Arts & Entertainment
'Unloved, Unusual and Unknown Creatures' at HPL
Wildlife educator Jungle Bob hosted a live animal presentation at the Huntington Public Library featuring some of the world's strangest and least understood creatures.
As part of the Huntington Public Library's wide array of summer programs, Jungle Bob appeared with what he called "some of the world's most unloved, unusual and unknown creatures" for a crowd of close to 100 last Thursday. Beyond show and tell, the evening program provided the audience with an interactive event, an opportunity to learn, enjoy and touch some unusual animals, and also gave them a chance to laugh and even scream.
Jungle Bob, a veteran adventurer and conservationist who has explored tropical rainforests over three dozen times, weaved stories of his travels with educational facts often dispelling myths about some of nature's least understood reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.
"Vividly communicating the beauty and value of all living things is a constructive way to foster conservation, and what better way then hands-on?" he said. "This is the real deal – no video games here."
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Adults and kids alike were part of this interactive program where many got up close and personal with the creatures, ranging from Jabba, an African bull frog, to Azul, a blue-tongued skink, and Wally the alligator who rested in Jungle Bob's arms as he spoke about this creature's legacy for outliving the dinosaurs.
The crowd screamed as Jungle Bob introduced Rosie, a rose-haired tarantula, but a couple of kids quickly volunteered to have the spider "hang out" on their shirt.
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Six-year-olds Kaylee and Mackenzie, both of Huntington, said they were delighted at the "hug" they got from the milk snake named Leche.
Their parents said they always see one another at these types of events. "We don't even have to call eachother," Kaylee's mom said. "The girls love this kind of thing."
The finale was Willy, an albino Burmese python who wrapped himself around Jungle Bob as the kids went wild. The audience was invited up to help hold Willy, who weighs about 50 pounds and is 10 feet long.
Two-year-old Eleanor Sarchiapone, of Huntington, showed no fear around the snake. Her mother Dorothy added with a smile, "Just yesterday, we were out snake shopping."
In keeping with his mission statement, Jungle Bob continually urged the audience to have a conservation mindset.
"Let's face it, our generation isn't leaving the environment in the best shape," he said. "If I can ignite a conservation spark in my audiences, particularly the children, perhaps they will make the difference in saving our planet in the future."
He added, "Every creature on the planet deserves our respect, and has a role in its eco-system. Larger conservation groups tend to focus on apex predators, tigers, polar bears and the like but not many encourage conservation of snakes and spiders. We can't just save the cute and fuzzy ones. We have to respect and help them all."
