New exhibition explores animal rescue and rehabilitation
This fall, visitors are invited to practice feeding a California condor chick, guide young whooping cranes as they learn to fly and care for injured turtles – all in the new special exhibition, Wildlife Rescue. Using interactive exhibits, multimedia and hands-on activities, Wildlife Rescue shares the compelling stories of real animals and the people dedicated to saving them.
The exhibition examines the science of restoration biology – the intervention of humans in damaged environments in an attempt to restore them. While exploring the exhibition, visitors will learn about the exciting and innovative ways in which regular people are rehabilitating wildlife around the world, and they will discover simple ways in which they can make a difference in their own communities.
“We are pleased to bring Wildlife Rescue to the St. Louis community,” said Jackie Mollet, Senior Director of Theater, Exhibitions & Visitor Services. ”We hope it will help our visitors understand how human actions and behaviors affect wildlife and biodiversity on the planet.”
The journey begins in the Species Recovery Center. Here, visitors learn about eight endangered species from around the world (from the Panamanian Golden Frog to the Giant Panda), why they are endangered and what people are doing to overcome the problems and prevent their extinction. The exhibits delve into the methods dedicated professionals use to restore animals to their natural habitats, such as using an ultra light aircraft to guide young whooping cranes on their first migratory route. Through a replica aircraft and a multimedia show, visitors can participate in this migratory experience.
Wildlife Rescue tells the stories of people who have spent most of their lives trying to save threatened animals. Remarkably, people have stepped in to save animals all over the globe, including an orphaned elephant from Kenya and orphaned orangutans in Borneo, Indonesia. Interactive videos explore how rescuers must first learn these animals’ behavior in order to care for them as their actual parents would. Their ultimate goal is to release these animals back into the wild where they can interact with other members of their population. Visitors are able to experience how real scientists go about forging bonds with these animals in order to teach them the traits they need to survive.
Additionally, response time to natural disasters has an effect on the potential success of survival and rehabilitation of the affected animals. Visitors learn how birds are cleaned after oil spills and, through computer interactives, the exhibits allow participants to help in the rehabilitation. Visitors will be able to use the tools and techniques vets might need to diagnose and treat injured wildlife. Through these activities, visitors learn how their everyday actions impact wildlife in their own backyards and the entire planet.
Wildlife Rescue opens in Boeing Hall at the Science Center on October 5. Tickets are $4 for Member adults and $3 for Member children/seniors. Tickets for non-Members are $8 for adults and $6 for children/seniors.
For more information on the exhibition or to purchase tickets online, please visit slsc.org.