Lizards & Snakes at DMNS

Small and shy-or big and fierce? Bright as a jewel-or hardly visible Four legs? Two legs? No legs at all? These are some questions to explore as you enter the newest exhibit, “Lizards & Snakes,” at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.                                    Covering five continents you will meet more than 60 snakes, lizards, and geckos. These thriving groups of animals live everywhere; from lush rain forests to dry deserts. You will learn everything from their evolution, what they eat and even how they defend themselves. There are plenty of astonishing facts about this group that is as ancient as mammals and as old as dinosaurs. Like the way their bodies can change colors, expand two to three times their normal size or detach their tails to escape a predator.                                             The special features of the animals are highlighted. The Blue Tongue Spink spits out it’s colorful tongue to scare away predators.  Or how about the Gila Monster? This lizard can go long periods of time without eating because it stores fat in it’s tale. The Veiled Chameleon snatches up food with it’s sticky tongue that is as long as the lizards body. Watch out for the Red Spitting Cobra..this snake unleashes venom up to six feet.               The exhibit comes from the American Museum of Natural History but as always the Denver Museum adds on. Interactive exhibits take kids on a snake hunt, to a green screen to get their photo snapped with an anaconda and allow them to play with cameras that zoom in on exotic creatures with a gecko cam.                                                                                            Other highlights you will only find at the DMNS are the chance to touch animal skins and skulls, pick up a life -size replica of an anaconda and take a peek at confiscated items made with the skins of the precious creatures like cell phone covers, shoes and jackets.

“Lizards & Snakes” slithers into summer and will be open daily until July 8th. The exhibit is free with museum regular admission which is $8-&12. For more please visit:  dmns.org     

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