Aug. 27—Visitors to Penitentiary Glen Reservation had the chance to stand up shut with the reptilian world at its Aug. 27 Snakes, Turtles and More occasion.
The occasion was designed to focus on reptiles’ “excessive adaptions,” mentioned Lake Metroparks Interpretive Naturalist Nick Gaye. As an instance, he highlighted wooden frogs that may “freeze themselves stable to outlive the winter.”
He additionally talked about how the occasion might serve those that view reptiles as harmful.
“We’re right here to coach and enlighten, present that although they are often scary at occasions, they’re all actually, actually, actually cool when you get to know them,” Gaye said.
“That’s what it is all about,” he added. “Getting individuals out right here, having fun with the park and studying a factor or two, sneaking that in there earlier than they get again to highschool.”
Inside the park’s Nature Center, representatives from the South Euclid-based Herps Alive Foundation introduced snakes, lizards and tortoises for guests to see and maintain.
“Our primary aim is to coach the general public about these animals,” mentioned basis Executive Director Keith Gisser.
“Humans are likely to have a concern of those animals, and we present that there is nothing inherently to concern about them,” he added.
Gisser said that guests had a possibility to beat their fears of the slithering creatures by holding a corn snake, a grey rat snake and an albino Burmese python, amongst others.
“We’ve been busy,” he mentioned, including that he had seen “numerous youngsters who’re fairly courageous and a few dad and mom who aren’t fairly as courageous.”
In addition to training, Gisser mentioned that the inspiration additionally works to rescue animals.
“They do a terrific job,” Gaye added.
Outside, he mentioned that guests might go to the park’s gorge, wetlands and vernal pool to catch creatures together with salamanders and tadpoles.
At the vernal pool, Renee Coyne’s youngsters caught tadpoles and a frog.
“The youngsters actually get pleasure from seeing the reside animals, with the ability to be near them,” she mentioned, including that her youngsters had earlier held Herps Alive snakes.
Meanwhile, youngsters’s naturalist Nancy Murphy helped youngsters study concerning the seen and microscopic creatures in and across the park’s wetlands.
“I feel it is vital for teenagers to know that almost all of what is alive within the pond — they cannot actually see it,” she mentioned. “There’s numerous microscopic life that is there.”
“It’s good for the children to have the ability to get the large stuff, however they need to recognize that there is, like, a magical, mysterious world that we won’t see,” Murphy added.
Gaye mentioned that different points of interest included an impediment course and prepare rides from the Lake Shore Live Steamers.
