ZooMontana Makes Stop in Glasgow

Courtesy of the Glasgow High School Student Council, Executive Director of Zoo Montana in Billings Jeff Ewelt brought special guests to Irle School and the Children's Museum on March 22. Ewelt made his first appearance in Glasgow with special guests last year, and much to the excitement of children and families, he returned with different friends. This year, a box turtle named Roxy, a tarantula, a gopher snake, a chinchilla and a screech owl were introduced to area residents of all ages.

The animals first met students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Irle School during the day, where Ewelt provided three different sessions to allow children a small space to ask questions and provide a hands-on experience in learning about these animals.

In the evening, Ewelt and his guests were able to meet the younger generation of the area with their families at the Children's Museum. Some of the students, who heard the presentation at their school earlier in the day, were excited to bring their parents and siblings to showcase what they had learned. There were also many families with young children in attendance, providing them with the opportunity to learn about animals that aren't always found in the area.

According to Children's Museum board member Haylie Shipp, approximately 100 people attended the presentation, learning about the animals' habitats, what they eat, how they interact with other species and how they live. After the presentation, those in attendance were able to touch the animals and ask one-on-one questions to further learn about the animals who visited.

The Glasgow High School Student Council raised the funds necessary to bring Ewelt and his friends to Glasgow by selling concessions at the basketball tournament in February. Instead of utilizing the funds to compensate for travel, Ewelt will be applying the money to help with the new otter pups the zoo recently received that were unexpectedly abandoned.