MetroParks plans biennial show of reptiles, amphibians

August 2, 2017 at 12:00a.m.

CANFIELD

Some of the world’s scaled and amphibious species will have a moment in the spotlight in the Mahoning Valley this weekend.

Mill Creek MetroParks’ biennial Reptile & Amphibian Show is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the MetroParks Farm, 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Road. The event will take place in McMahon Hall, and admission is free.

The Northern Ohio Association of Herpetologists and the Herps Alive Foundation of South Euclid will bring live exotic and native reptiles and amphibians to the event. MetroParks Ford Nature Center also will bring some native species that live in their building for viewing.

“They’re beautiful animals and have been sorely misrepresented for many, many centuries in stories and myths,” said Mandy Smith, MetroParks horticulture education manager. “They are not all that frightening.”

Attendees can expect to see a range of species, from tortoises to a tegu, a member of a number of lizard species native to Central and South America.

An area of McMahon Hall will be dedicated to touching and feeding the animals. Carnegie Museum of Natural History will have pickled specimens on hand and will talk to attendees about them.

Ohio is home to the largest aquatic salamander in the U.S., the hellbender. Talks will be given on the near-threatened amphibian.

Crafts and concessions will be available, and children can participate in Herp Raceway, where they will imitate frogs or turtles and race each other.

Smith said the event had upward of 1,000 attendees in previous years.

“We have a good staff that are very enthusiastic about sharing their love for herps,” Smith said. “They are wonderful, and we’re very excited to promote them in the community.”

The next Reptile & Amphibian show will be in 2019, and the topic will pertain to insects.