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Children had a proper introduction to the desert last week during a three-day winter camp in Saguaro National Park.

Fourteen junior rangers participated in a Junior Ranger Wilderness Camp last Monday through Wednesday for children ages 10-13 in Saguaro National Park (West).

Camp activities included pitching tents and cooking with a backpack stove, desert tortoise tracking, compass and map reading and a night hike.

Junior rangers only simulated camping and never actually spent the night in the park.

"This is an opportunity for kids to be in nature," Park Ranger Chip Littlefield said. "We didn't structure it too much."

Aodhan Lyons, 11, didn't really need an introduction to the desert. He's participated in the camp before and designated himself camp cook and camp entertainer.

When he wasn't talking about cheese — he's a cheese afficionado of sorts — the Basis Tucson sixth-grader was searching for animal bones.

He's also well-informed about what people must do to protect and preserve the desert.

"Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints," he would quote. "Kill nothing but time."

Fellow junior ranger Joseph Turner, 10, was more interested in animal scat, or droppings, and finding edible desert plants.

Animal scat can tell you what animals are in the park, volunteer Ranger Michael Jondall said.

Here's another interesting tidbit: Fruit found on a barrel cactus can be removed and eaten, Joseph said.

"It doesn't really taste like anything," Joseph said after taking a bite of the fruit. "The fruit itself is really gross."

Jondall made sure his campers received survival and safety skills during the three-day camp.

He stressed that it is never smart to hike alone.

He allowed the campers to plan and lead hikes.

While on hikes, the junior rangers interpreted animal footprints — they spotted javelina and mountain-lion tracks — and looked for bones.

In one part of the park, the campers were certain they found a boneyard.

"We think that's where the mountain lion is operating," Jondall said.

In addition to the junior rangers and adult rangers, cactus rangers also were involved in the camp.

Cactus rangers are usually high school students who have previously participated in the camp as junior rangers and now volunteer to help.

Pusch Ridge Christian Academy freshman Rachel Ward and her two siblings, twin sister Corrie and older brother Aaron, volunteered to look after campers.

"It's fun to get outdoors and lead the future cactus rangers on hikes," 15-year-old Ward said. "I'm not an outdoors person and I learn what kind of trees and plants there are in the desert."