It might not be easy being green, but it surely isn’t easy being a brown frog with fangs either. Even Miss Piggy would agree, Kermit has nothing on frogs that fly, frogs that scream, and gladiator frogs that battle each other with bizarre weapons. Find out more about the world of freaky (and not-so-freaky) frogs when the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosts its 22nd annual Reptile & Amphibian Day, Saturday, March 12, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. This event is the largest of its kind in the country and offers a rare opportunity for visitors to come face-to-face with reptiles and amphibians from North Carolina and around the world, both living and long dead.
Find out more about “Freaky Frogs: Flaps, Fangs, Claws and other Weirdness,” when David McLeod, Assistant Professor of Biology at James Madison University, presents in the SECU Daily Planet Theater at 1:30 p.m. Or learn more about “Frogs of the World” from Bryan L. Stuart, Curator of Herpetology at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and co-discoverer of the vampire flying frog, when he reveals some of the other new species he’s been finding in Southeast Asia, at 11:30 a.m.
Ever wonder (or even notice) why a frog’s eyes disappear when they swallow? See the answer for yourself during live frog feedings in Windows on the World Theater at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Or take a safe peek at the world’s two species of venomous lizards — the Mexican beaded lizard and the Gila monster (whose venom is about as toxic as that of a western diamondback rattlesnake) — and learn how Gila monster venom is being used in experimental drugs for treating people with diabetes. You can even check out prehistoric treasures from the Museum’s collections, including crocodilians and 9-foot-long “salamanders” that lived in North Carolina 230 million years ago.
All floors of the Museum will offer dozens of guest exhibitors and herpetology experts, live reptiles and amphibians, and information on topics ranging from frog conservation to pet frog vet care. Kids can enjoy making take-home frog crafts, perusing the Pollywog Playspace (with activities “perfect for young tadpoles”), and meeting children’s book author Bob Palmatier.
More information at http://naturalsciences.org/calendar/event/reptile-and-amphibian-day/