BATH TOWNSHIP, (WLIO)- Johnny Appleseed Metro Park District invited the public to the McElroy Environmental Education Center to get up close and personal with their ambassador animals.
On the last Thursday of every month, you can come see turtles, fish, snakes and other animals at dinnertime. The program teaches kids about exotic and native species, and how to respect those animals in the wild. They learned about unique traits that help the critters thrive in the wild, like how toads have poison just beneath their skin to discourage predators from eating them, and all about their diets.
Everyone also got to see for themselves that some animals aren't as scary as they seem.
"The ones I got to touch are the snakes, some of the frogs and turtles, and I liked to see them when they catch the food and they try to eat it," said 8-year-old Adelaide Massie.
Teenagers are welcome to volunteer one a week to help care for the animals and learn even more about them.
"Mainly just like, cleaning the food and water bowls out and then also petting and holding the animals. I really recommend it. I think it's pretty fun," said Cora Music, a 14-year-old volunteer for the Critter Care program.
If your teen is interested in volunteering, you can reach out to naturalist Dan Hodges at dhodges@jampd.com
