The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Educational focus highlights Reptile Day
Multiple species, both exotic and native, pique curiosity, interest
Instantly seizing the attention of everyone who walked into Oak Room A at The West Woods Nature Center on Reptile Day was Dozer, a 10-year-old African spurred tortoise, who casually explored the wide space with surprisingly quick movement.
Dozer was one of about 26 different reptiles and amphibians on display brought in by members of the Northern Ohio Association of Herpetologists, or NOAH, during the Geauga Park District event, Sept. 24.
“We’ve put this on every couple years over the last 20 years,” said Senior Naturalist Dan Best. “NOAH is a good organization to partner with because there are a lot of issues involved with reptiles and amphibians, starting with a lot of native species declining due to habitat destruction and collecting.
“This organization promotes responsible husbandry, or care, of reptiles and amphibians that are legally obtained, and a lot of them are propagated by captive breeding. It’s a very sustainable way of
people being able to satisfy this hobby.
“NOAH is also very supportive of the conservation of our native reptiles and amphibians,” Best added. “That puts them in the same league as us as far as wildlife conservation. They are very above board in promoting the responsibility to people.”
NOAH, founded in 1974, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of reptiles, amphibians and the habitats in which they live.
“One thing I think is pretty cool about NOAH is that their membership runs the gamut,” Best said. “It’s included, especially in its formative years, not only a combination of academicians, college zoologists and veterinarians, but also everyday people, a wide range of the public, white collar to blue collar, and I think that’s part of the beauty of it. The common denominator is their shared fascination with reptiles and amphibians.”
Embracing an opportunity to educate the public, Best believes Reptile Day can inspire people to approach reptiles and amphibians without an innate apprehension.
“People tend to wig out when it comes to reptiles and amphibians, so an event like this gives people a chance to confront their fears but, I don’t see too many people showing up here looking for an adrenaline jolt,” he said. “In this kind of situation, people can reach out and touch them and that’s huge because it provides an occasion
to confront fact versus fiction.
“In large part, the media, movies, and even newscasts and tabloids, exploit the sensationalism when it comes to reptiles and amphibians. And I think when people come to something like this they realize they are being played by that. I think when people find reptiles and amphibians on their property they’re going to have a more rational approach to them and a more welcoming approach. If they are providing the habitat in healthy, environmental conditions, they’re contributing to conservation.
“It’s not like the old days where they sold little turtles and lizards in the dime stores, which were just considered disposable pets,” Best said. “NOAH takes field trips to natural areas throughout the region, and as a member, we capture and photograph, but don’t take anything away, it’s all catch and release. I think it promotes the interest.”
With a mixture of native and exotic reptiles and amphibians on display, only four of the 26 creatures were permanent captives. Every other reptile or amphibian was later returned to its capture site.
Though passionately promoted by GPD, NOAH and other environmental advocacy organizations, Best begrudgingly acknowledges the reality that reptiles and amphibians will always be overshadowed by what he classifies as “charismatic wildlife.”
“With the furred and feathered and cuddly and cute, it takes a little more effort
to do PR for these maligned and misunderstood things,” he said. “My rule as a budding naturalist was whatever I brought home, it had to have legs. We’re predisposed with some type of primal fear when it comes to reptiles, especially snakes, and amphibians. It takes the influence of others to bring that out. I see little kids, tiny ones, with no fear, go up and touch snakes, but if their elders have a negative reaction, it’s going to have the (negative) effect.”
One of those kids with no fear is 13-year-old Chagrin Falls resident Logan Zelch, who presents his own reptile shows, “Logan’s Lizards,” in his community.
“I’ve been interested in reptiles since I was seven, and I had my first show in my best friend’s garage with four animals,” he said. “My mission is to show people that reptiles are not to be feared or killed at first sight — they should be respected.
“There are dangerous reptiles that exist, there’s no denying that, but I think the main reason people are scared of reptiles is actually a religious one because of the Adam and Eve story with the serpent. The other thing is cultural, I think, like parents putting the fear in kids.”
Logan’s dad, Chris, said his son always had a penchant for reptiles.
“He keeps amassing his own collection. He just gravitated towards books on lizards and snakes and when he was old enough to go to the library and choose his own material, he just devoured herpetological books. Now, he’s the most knowledgeable person I know.”