PORTLAND -- What started on a whim nearly two decades ago with acouple of snake enthusiasts bringing in a half-dozen of their petshas grown into the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry's mostpopular annual event: the Reptile and Amphibian Show.
This time around, the event's 18th year, will feature about 200reptiles as well as various hands-on experiences for patronsthroughout Labor Day weekend, in other words, opportunities to touchthose scaly skins. Besides Bubba, OMSI's 13-foot-long Burmesepython, the facility will give kids as well as adults intimateaccess to such curiosities as a Bornean short tail lizard, beardeddragon lizards and Honduran milk snakes.
OMSI's show has become the largest such exhibition in the PacificNorthwest.
"This is a chance for visitors to see a wide variety of creaturesthat they wouldn't normally be able to see," said Tracey Flynn,OMSI's special events coordinator. "From tiny little corn snakes to16-foot reticulated pythons to all sorts of lizards."
The emphasis this year will be on turtles, including a "TurtleTerritory" area featuring several dozen turtles, terrapins andtortoises from throughout the world.
There also will be three organized demonstrations each day: 11a.m. "Snakes Alive," comparing and contrasting about two dozensnakes; 1:30 p.m. "Creature Features," similar yet looking at awider range of reptiles; and "Geckos: How They Stick, and Why WeCare," results from an academic study at the Lewis & Clark College"Gecko Lab" led by Kellar Autumn.
Even though the OMSI show has grown considerably in size over theyears, it essentially has maintained its original design. Almost allof the animals being brought in for this exhibit are pets of membersof the Northwest Herptile Keepers Association.
"So it's a great place for exhibitors to show their pets," Flynnsaid, "and visitors can learn the personal story of each animal,too."
If You Slither
* WHAT: 18th annual Reptile and Amphibian Show
* WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday through Monday
* WHERE: Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, 1945 S.E. WaterAve., Portland
* COST: Free with regular OMSI admission, $8 general, $6 seniorsand children 13 and younger
* INFORMATION: Call OMSI at 503-797-4588
* ON THE WEB: www.omsi.edu
LEAPIN' LIZARDS AND SNAKES ALIVE! OMSI TO PUT ON REPTILE SHOWPORTLAND -- What started on a whim nearly two decades ago with acouple of snake enthusiasts bringing in a half-dozen of their petshas grown into the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry's mostpopular annual event: the Reptile and Amphibian Show.
This time around, the event's 18th year, will feature about 200reptiles as well as various hands-on experiences for patronsthroughout Labor Day weekend, in other words, opportunities to touchthose scaly skins. Besides Bubba, OMSI's 13-foot-long Burmesepython, the facility will give kids as well as adults intimateaccess to such curiosities as a Bornean short tail lizard, beardeddragon lizards and Honduran milk snakes.
OMSI's show has become the largest such exhibition in the PacificNorthwest.
"This is a chance for visitors to see a wide variety of creaturesthat they wouldn't normally be able to see," said Tracey Flynn,OMSI's special events coordinator. "From tiny little corn snakes to16-foot reticulated pythons to all sorts of lizards."
The emphasis this year will be on turtles, including a "TurtleTerritory" area featuring several dozen turtles, terrapins andtortoises from throughout the world.
There also will be three organized demonstrations each day: 11a.m. "Snakes Alive," comparing and contrasting about two dozensnakes; 1:30 p.m. "Creature Features," similar yet looking at awider range of reptiles; and "Geckos: How They Stick, and Why WeCare," results from an academic study at the Lewis & Clark College"Gecko Lab" led by Kellar Autumn.
Even though the OMSI show has grown considerably in size over theyears, it essentially has maintained its original design. Almost allof the animals being brought in for this exhibit are pets of membersof the Northwest Herptile Keepers Association.
"So it's a great place for exhibitors to show their pets," Flynnsaid, "and visitors can learn the personal story of each animal,too."
If You Slither
* WHAT: 18th annual Reptile and Amphibian Show
* WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday through Monday
* WHERE: Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, 1945 S.E. WaterAve., Portland
* COST: Free with regular OMSI admission, $8 general, $6 seniorsand children 13 and younger
* INFORMATION: Call OMSI at 503-797-4588
* ON THE WEB: www.omsi.edu
No comments:
Post a Comment