The Wonderful World of Reptiles
Written by 4-H Youth Development Agent - Alex Eaker
Picture this: you’re about 5 inches tall, the sun is scorching down on you and all you can think about is a nice cool drink from a pond and a tasty worm you found under the log next to it. The only thing between you and your dream is a vast expanse of hard, searing, black dirt with some yellow lines on it. The moment you step foot on it a giant metallic monster roars by! How are you going to get across? You realize you’re going to need to make a mad dash as fast as you can. Right as the next monster blazes past, you make a break for it! Monsters keep roaring over you until you look beside you and see one of them slow to a stop as it appears as if something is coming out of the monster. You do your best to stay still as the tall looming figure reaches down, and before you know it, you’re flying through the air! What would have taken you forever to cross, only took minutes thanks to this creature. You look up and see a smiling face looking down at you, so you do your best to smile back and then walk off into the woods.
Perhaps you picked up on this story, but in case you haven’t, this is what I imagine it must be like to be a turtle attempting to cross a busy road. Turtles are only one of many species of reptiles we might find here in southeast North Carolina. I would argue that turtles are probably the most beloved reptiles. However, every species of reptile from turtles to lizards and snakes needs love! Each animal fills a specific niche in their environment and is necessary for our ecosystems to thrive. Let's take snakes for example; snakes are one of the most feared animals on the planet, but I think they get a bad reputation! Snakes are vital for a healthy ecosystem, and they do more for you than you may think. Snakes' main food source are rats and mice, this means that without snakes, rodent populations would skyrocket. With an increase in rodents, that means crop destruction and an increase in diseases similar to the bubonic plague.
Now, I don’t know if this information is enough to help you overcome your fear of snakes, but I propose one last thing. If you ever want to learn more about snakes and other reptiles that help our ecosystem, stop by the New Hanover County Extension Office and Arboretum. We can teach you all about the benefits of our scaly friends; and you can even meet our 9-month-old education corn snake, Cornelius!
Alex Eaker is the 4-H Agent for New Hanover County. The N.C. Cooperative Extension Center for New Hanover County is located at the Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Drive. The gardens are free and open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reach him at alex_eaker@ncsu.edu or 910-798-7660.
