Conservation Expo returns with live animals, local wildlife organizations
The Northern Arizona Conservation Expo returns for its second year to Tlaquepaque on Sunday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free, family-friendly event features live animals, hands-on activities and educational displays from Arizona-based wildlife and conservation organizations, including Sonoran Reptiles, Heritage Park Zoo, Northern Arizona University and the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary.
“It’s a fun activity for the family, for the kids, or anyone who’s just interested in wildlife or conservation in general,” Brett Smith, founder of Sonoran Reptiles said. “It’s a great way to support a lot of these groups and really get their names out there in terms of what they’re doing for conservation. In Sedona, I think just about everybody here loves nature, but I don’t think everybody knows exactly what’s out here and what they can do to help protect it. So it’s a good way to get in contact with or learn about different groups that are doing things to help preserve the beauty of nature around us.”
Highlights include the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project, which will host interactive activities exploring the lives of the endangered Mexican grey wolf, and Friends of the Verde River, who will lead a Speedball activity. Liberty Wildlife will have birds of prey on hand, and the International Hummingbird Society will offer interactive games and activities. Last year, Heritage Park Zoo brought a skunk and macaw alongside other animals with this year’s animals to be announced.
“At the Sonoran Reptiles booth we try to focus on what we do with native wildlife,” Smith said. “We’ll bring a host of native rattlesnakes, not only things that occur here in Sedona, but some fun ones that people don’t usually see around Sedona like sidewinders. We’ll probably bring a sidewinder. We’ll have native desert tortoises, as well as some native snakes and such. And then we might pop in a couple exotic, fun snakes that people don’t usually see.”
Sidewinders are adapted to sandy environments, using a specialized sidewinding movement to minimize contact with the hot sand.
Last year’s expo drew 3,000 people over the day, and Smith said parking was not an issue for attendees.
“Another cool group that we’re having is NAU’s Garter Snake Program,” Smith said. “In Sedona, we have the narrow-headed garter snakes, which are an endangered species that live in Oak Creek Canyon. NAU has a program where they monitor the populations of them and support studies and conservation of that species. So they’re going to be there with a display that is new this year.”
Attendees will have the chance to win giveaways and prizes from event sponsors, and the expo will also have a silent auction and raffle with artwork from local artists and attractions.
“Arrive early,” Smith said. “Anytime we have live displays with animals, the animal wellbeing is always a concern. So as the day goes on, interactions with animals become less guaranteed, depending on if the group feels like their animals are getting stressed out. Birds of prey might start getting put away towards the end of the day. So definitely arrive early if you want to see or have potential interactions with any of the ambassador animals that groups are bringing.”
