Big turnout for Lake Forest reptile show
Though watchful parents never strayed more than a couple feet away, ever poised to snatch their children at the first sign of danger, Bubba the alligator remained docile and statuesque for hours as hundreds of hands stroked his scaly tail.
The 8-foot-long North American alligator, which was rescued in Chicago and takes commands from his trainer, was just doing his job Sunday as an ambassador to the reptile world.
Bubba was joined by dozens of snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs and other coldblooded creatures at the Wildlife Discovery Center’s 14th Annual Reptile Rampage at the Lake Forest Recreation Center.
“Reptiles get such a bad rap, so we’re trying to give them more exposure and educate people,” Wildlife Discovery Center curator Rob Carmichael said. “They make the best pets if you’re a responsible owner.”
Close to 2,000 people were expected to attend the show and check out 75 exhibitors including the Chicago Herpetological Society, the Field Museum and Windy City Reptiles.
Many of them were fearless little kids such as 5-year-old Jack Jensen of Lake Forest, who didn’t flinch when it came to sitting in a turtle pit or holding giant lizards.
“I like snakes the best because they eat other animals,” he said.
Jack’s mother, Debbie Jensen, said her family attends Reptile Rampage every year, and while she wouldn’t discourage her son from getting a pet snake, she’s not suggesting the idea either.
Other popular draws included a super tiger reticulated python, a 20-foot-long yellow snake that weighs 200 pounds. People watched it slither around an enclosed pin while learning about its origin and behaviors. They heard, for example, that it consumed a 35-pound pig a few weeks ago and hasn’t eaten since.
Many of the educators at Reptile Rampage discussed conservation efforts and tried to dispel myths about perceived dangers they said don’t exist. They added that humans — not the animals — can occasionally be problematic.
“People have stomped on (Bubba the alligator’s) head, and some guy jumped on him once,” trainer Jim Nesci of Cold Blooded Creatures said. “I’ve watched him problem solve before. These aren’t primitive beasts, and people need to be respectful of that.”
Many of the reptiles are housed at the Wildlife Discovery Center, a nature center, wildlife sanctuary, museum and biological station located at Elawa Farm, 1401 Middlefork Drive, Lake Forest. For more information, visit cityoflakeforest.com.