Stay at-home Safari exhibit takes guests on tour of wild kingdom

Safari is a Swahili word with Arabic roots, explained Steve Watts, aboriginal and native studies director at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia. It means “journey of discovery,” which is what “Mammal Safari,” the museum’s latest exhibit, offers visitors. You won’t have to spend a lot of money, pack or have any vaccinations to get up close to mammals species from around the world. You won’t need an itinerary or a tour guide, either. “The exhibit is your guide,” Watts said. More than 18 live animals are featured in the exhibit, including lemurs, capuchin monkeys, wallaby, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, bats, flying squirrels and serval cats. A variety of mounted animals are used to convey the story of mammals, among the most complex and diverse animals on earth. Several are on loan through the Smithsonian Affiliates program.   “It’s a real aggressive exhibit for us,” said museum education director Tony Pasour. “It’s probably the largest one we’ve done.” While you needn’t worry about weather or pesky bugs on this safari adventure, you still need to prepare. The first of five exhibition rooms highlight the commonalities of mammals, which in most cases give birth to live offspring and have hair at some stage of their life, four-chambered hearts and complex brain functions. The next four rooms provide a virtual trip around the globe. There are several hands-on components for kids throughout the journey. By the end, adventurers will discover the rich diversity found among the mammal species, which numbers 5,000. “It does a lot of things I personally think our audience is going to respond to,” Pasour said.

AFRICA Live animals to see: Serval cats and ring-tailed lemur. Interactive opportunity: At the “Paw Prints” station, visitors can compare their handprints to those of a bobcat, beaver, raccoon and black bear. Safari habitats: Jungles, desert, semi-arid savannah and plains. SOUTH AMERICA Live animals to see: Capuchin monkeys and kinkajou. Interactive opportunity: Kids can dress up as some of their favorite mammals and guess the name of strange looking animals at the “Weird Mammals” station. Safari habitats: Tropical rainforests, pampas and mountain ranges. NORTH AMERICA Live animals to see: Jamaican fruit bats and porcupine. Interactive opportunity: Solve a mammal-themed crossword puzzle. Safari habitats: Great plains, tundra, deciduous forests and swamps. ASIA AND AUSTRALIA Live animals to see: Sloth bear and red-necked wallabies. Interactive opportunity: At the “Endangered Mammals by the Numbers” station, guests can get visual representations of the current wild population of the Javan rhinoceros, the North American right whale, the Siberian tiger, the mountain gorilla, the wild Bactrian camel and the giant panda. Safari habitats: Tropical forests, caves, bamboo forests and mangrove forests (Asia); outback, tall shrubs, dry forests and billabong (Australia). WANT TO GO? “Mammal Safari: Journey of Discovery” runs through Dec. 31 at the Schiele Museum of Natural History, 1500 E. Garrison Blvd., Gastonia. Admission to the exhibit is included with regular museum admission: $5 adults, $4 students/seniors, City of Gastonia residents; $7 adults, $6 students/seniors, non-residents; and free for museum members. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit www.schielemuseum.org or call 704-866-6900.