Local kids get glimpse of the wild during Creature Teacher program for Breckenridge Library, Fine Arts Center
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
For the Breckenridge Library’s “Unearth a Story” summer reading program theme, the library and the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center hosted the Creature Teacher’s “Unearth the Past” program last week, featuring a variety of animals, along with an informative talk about how they are related to long-extinct dinosaurs.
The theme will continue this week when the Dinosaur Valley State Park presents two programs on Wednesday, July 8.
On July 1, Emiley Brewer and Carley Baum with The Creature Teacher entertained kids and adults alike with animals ranging from a fluffy chicken to a scaly boa constrictor – Hillary Fluff and Calypso.
The Holt family lined up to pet Calypso, a boa constrictor. Pictured from left are Lana, Jenny, Will and Katie Holt with Carley Baum holding Calypso. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
While Baum gave the crowd sitting on the floor of the BFAC’s main gallery a close-up look at the animals, Brewer provided some information about them, as well as about the dinosaurs they are related to.
Hillary Fluff is a Silkie chicken, and Brewer said scientists have discovered that, based on DNA, chickens are closely related to the Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur.
Brewer said scientists need better dinosaur DNA to study to make any stronger connections to modern-day animals. “They did find some similarities, but they did not say the chicken is a modern day T Rex,” she said. “I do have to say, though, if there ever was a chicken that’s like a dinosaur or maybe an extraterrestrial, it would be the Silkie Chicken.”
Looking a little more like a dinosaur was Remy the tegu lizard, a large black and white reptile that typically lives in South America. Remy has a long tail that he can use as a weapon, and he smells with his tongue.
Pumpkin, a lemur, is related to the Megaladapis, also known as the koala lemur, which went extinct about 600 years ago, Brewer said. Pumpkin is a cross between a black and white ruffed lemur and a red ruffed lemur.
Emiley Brewer holds Ivory, an albino baby wallaby, while kids who attended the Creature Teacher program at the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center gently pet Ivory. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
After putting Pumpkin back into her carrier, Baum brought out Calypso, a boa constrictor. The modern boa constrictor is related to the Titanic Boa or Titanoboa, a now-extinct snake that is thought to once grow to 47 feet. As Calypso wrapped around Baum’s neck, Brewer explained that the snake wasn’t trying to strangle her but was cuddling with her to get warm.
To finish out the program, Brewer and Baum introduced Ivory, an albino baby wallaby, which is a marsupial related to the kangaroo. Like all of the animal’s in this year’s program, Ivory is genetically related to an ancient animal. Wallabies are related to the giant kangaroos that roamed Australia until they became extinct about 40,000 years ago.
After the formal program, everyone in attendance had an opportunity to gently pet Calypso the boa constrictor and Ivory the wallaby.
The Creature Teacher program was sponsored for the Breckenridge community by the Breckenridge Library and the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center.
Click here to see the Breckenridge Texan’s Photo Gallery from the Creature Teacher presentation.
Dinosaur program
The Breckenridge Library will continue the theme of “Unearth a Story” with a program by the Dinosaur Valley State Park on Wednesday, July 8. The event will include a dinosaur-related story time and activities for kids at 3 p.m.
Then, at 5 p.m., there will be a program for adults about dinosaurs and fossils.
The library is located at 209 N. Breckenridge Ave., and the programs are offered at no charge.
Pumpkin the lemur rides on Carley Baum’s shoulder during the Creature Teacher program at the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center last week. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: Carley Baum with the Creature Teacher takes Calypso, a boa constrictor, around the main gallery of the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center so that those attending the summer program last week can get a better look at the snake. Click here for more pictures from the event. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
