Children and their families got an up-close look at rescued wildlife when the East Rockaway Public Library welcomed Eileen and Tom Hagerman of the Wildlife Center of Long Island for a special summer kickoff program on June 30.
The educational presentation introduced attendees to four rescued animals — Poppy the opossum, Marcus the great horned owl, Trixie the box turtle and Ping the mallard — while teaching children about native wildlife, animal adaptations and the rehabilitation efforts that gave each animal a second chance.
Before the program began, children made a promise to remain calm and quiet so the animals would feel safe.
“Every child agreed before they went in that they would be calm and quiet so we wouldn’t scare the animals, and they did a great job,” Librarian in Charge Heather Massa said.
Throughout the presentation, the Hagermans explained each animal’s natural behaviors and shared the rescue stories that brought them to the Wildlife Center of Long Island. Children learned how injuries or other circumstances prevented some of the animals from returning to the wild, allowing them to instead serve as wildlife ambassadors through educational programs across Long Island.
Massa said each animal sparked a different reaction from the audience.
“Trixie the box turtle was definitely the least scary to the kids because he was small and used to everyone,” she said. “The duck, Ping, was interesting because most kids hadn’t seen a duck that closely before.”
Poppy the opossum quickly won over the crowd after children learned more about the misunderstood marsupial.
“Poppy the opossum got mixed reactions until Tom showed the audience a picture of a mama opossum carrying her babies on her back,” Massa said. “Then Poppy was pretty universally loved.”
The biggest star of the afternoon, however, was Marcus, the great horned owl.
“Marcus the owl was certainly the crowd favorite and also the animal we had to be the quietest for,” Massa said. “Everyone stayed pretty quiet and still while Marcus was out on Eileen’s arm. She wore a thick leather glove because he has very sharp talons.”
The wildlife presentation was part of the East Rockaway Public Library’s lineup of summer programs designed to keep children learning and engaged while school is out. By combining hands-on experiences with environmental education, the library offered families an opportunity to connect with local wildlife in a safe and memorable setting.
The event kicked off a summer of family programming at the library, giving children the rare chance to see rescued animals up close while learning the importance of wildlife conservation and rehabilitation.
