Education Blog

Baby alligator finding colored target

Alligator Appetites: Target Training at the Discovery Center

Our juvenile alligators here at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida are fed in a very special way. Targets of different shapes and colors are assigned to each alligator and when tapped with their nose, result in a food reward. As apex predators American alligators are a heavily food-oriented species, so this target training process helps to limit their food aggression.

A horseshoe crab ambassador in the Conservancy’s touch tank aquarium

Meet the Prehistoric Animal That Still Lives Among Us

When visiting the Dalton Discovery Center here at the Conservancy, you may see a strange creature with an armored shell and long tail buried in the sands of the touch…

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Conservancy educators launch e-learning initiative

Engage. Explore. Explain. Extend. Evaluate. “Seeing students light up with excitement as they engage with us on a virtual platform is always rewarding. While we miss seeing students in-person, we…

Burmese python

Burmese python ambassadors join Conservancy Education team

We are so excited to announce the newest members of our education team! They are scaly, slithery, and weigh less than a pound. They prefer to be held together, and…

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One Fish, Two Fish, Burrfish, Trained Fish

Fish are often associated with having small brains and short term memory loss. While we cannot argue about the size of their brains, we have reason to believe fish have…