Pet Cemetery Remains Next to Future Front Street Taco Bell Site

National Aviary To Debut New Immersive Show 'Passport To Parks'

Starting next week, you only have to go as far as the North Side to see the world's national parks.

The National Aviary will open its new immersive show, "Passport to Parks," on April 2. The 30-minute-long show will take place twice a day, 11 a.M. And 2 p.M., Monday through Wednesday, and then daily after Memorial Day weekend.

It's billed as the Aviary's most immersive free-flight bird show ever, with colorful lights, music, stunning video of parks from around the world and — most exciting of all — some live animal visitors.

Three of the eight species featured are an African grey-crowned crane, a striped skunk and a curl-crested aracari.

The crane, whose name is Clover, will fly from one platform to the other across the space, showing off an impressive wingspan and long legs, perfectly adapted for African grasslands.

"We've had Clover in other shows, but now she's even closer than ever," said Cathy Schlott, director of animal programs and experiences at the National Aviary.

The striped skunk is bound to be a favorite of show attendees. The Aviary recently acquired two striped skunks as its newest Animal Ambassadors. Named Pepper-Jack and Gouda, the creatures are omnivores. At a media preview on Thursday, Pepper-Jack ate a variety of treats during his time in the spotlight — relatably, he left his kale for last.

One of two volunteer opportunities for audience members during "Passport to Parks" comes with the appearance of the curl-crested aracari, a small species of toucan. A row of eager participants will line up and Izzy, the aracari, will fly from arm to arm, eating a blueberry out of each person's outstretched palm.

At another point in the show, a silver gull will fly around the room and a few guests will hold up meatballs on sticks to be retrieved by the bird.

Other participating animals include scarlet macaws, a Harris' hawk and a Eurasian eagle-owl.

"It's really important with all of our shows to feel like you're being immersed with the animals and you're being transported to their natural habitats," Schlott said.

This is the first show that uses two Aviary professionals as "tour guides," injecting some humor and rapport into the script that keeps things engaging, in addition to other eye-catching aspects of "Passport to Parks."

Schlott said that the show is great for all ages.

"The lighting and the music really help little kids, they get excited and they can dance to the music. … It really does hold everyone's attention, and we do that deliberately," she said.

Before each show begins, the screen at the front of the room rotates through multiple choice trivia questions about national parks so that guests can test their knowledge, an activity that Schlott said pulls in audience members young and old.

The show zips around the globe from Africa to Australia, South America to Finland, and beyond. There are more than 6,500 national parks in the world, and the Aviary stresses the importance of protecting those lands and the biodiversity within them during the show.

"A lot of people don't realize how many, and the fact that they're all over the world, not just in the United States. … The National Aviary, of course, is leading the world of bird conservation, but birds share these ecosystems with all these other animals. We want to show these connections," Schlott said.

"It's just a very fun, immersive experience," she added.

Tickets to "Passport to Parks" are $5 for non-members, $4 for members and $4 for organ donors during April, which is Donate Life Month. Those tickets are add-ons in addition to required general admission.

Tickets can be found at aviary.Org.

Alexis Papalia is a TribLive staff writer. She can be reached at apapalia@triblive.Com.

No One In This Household Raises A Stink About Their Pet Skunk Buttons

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A Spotlight On Skunk Cabbage

Walking outside, the temperature is finally above freezing long enough for ice and snow to melt. Lakes and ponds are no longer covered in ice, and the ground has become waterlogged and muddy. All the melted snow means that, at long last, the ground is visible once again, as are grasses and other short plants. As the weather continues to warm, more and more plants will start to flourish. During a recent walk, I saw the first signs of new plants poking through the once-frozen ground. However, one plant in particular caught my interest.

It's one that most people ignore and is often disliked, but it is nevertheless interesting. That plant is the Eastern Skunk Cabbage, scientific name Symplocarpus foetidus. Skunk cabbage usually prefers wet or damp areas, which have become plentiful now due to the winter snowmelt. Skunk cabbage is frequently found near streams and marshes that remain wet for much of the year.

Though it may be unassuming at first glance, skunk cabbage has some incredible adaptations. It has a specialized ability among plants known as thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is the ability of a plant or animal to generate its own heat. This means skunk cabbages can warm themselves, even if the outside weather is chilly. When air temperatures are below freezing, a skunk cabbage can still maintain temperatures of 50 degrees or more. This allows them to start growing much earlier in the year than many other plants, and they are not as badly affected by a late frost. They can even be found melting snow, leaving a perfect circle around the plant.

Skunk cabbage is toxic to many animals, so you will rarely see it being eaten. However, if you have been around it, you may know that if it gets damaged it becomes very pungent. That characteristic stink which has earned the skunk cabbage its name actually does have a purpose. Unlike the many sweet-smelling springtime flowers that rely primarily on bees and butterflies for pollination, this plant has instead adapted to be pollinated mainly by flies and beetles, insects that love the smell of rotting meat and other unappealing stenches.

Photo by Jeff Tome Although beetles and flies tend to be the main pollinators of skunk cabbage, bees can also visit their flowers, as seen here

Unlike most other plants growing at this time of year, the first part of a skunk cabbage that appears is the flower; it's that spiky bit you see poking out of the mud. Because it starts growing so early, skunk cabbage may also be the first flower you see outside this year. While they might smell when fully grown, those reddish-purple flowers are one of the first signs of new plant growth in spring.

Next time you find yourself taking a walk, I encourage you to keep an eye out for this fascinating local plant; although take care to avoid stepping on it. It may not be the most beautiful flower out there, but skunk cabbage is both unique and a sure sign that spring is just around the corner.

Audubon Community Nature Center builds and nurtures connections between people and nature. ACNC is located just east of Route 62 between Warren and Jamestown. The trails are open from dawn to dusk and birds of prey can be viewed anytime the trails are open. The Nature Center is open from 10 a.M. Until 4:30 p.M. Daily except Sunday when it opens at 1 p.M. More information can be found online at auduboncnc.Org or by calling (716) 569-2345.

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