Parrots and ‘possums and snakes, oh my!

Education and thrills combined as tentative little fingers stretched out to caress the baby American alligator and the red rat snake under the eyes of watchful parents at the Harvard Museum of Natural History (HMNH) recently. Other creatures featured at the Harvard Museums’ annual Community Day, drawing oohs and aahs from children and adults alike, included a raucously colored green-cheeked conure, a delicate kestrel, and an undeniably adorable opossum. HMNH was one of six Harvard museums to open its doors to surrounding communities on Sept. 18.Parents and kids are rapt as education specialist Fred Surowiec leads a creature feature presentation, which includes a rare, enviable opportunity to touch a red rat snake.A sociable green-cheeked conure presents himself with savoir-faire.Other exotic fauna on display at the museum included a very young American alligator…… and a resigned tiger salamander.