Shrine of the Ages Indoor Programs - Jump to Outdoor Programs
10:00-11:00 Mountain Lions - 1 hour - Lori Rome, Park Ranger
Mountain lions are Grand Canyon’s top predator and most fearsome hunter. Humans often feel fear of lions, though our fears are misplaced. Lions play a tremendous role in wilderness ecosystem; they help maintain balance. They symbolize the very wilderness their lives demand and are reminders to us that true wilderness stills exists. Knowledge is power and the more one learns about mountain lions, the more opportunity one has to realize that losing lions is to be feared more than the animal itself.
Join Ranger Lori to learn more about mountain lions during this one hour PowerPoint presentation. You will learn interesting statistics and facts about lions, hear scary stories, and find out how wildlife biologists study this magnificent creature.
11:30-12:00 Tarantula Hawks - 30 minutes - Haley Bercot, Park Ranger
Did you know that insects make possible one out of every three or four mouthfuls of food we humans consume? That bees communicate by dancing? That ants can lift up to 20 times their own body weight?
Wildlife should be celebrated on all levels – from the biggest bull elk down to the smallest sawfly. Grand Canyon is home to thousands of species of insects which play important and dramatic ecological roles. It’s time to celebrate them! Join Ranger Haley for a brief insight into the insects of Grand Canyon, culminating in the dramatic tale of one of Grand Canyon's fiercest femme fatales.
12:00-1:00 Break
1:00-1:45 Reptiles and Amphibians - 1 Hour - Marker Marshall, Park Ranger
Reptiles and amphibians make up both a fascinating and a very important part of the ecosystem at Grand Canyon. Learn more about these diverse and captivating creatures. This 45- to 50-minute slide show celebrates the distinctive biology of these "cold-blooded" animals and the important role they play in the animal communities of Grand Canyon.
Join Ranger Marker and learn more about the fascinating world of reptiles and amphibians.
2:00-3:00 California Condors - 1 hour - Pat Brown, Park Ranger
What is the one bird that most people want to see while at the Grand Canyon? The California condor! With a wingspan of 9½ feet (about 3 meters) the condor is North America’s largest flying land bird. If you do get to see one while you are here, you are seeing one of the rarest birds in the world. How will you know when you have seen a condor? What happened to the condors that they ended up precariously perched on the brink of extinction? What changed that they are now possibly perched on the brink of success? How well are the California condors doing today!
Join Ranger Pat to learn the answers to these questions and more during a one hour PowerPoint presentation about the roller coaster ride of the California condor reintroduction program.
3:30-4:30 Bats, Masters of the Night - 1 hour - Pam Cox, Park Ranger
Have you ever been misunderstood? If you have, you can empathize with bats! Bats are one of the most misunderstood animals in the world. A multitude of myths and misconceptions surround this seemingly secretive and mysterious night flying mammal. People fear bats, because they don’t understand them. Bats are amazing creatures. People could not survive without them.
Join Ranger Pam Cox to learn all about the incredible world of bats and the work done at Grand Canyon National Park to protect this remarkable animal.
5:00-7:00 Break
7:00-7:15 Wildlife Skit - 15 Minutes - Students of Grand Canyon Elementary School.
Sarah E. Christian, 2nd grade Teacher, Grand Canyon Unified School District
Grand Canyon School students have unique opportunities for interaction with wildlife. They can tell of passing elk and deer on the way to school, stepping around elk droppings on the walkways, and watching squirrels, coyotes, chipmunks, birds, and other wildlife in their natural habitat.
Come and watch the local 4th and 5th grade students perform two skits about living with wildlife, namely squirrels and elk, at Grand Canyon National Park.
7:30-8:30 Special Evening Program
Kevin Hansen, wildlife biologist and author of Bobcat-Master of Survival and Cougar: The American Lion will present an illustrated evening program on Mountain Lions at the Shrine of the Ages.
8:30-9:00 Closing and book signing
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