for over 40 animals, each with its unique story.
Several animals in Critterville require special permits to keep. One notable example is Ollie, a Western Screech Owl. Ollie was Lu-Anne’s first (and only) owl rehabilitated through the Sacramento Wildlife Care Association. Found as a nestling with an injured foot, Ollie could not be released back into the wild and thus became a permanent resident of Splash. Ollie’s care is carefully regulated, requiring three different permits from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the USDA.
One of the most challenging critters to obtain was the voles. The process of adding a new species to our permit was arduous. Splash had a California Vole that was rehabilitated and deemed un-releasable, but she was pretty shy, and the students rarely saw her. By the time we completed the process to add her to our permit, she had passed away. However, due to the involvement of voles in research, particularly Prairie voles studied for their monogamous behavior, Splash partnered with the UC Davis Laboratory for Comparative Neurobiology of Monogamy. These Prairie voles, which look identical to California voles, are captive-bred and less shy, allowing students to observe them closely and understand their role in the food web as prey animals.
“It has been my dream job to not only work with the critters but to share these critters and their stories with our students,” Lu-Anne says.
Critterville has grown to house 40 critters, cared for by six staff members and several volunteers, known as the Critters Dream Team. Their dedication ensures that Critterville remains a vibrant, educational hub where the stories of these fascinating animals continue to inspire and educate.
