Ancient Under the Sea Reptile Show
MONTOUR FALLS, N.Y. (WENY) -- A free reptile, fossils show took place at the Village of Montour Falls Fire Department. Children learned about ancient reptiles from under the sea. Paleontologist Michael Straka showed fossils from nearly 700 million years ago.
Kelly Povero is the Director of the Watkins Glen Public Library. Povero asked paleontologist Straka to put this free program on.
“Especially living in a rural community, and being far from some of the bigger cities and towns surrounding us, it's great to be able to bring these types of events to our community for free,” she said.
Povero's programs tend to be focused on animals living on land. She wanted kids in the area to learn about prehistoric life under the sea.
“This is going to be a great introduction to animals that lived millions of years ago,” she said. “Ocean-themed, ocean animals.”
Straka introduced kids to a 15-foot ancient reptile that he discovered in 2003, Molly the Mosasaur. He said it is important to teach kids about science. He wants to open their minds up at an early age about the world and the animals that lived here long ago
“We need to get the next generation started on science...whether they become paleontologists or not...there's only a couple hundred in the whole country...so it's a very small field,” he said. “If you get interested in science, you may end up doing something else in science and that's really what we're after.”
As the summer comes to an end, Watkins Glen Public Library will be holding more fun-filled events in the fall.