Minnesota Zoo Zoomobile educates students on different mammals

Maria Ly
News Editor

The Student Events Team at Minnesota State University, Mankato, brought in the Minnesota Zoo Zoomobile onto campus to educate students on various mammals. 

The Minnesota Zoo Zoomobile travels over 31,00 miles each year and visits 42 counties. 

Students gathered in awe as a trained naturalist from the zoo introduced a variety of mammals such as a chaco golden knee tarantula, a giant african millipede, a madagascar hissing cockroach, a three banded armadillo, a solomon island skink, a hog island boa constrictor, a hedgehog, and a chuckwalla desert lizard. 

Julie Tonsager, the educational entertainment chair, said, “It’s nice to have some of the animals here from the Minnesota Zoo, because there’s a lot of students that don’t have access to get to the Minnesota Zoo or some kids haven’t experienced some of these animals before and it’s just nice they can come here and experience them and learn about them too.”

The naturalist went around with each mammal to allow students to pet them as she gave fun facts about each species. 

Saul, the solomon island skink, who is the only skink adapted to live in trees, had an afternoon snack and munched on a leaf as he clung to his favorite stick. 

Esmerelda, the hog island boa constrictor, was a little handsy as she travelled into the back pocket of the naturalist. 

Hog island boa constrictors are known for being the smallest species of boa constrictors. 

Abuzar Iqbal, when asked what his favorite part of the event was, said, “Just the experience, the close-up experience you have. It’s not just viewing the mammals but actually holding and petting them.”

Header photo by John Shrestha | MSU Reporter.