Snakes And Scales

30- Aug. 2013
   The Bogota Public Library, as part of their " Dig into Reading" Summer program, hosted a live animal show from Snakes-n-Scales of Wanaque, NJ. Presenter Keke Hammell showed a few animals that go underground in order to live, or to hunt for food.  Her first animal was "Jaba" who is a toad. He goes underground to protect his skin from the Sun. Or to stay moist if the area he is in has little or no rain. Next was "Big Al" a  Red Footed Tortoise. A tortoise will dig a burrow to use as a home for protection, and a place to lay their eggs. After Big Al  Ms. Hammell brought out "Van" a Savannah Monitor who will sometimes share a burrow with a Tortoise and eat the mice that would also try and use the tortoise burrow. At this point Ms. Hammell showed a close image of Van's head so the ear holes that identifies him as a lizard. This was done to show that a Legless Lizard is indeed a  lizard and not a snake. But then a when a snake was brought out  it was "Andy" a Green Anaconda . Andy is still young only about four to five feet long, but could grow up to 30 feet in the wild. In the wild an Anaconda will bury itself underground near a water source and wait for it's prey to take a drink.  At full size an Anaconda could  eat a Goat , or even a Jaguar.
   After answer a few question Ms. Hammell gave the Children a chance to pet Big Al's shell, and look closer at the other animals.
For more information about the Library reading programs please go to:
Bogotapubliclibrary.org/

 Keke Hammell of Snakes N Scales  talking to the audience 

"Jaba" the toad 

"Big Al" a Red Footed Tortoise 

 Big Al going for a walk

Ms. Hammell holding "Van" a Savannah  Monitor

 Showing the ear holes that makes the Legless Lizard an lizard.

 Holding "Andy "a young Green Anaconda