Youngster excited about trip to Galapagos Islands
BY JOYCE BLAY
Staff Writer

Gunther Errhalt

JACKSON — If animals could talk, they would speak to Gunther Errhalt.

On May 13, Gunther, 12, and 14 other winners of a National Geographic essay contest will travel to the Galapagos Islands, where some of the world’s most unusual animals live.

The boy’s early interest in the animal kingdom helped him win the national contest.

Gunther’s winning essay described his training and participation in a volunteer program for children at the Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro, Mass., near his former home in that state. For three years, Gunther attended zoo camp and worked as a member of a zoo crew that helped others learn about exotic animals.

“I have responsibilities like cleaning exhibits and animal handling,” he wrote in his essay. “Zookeeping is a lot of work, but ... it is a lot of fun, too. I’ve learned that just because an animal is cute or cool, they don’t make good pets.”

Gunther also learned that some

animal species require human help in order to survive.

“(The) Species Survival Plan ... is an organization that helps take care of endangered animals,” he wrote. “People can make a difference in the future of endangered animals by making donations to a zoo, wildlife preserves, by writing letters and by teaching others about the importance of preservation.”

That is a role Gunther hopes to continue performing as an adult.

“It has been my dream to be a zoologist since I was 3 years old and I can’t wait!” he wrote in his essay.

Sponsored by National Geographic Kids magazine, the National Geographic Channel and Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer, the essay contest promotes hands-on exploration by America’s youth. The 15 winners of the essay contest will be members of the first National Geographic Kids Expedition Team, according to information provided on the magazine’s Internet Web site.

Each child and a parent or guardian will fly to Ecuador, where the group will depart by ship with Lindblad Expeditions for the Galapagos Islands, which include Floreana, Isabela, San Cristóbal and Santiago. The islands are in the Pacific Ocean, 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.

The itinerary includes a stop at the Charles Darwin Research Station, said Carol Seitz, a spokesperson for National Geographic Kids magazine.

The station will help the youths learn more about the animals studied by the naturalist for which it is named.

In 1831, Darwin set sail at age 26 on The Beagle. During a five-year journey, the ship made port at the Galapagos Islands. Darwin noted that many species were unique to the area. That observation was the basis for his scientific treatise “The Origin of the Species.”

Amy Cadge, communications coordinator for Lindblad Expeditions in New York City, said about 2,500 entries were received and the top 50 finalists were interviewed by telephone. Finalists were asked why they chose to write their essay about a particular place to explore and to describe an experience in which they were a member of a team.

Cadge said she interviewed Gunther by telephone during the screening of finalists.

National Geographic behavioral ecologist Mike Heithaus and photographer Annie Griffiths Belt later selected the 15 essay contest winners they will accompany to the Galapagos Islands.

Cadge said each child on the expedition will be given a Nikon Coolpix digital camera and will be mentored

by National Geographic experts and Lindblad naturalists on how to document their discoveries in pictures and

in words.

Although Gunther and his family were residents of Massachusetts at the time he entered the contest, he did not find out he had won until his first day in Bradley Olman’s sixth-grade class at the Carl W. Goetz Middle School in Jackson.

“Mr. Olman made me come to the front of the room and tell everybody about it,” Gunther said. “He said it was a great opportunity.”

Gunther is the son of Gwen and Douglas Errhalt. He has a brother, Jacob, 7.

Goetz Middle School Vice Principal Joseph Convery said he hoped Gunther’s winning essay inspired other children.

“If other kids put their minds to it, they can accomplish the same thing as Gunther,” Convery said. “I’m pleased that he did so well.”