Every weekend into October Cape May Point State Park hosts a “Kids and Critters” animal show for visitors, aiming to educate young people and encourage a love of animals.
The focus of the shows is animals native to New Jersey, but there also are examples from all over the world. Visitors are allowed to touch them and sometimes hold them.
Ranger Matt Pelligrine, Cape May Point State Park’s naturalist, started the program and has run it for 26 years. He says, “The best way to encourage our youth to care about the animals around them is by letting them get up close and personal.”
Among the creatures in the spotlight are snakes, turtles, lizards, rodents and tarantulas.
The program is able to thrive with the help of multiple volunteers, the youngest 10 years old. The volunteers help bring the animals around to the visitors and assist in their safe handling.
Pelligrine, who has had young volunteers since the start of the program, says they often are the “only ones willing to do it.”
Ten-year-old Jackson has been volunteering for a year, and he’d like to one day become a ranger. He said that volunteering is one of his favorite parts of the week, and he loves all of the animal friends he has there.
At one point during a recent show six different snakes, including a large boa that was wrapped around the shoulders of the handler, were being shown, to squeals of excitement and some yelps of terror. Most visitors were willing to touch the snakes.
A snapping turtle named Trevor and small Chinese dwarf hamsters named Thelma and Louise, audience favorites who have helped educate hundreds of children, were among those on display.
A ferret named Max comes out as the grand finale due to his playful nature and tolerance for being picked up and held by small hands.
The Kids and Critters show is every Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. at Cape May Point State Park. The show accepts donations to assist in the care of the animals.
