Rudy Mancke, who passed away on Nov. 7 at the age of 78, became a beloved figure in South Carolina and beyond through his groundbreaking work as the host of the nationally distributed television show NatureScene and SC Public Radio’s NatureNotes. NatureScene, co-created with Beryl Dakers premiered in 1978 and continued for an impressive 25 years, gaining national recognition for its simple and innovative approach to exploring the natural world.
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In areas known as lime sinks, plants get more moisture and sunlight. Some of the plant life we see here are horse sugar plants, holly bushes, and lizard’s tail plants. While in the lime sink, Rudy and...
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Still in an area close to the coast, we see different plant life due to the significantly lower levels of salinity. Willow trees grow here, and a Yellow Crowned Night Heron bird has built a nest in a...
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In the marsh areas close to the South Carolina coast, a tree which lives very well is the Southern Red Cedar tree.
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Bracken Ferns, Bull Nettles, and the Fetterbush see widespread growth in this area. In lower, wetter areas known as pocosins, we find the Virginia Chain Fern, and a species of shrub called Pond Spice.
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The Southern Toad is a species of amphibian typical to the coastal plain. It is easily distinguishable due to the pair of crests between the eyes. The Long Winged Skimmer, an amber colored dragonfly...
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In this segment we see the Cabbage Palmetto, and the Glasswort or “Sea Pickle.”
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Victoria Bluff gets its name due to the sharp drop down to the shoreline, where at high tide, the Colleton River slowly continues to erode away the edge. Evidence of life is found within the bluffs...
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Naturalist Rudy Mancke shows the different parts of the horseshoe crab.
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Naturalist Rudy Mancke removes the spins of the sea urchin and explains what a test is.
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Naturalist Rudy Mancke examines part of a brown pelican's skeleton.
