San Angelo Nature Center offers a world of knowledge for animal lovers

If you've never checked out the San Angelo Nature Center, you're missing out on what some people call a hidden gem.

It's the closest thing that San Angelo has to a zoo with exhibits of all kinds of creatures -- snakes, tarantulas, exotic birds, reptiles, turtles, scorpions, a bobcat, a fox, and more.

There's a large collection of animals, exhibits and information native to the Southwest, and creatures from all over the planet as well.

"Our newest edition currently is our albino burmese python," said Selina McSherry, the facility's recreation coordinator. "We had Baby, our old burmese python, for years and years and years. She passed away a few months ago.

"So he'll grow to be as big as she was, and he's already pretty large as it is. His name is Brutus. He's somewhere between five and seven years old. And he's pretty hefty and very interested, always wanting to see what's going on."

Even though a lot of the animals are native to this area, the Nature Center doesn't go out and catch them, as some people might think.

"A lot of the animals that we currently have at one time were people's pets," McSherry said. "They say, 'Oh, no. We didn't know what we were thinking.'

"Or it could be the fact that they're moving to a different place and they need a home for their animal. Some of our animals were rescues that could not be released back out into the wild."

The Animal of the Month for July is the degu.

"We have three small degus that are absolutely adorable," McSherry said. "They look like a mix between a rat and a chinchilla. They play, they love their running wheel and they pretty much chew everything up."

Even if you have a phobia about certain animals or wildlife, the Nature Center can help ease those feelings.

"Whether you're a kid or an adult, a lot of the times you have kids that come in who are terrified, and we don't want them to be terrified," McSherry said.

"We want them to understand what (the animals and critters) do for our ecosystem and everything involved, but we also want to say, 'This is probably a dangerous thing that you want to stay away from out in the wild,' or anything like that."

When children and adults get acquainted with the animals a little bit, it can change their way of thinking.

"It's so great when they walk out with these big smiles and they want to come back, and that's what we're shooting for," McSherry said.

"We want them to be able to go out in the wild and say, 'Oh, I know what that is and I know what that is for and what it does.' That's our goal here at the Nature Center."

There are 35 snakes on exhibit, more than any other creatures at the Nature Center, which is home for 75 to 100 forms of wildlife overall.

One of McSherry's personal favorites is Emma, a Chaco golden-knee tarantula.

"She's just gorgeous," McSherry said. "The birds (including cockatiels and a macaw), you can't not like them. They're so loud and they demand the attention."

McSherry has worked at the Nature Center for about six years, and she has a real passion for her job.

"I absolutely love it," she said. "You know, you're working with animals. It's not as repetitive as people think. There's something new every day, and getting to work with the community and other organizations, it's a lot of fun."

The Nature Center is a little off the beaten path, nestled away at 7409 Knickerbocker Road at Lake Nasworthy.

"Not too, too many people know about us, but once they do, they come back and they do enjoy the place," McSherry said.

If you're looking for a great deal for taking the kids or grandkids this summer without having to leave the Concho Valley, the Nature Center might be the answer.

General admission tickets are $3 for adults and $2 for children. Children 3 and under are admitted free of charge.

"It's a very reasonable price," McSherry said. "You get to come in here and look at all the animals. We take a lot of the animals out (of their cages or glass tanks) so you can get up close and personal with them. So it's a great educational (tool), but also a very fun experience for kids of all ages."

"We do offer birthday parties and tours as well. Having a birthday party here and having all the kids getting to see and touch all these animals, it's so much fun for the kids."

The Nature Center is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m.

For more information, call the center at 325-942-0121.

This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: San Angelo Nature Center is a local treasure