It's
CRUNCH time!
Giant alligator snapping turtle headlines Museum's Reptile and Amphibian Day
February 25, 2005
For Immediate Release
Education, science and calendar editors. Images available.
RALEIGH— Come meet CRUNCH! The 150-year-old, 165-pound Alligator Snapping
Turtle is this year's special guest at the North Carolina Museum of Natural
Sciences' 12th annual Reptile and Amphibian Day on Saturday, March 12,
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Crunch comes to the Museum from the Blackwater Turtle Refuge in Churubusco, Indiana. Crunch has appeared on CNN as one of the largest left alive in the world -- he measures more than four feet long from nose to tail. And if turtles could talk, what a tale Crunch would tell ... about a life that began before the Civil War! His estimated age is between 150 and 200 years. Even though Crunch can't speak, he still can teach us a powerful lesson in wildlife conservation. Huge turtles like this used to be relatively common but the forces of over hunting and habitat disruption have decimated the population to the point where an animal this size may no longer exist anywhere in the wild.
At Reptile and Amphibian Day, you can come face-to-face with live frogs, toads, salamanders, turtles, lizards, crocodilians and snakes as you learn about the threats many of these creatures face and what you can do to help. Other exhibits introduce you to a live sea turtle while providing details on rescue efforts and new high-tech methods of tracking rehabilitated sea turtles. Special guest Michael Dorcas, associate professor of biology at Davidson College, will present "Protecting Our Natural Heritage: Amphibian and Reptile Conservation in North Carolina" in the Museum auditorium.
The event has grown in stature and popularity since its inception, and this year will feature more than 50 exhibits, displays, activities and presentations. "Visitors will see almost 200 live reptiles and amphibians, and can learn ways to assist in statewide conservation efforts starting with just a little effort in their own back yard." said Bob Flook, the Museum's coordinator of educational events. "In addition to native North Carolina species, the event will feature many live exotic and colorful animals from around the world, including a large yellow anaconda, several varieties of poison dart frogs, and a Nile crocodile."
Visitors of all ages will enjoy this special event. Children can propel themselves through an obstacle-riddled "pond" in the Museum's new "Sea Turtle Hurdles" game, or make their own colorful critter at the "Painted Turtles and Leopard Frogs" craft area. Families can learn how to find and identify amphibians in their own back yards, or ask questions of our resident experts and learn the differences between reptiles and amphibians, what defines a frog and a toad, and why salamanders are nature's litmus test. Additional exhibits include advice for potential "herp" (reptile and amphibian) pet owners as well as herp photography.
The event is co-sponsored by the North Carolina Herpetological Society. Admission is free. Lunch, snacks and beverages will be available on Bicentennial Plaza, at the Acro Café, and at a special pizza fundraiser operated by the Museum's Junior Curators on the third floor. A special Herp Shop also will offer for sale a selection of T-shirts, posters and books on reptiles and amphibians. The Museum is located in downtown Raleigh at 11 West Jones Street. For more details on Reptile and Amphibian Day, please call (919) 733-7450, ext. 502 or 503.
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in downtown Raleigh, documents and interprets the natural history of the state of North Carolina through exhibits, research, collections, publications, and educational programming. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sun., noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Visit the Museum on the web at www.naturalsciences.org. The Museum is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, William G. Ross Jr., Secretary.
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