Reptiles, lizards and killer plants: That and more in display at SREL Science Saturday

If you’re interested in learning about reptiles and other wildlife, Science Saturday presented by the University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory is the place to be.

Science Saturday will be held on August 3 at North Augusta Riverview Park Activities Center located at 100 Riverview Park Dr. from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

“This is a family friendly event,” said Katrina Ford, assistant director for outreach and education at University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. “It’s geared for all ages, from preschool all the way up to retirees. There's something literally there for everybody.”

Ford said attendees can expect a little bit of everything.

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“People can expect to see hands-on science activities,” she said. “Kids and adults of all ages will be able to interact with live plants and animals from the entire Central Savannah River Area. They’ll be able to interact with everything from a rattlesnake to salamanders and a variety of carnivorous plants.”

Participants will get the opportunity to interact with science experts.

“One of the things that makes this event really cool is that it's not just a hands-on opportunity for everybody,” said Ford. “We’ll have scientists, researchers and students that are actually going to be on site talking about the research that they're working on here at the Savannah River Ecology Lab, which is housed on the Savannah River site.”

Ford recommends anyone planning on attending the family-friendly and free event to arrive early.

“Last year we had over 1,000 people in attendance,” she said. “This year, we're on track to see even more people.”

The Outreach and Education team presents programs such as Ecologist for a Day, which allows students to attend a guided field experience. Students learn how to identify living and nonliving components that make up local ecosystems.

For more information about Science Saturday, visit https://www.srel.uga.edu .

This reporting content is supported by a partnership with several funders and Journalism Funding Funding Partners.

Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@gannett.com or on X: @EricaVanBuren32.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Reptiles, lizards and killer plants: That and more in display at SREL Science Saturday