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Reptile presentation with Greg Watson
February 10 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Free Saturday Reptile presentation at noon on February 10, 2024
For Children and Adults Alike!
The Free Saturday activity for February is a presentation titled, “Reptiles of the Desert” by Greg Watson. This hour-long presentation starts at noon. The docents will bring out many of their taxidermied reptiles to allow you a close-up look at different reptiles in this area.
As an avid hiker, Greg comes across many animals in the desert. He is always eager to learn everything he can about the animals and plants he encounters. Greg’s learning process focuses on legitimate, objective sources of information and his experience. His ongoing education and many decades of experience have given him a fond appreciation for all of our desert reptiles, including those that are feared and maligned. Greg feels that it is important for those who live in our desert to know about its reptiles, especially the ones that can harm people and pets. That knowledge can let us safely and comfortably interact with desert reptiles without fearing them.
This presentation provides a fairly comprehensive photographic guide to reptiles in our area, while also listing some excellent references for anyone interested in further learning. Each photograph is captioned with the reptile’s common name and scientific name to aid identification and further research. The presentation also addresses information about rattlesnakes, such as their behavior, the effects of their venom, and first aid for bite victims.
Greg has lived in the desert all of his life, 24 years in New Mexico and the past 46 years in Ridgecrest. He is a retired electronics engineer after a 40-year career. He contributes reptile photographs and sighting details (date, time of day, GPS location) to iNaturalist. This global network allows wildlife enthusiasts to educate one another mutually and to support wildlife research by professionals.