EBS STAFF
BOZEMAN – Museum of the Rockies was teeming with children of all ages who turned out for the opening of a new exhibition on Feb. 25. “CROCS: Ancient Predators in a Modern World”—which provides opportunities to get up close and personal with live crocodiles in simulated naturalistic habitats—will be hosted by the museum through Sunday, September 10.
“CROCS” follows suit with previous Clyde Peeling Reptiland exhibits presented at Museum of the Rockies such as “Geckos: Tails to Toepads” in 2014, “Frogs: A Chorus of Colors” in 2011, and “Reptiles: The Beautiful and Deadly” in 2006.
“Our live animal exhibits are immensely popular with families,” said MOR Director of Marketing Alicia Thompson, who reported more than 500 members attended the exhibit preview on Feb. 24. “This opening weekend was right on track with the popularity of our past exhibitions of ‘Frogs’ and ‘Geckos.’ We are grateful for the overwhelming interest in this exciting new exhibit.”
The tanks holding live specimens were hands-down the most popular attraction. Kids pressed their faces up against glass to come eye-to-eye with a variety of distinctive crocodilians that “sun-bathed” or soaked inside their vivarium. Featured species included a teeth-baring Siamese crocodile, a cluster of baby American alligator hatchlings, and a nocturnal, snub-nosed African dwarf crocodile.
The family-friendly exhibit is bolstered with interactive educational games, artifacts and multi-media presentations designed to engage and immerse visitors in the sights, sounds, and surroundings of this stealthy aquatic predator. People can learn to speak “croc” in under five minutes, test their strength against the force of a croc’s powerful bite, mimic a crocodile’s splashy water dance, and explore how conservationists are working to save crocodilians in the wild.
For the duration of the exhibit, Museum of the Rockies will present fun and educational crocodilian-themed events and activities such as CROCS Family Day on Saturday, March 25 from 10 a.m. to noon.
Visit museumoftherockies.org for more information.
