Another beautiful and informational trip to the Wetlands here in Las Vegas. This place is filled with such a diverse ecosystem. Coyotes, Beavers, Racoons, Jack Rabbits, Ground Squirrels, Road Runners, and many more species roam the land here. Water is scarce in the desert and this wonderful place provides food and shelter to so many creatures. One of our daughter’s favorite places at the park is the environmental center where there is an endless supply of information about the animals that frequent the wetlands. We always have to visit the giant bullfrog and listen to its call. Now, on this day, it was not working. I would love to send out a message about gentleness when pushing buttons, pulling levers, twisting tops, and such. Always remembering the person after you and how much joy you are sharing by being gentle with the supplies provided at parks and visitor centers. Luckily, there was another section where she could hear the bullfrog cry even though pressing the button on the giant sculpture was no longer working.
After playing with the giant sculptures, we proceeded to stare at the fish, touch the pelts, and found more information about rattlesnakes. This was interesting because we had just gone on a hike two days prior and saw signs everywhere but no snakes in person. We learned that rattlesnake hatchlings start out with knobs instead of rattles. After writing my previous blog, I also found out from the University of Davis website that the rattles grow in sections depending on the age of the snake. That was very interesting. If you would like more information about these amazing snakes, check out my blog, “Rattlesnakes, Oh My!” Moving on from the snake skeleton, we went to the small exhibit on Coyotes and saw one in still motion hunting a ground squirrel. The staff at the Wetlands had an art and craft center for kids where they could do an art project with nature rubbing. We did not collect any nature, but the staff had blocks with an animal, their prints, and food they ate. Our daughter chose a beaver and we worked on it together. One of the staff members sat with us and created a duck rubbing, then gave it to our daughter. It was another lovely day! Thank you for reading and have a fantastic Friday!
-Karen Hilliard
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