I have experiences teaching children about reptiles, and I think the fear factor is largely learned, but sometimes for good reasons. A while back I had a classroom of 6th graders in my zoo educational building at the Bronx Zoo. I brought in a python, and all the kids got excited, until they heard the chaperon mother shriek at it and they all copied her. It was a sad lesson. On the other hand, my 5 year old loves snakes in the wild, being the child of a naturalist, and has caught them on her own. A month ago she spotted the rattler on the trail before I did, and jumped on me. She knew the danger and since then is more initially frightful of snakes on the trail until we identify them, then she is back to her old self. There are some age old instincts going on with our fear of certain reptiles (snakes) that are certainly learned, but may be for a good reason. We have to take the lesson one step forward and instruct on when it is okay to fear and when it is okay to proceed. As for those frightful adults, they may be some enjoyment in fear. When I worked at the Bronx Zoo the reptile building was the most visited building in the zoo. That may be part of the draw of that television character we've all spent too much time on already this week. PC
Patricia Cramer, Ph.D. USGS Utah Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit College of Natural Resources Utah State University Logan, Utah 84322-5290 Phone: (435) 797-1289 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.wildlifeandroads.org <http://www.wildlifeandroads.org/>
