American Prairie is reintroducing its ECO-Critters program at the National Discovery Center in Lewistown, in collaboration with ZooMontana.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 1, educational staff from ZooMontana in Billings will be back in Lewistown with live animals from around the world in the second visit out of six scheduled for 2024.
The historic Power Mercantile Building was completed in 1901. In 2018, American Prairie purchased the structure and remodeled it for the nonprofit’s National Discovery Center.
Brett French
ECO-Critters showcases living creatures from different parts of the world and is one of the free educational programs created by American Prairie’s National Discovery Center staff. Four more ECO-Critters events with ZooMontana are set for July 6, Aug. 24, Sept. 7, and Oct. 6.
The animals visiting on June 1 include Ginger the Garter Snake, Rocket the Western Box Turtle, and several Madagascar Hissing Roaches.
According to the program, Ginger, the garter snake, can inhabit various habitats such as forests, woodlands, fields, grasslands, and lawns, but they are always near water sources like wetlands, streams, or ponds. This is because amphibians (frogs) are a significant part of their diet. Garter snakes have diverse appearances but generally have large round eyes with rounded pupils and longitudinal stripes. They can vary in length from 18 to 51 inches, with a hatch potentially having up to 57 young. When disturbed, a garter snake may coil and strike, but it typically hides its head and flails its tail.
People are also reading…
Rocket is a Western Box Turtle, a species of turtle that resides in prairie or grassland regions of the Western and Midwestern United States. They typically stay within a few acres throughout their lives and hibernate in shallow holes they dig during winter. Western Box Turtles are omnivores, consuming insects like grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, worms, vegetables, greens, and fruits. They have sharp “beaks” for tearing food and are oviparous, laying eggs outside their bodies. The Western Box Turtle faces challenges from human activities, including habitat loss due to agriculture and urbanization, as well as being affected by the pet trade.
Madagascar Hissing Roaches are among the largest living cockroaches globally, found in the forests of Madagascar, an island off Africa’s southeastern coast. They hide during the day beneath leaf litter or in rotting logs and scavenge for food at night, mainly consuming fruits and plant material. They are known for the “hissing” sound they make by expelling air through their breathing holes, with different hisses for combat, mating, courtship, and alarms. Despite deforestation posing a threat to their habitat, they have adapted well to environmental changes.
During the event, visitors can explore multiple stations to learn about the natural environments of the animals and their care at the zoo. They can also tour the National Discovery Center exhibits to discover more about prairie plants and animals. ZooMontana’s Education and Outreach staff will be present to answer questions and handle the animals.
The American Prairie National Discovery Center is located at 302 W. Main St. in Lewistown, open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit americanprairie.org/national-discovery-center for more information and follow American Prairie on Facebook for updates on upcoming events and programming.
