MOUNTAIN LION WEEK

Monday, October 26 through Friday, October 30

Come and take advantage of this very special opportunity to get up-close and personal with Mountain Lions during the last week of October. Beginning Monday, October 26 and running through Friday, October 30 the regular trail admission each day will also include a chance to learn about Mountain Lions at a “Large Cats of New England” presentation and witness a Mountain Lion enrichment demonstration.

At 1:00 p.m. there will be an illustrated indoor presentation on “Large Cats of New England.” This thirty minute program will explore the biology and life cycles of the three large cats native to New England—Bobcat, Lynx and Mountain Lion. There will be time for questions, and props will be on display including mounts, skulls, and pelts.

At 2:00 p.m. there will be a Mountain Lion Enrichment Demonstration when Katie Mokkosian, Animal Care Manager, will guide the Science Center’s two six-year old Mountain Lions through a sampling of the practical skills they have learned.  The Science Center has instituted these practices for the animal’s enrichment and health monitoring. The staff is able to inspect aspects of the Mountain Lions’ overall health, including visual inspection of areas that may be hard to view otherwise, such as the abdomen, teeth or the bottom of a paw.  The cats—which each weigh more than one hundred pounds—are rewarded with food. Onlookers will enjoy an exciting time as they hear the incredible sounds the Mountain Lions make, see them follow cues, and then gobble up their rewards!

Admission to the Science Center includes access to the ¾-mile Gephart Exhibit Trail, where visitors can enjoy and learn from exhibits, which feature live native New Hampshire wildlife in natural settings. In addition to Mountain Lions, the exhibits include Black Bears, Bobcats, Red Fox, Fisher, White-tailed Deer, River Otter, Striped Skunk, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, and American Kestrel. The Exhibit Trail is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (last admission at 3:30 p.m.).

Admission: $13/Adult, $11/Senior, $9/Children
                                

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