Things got a little wild at the Eagle Grove Memorial Library on Saturday, July 23, compliments of “Kyle the Zoo Educator.” After having to reschedule a program that was originally supposed to take place a couple of weeks ago because of a sick animal, Kyle from the Blank Park Zoo brought an African Millipede and a hedgehog relative from Madagascar to Eagle Grove this past weekend.
Roughly 50 kids and their parents, as well as other community members, gathered at the library to see the animals and learn about the natural habitat of the Rainforest.
“Just by being here today you are helping endangered animals by learning about them and their habitats,” Kyle told the crowd.
The kids loved it when Kyle referred to them as “Wildlife Advocates.”
But before the official presentation got started, the kids got a kick out of learning that Blank Park Zoo has an animal Mayor voted on by people online. His name is Barnaby, a 500 pound tortoise they’ve had at the zoo since 1966. He’s in his late 80s or early 90s. When the Deratio came through, it took eight people to move him inside to safety.
The next exciting tidbit the kids learned from Kyle was that there is actually a rainforest in Alaska. Most people assume they have to be hot and humid, but in Alaska it is a cool temperature pine forest.
Kyle went on to teach the kids and adults about the different layers of the rainforest. The top layer (the very top of the trees) is called the Emergent Layer. This is where animals like parrots and butterflies live. Under that is the Canopy Layer where monkeys and snakes can be found. The third layer is called the Understory Layer where you can find animals like sloths and poisonous tree frogs (which the kids learned can’t harm you just by touching them. Their poison is harmful only if you EAT the frog). Jaguars also live in the layer. The fourth and final layer is called the Forest Floor where you find large animals like elephants.
The kids listened patiently, and after 40 minutes they were finally rewarded with the opportunity to meet the two animals Kyle had brought with him.
One final piece of information the kids learned during the presentation, that some of them seemed especially excited about, is that Blank Park Zoo actually accepts kid volunteers as a way of exposing them to possible future careers working with animals. If you have a child that might be interested in volunteering at the zoo, you are encouraged to give them a call and ask for more details.
Kids of a certain age can volunteer at Blank Park Zoo
