Last Rites of Summer

Well we've almost made it through another hot, sticky South Florida Summer. Pictured above are 3 members of the Miami Dade Venom One Response Unit as they made a huge splash at the Miami Science Museum's 10th annual Snake Day. They treated our visitors to not only close encounters with some of the largest python species on earth, but also to some educational presentations and a highly entertaining venomous snake demonstration.

This stunning snake is a gaboon viper, one of the worlds heaviest venomous snakes from Africa. It belongs to the Everglades Outpost, a wildlife sanctuary in Homestead just outside of the Everglades. They were kind enough to bring 4 venomous snakes to display.

There were also plenty of contestants vying for the bragging rights of best in show, largest, and people's pick. Here's just a few that struck my fancy.

The last of the orphaned wildlife is still trickling in but will stop soon enough as the migration of North American birds will trickle down South inevitably getting in trouble by the the time they reach Miami. Some familiar faces you have seen before will soon reappear. In the meantime, some parting shots of some end of summer memories.

Gotta love those animal people! They don't mind sharing a cool slice of watermelon with a hungry tortoise. This was Justin's first summer in Miami. He survived, but knows the real meaning of hot enough to fry eggs on the sidewalk!

I spent my first summer with children since the days of my first paid job back in the summer of 1999 as a summer camp instructor at Zoo Atlanta. Can't say I've really missed it, but it wasn't that bad! Here I am showing campers at the Museum how to dissect a dead quail. Never fear, these specimens didn't go to waste. The kids were allowed to watch the feeding of their subject material to the raptors.

This is what dreams are made of, that is if you are an oppossum! We thought this little guy had escaped from our care, but fortunately, he found this enclosure more comforting that the one we provided for him! Happy end of summer! May all of your fall wishes come true!