Professor Science AND THE SALAMANDER STUMPER

Professor Science AND THE SALAMANDER STUMPER

Like I said, Mom's job is wild! She's the zookeeper at Lakemoor Zoo.When I grow up, I want to be a scientist, like Mom.I love to hang around the zoo and learn all kinds of scientific stuff.I have a special notebook Mom gave me to record all my observations.I never go anywhere without it.

When Nicole came to pick us up today, she was waving a note Mom had tucked into her lunch.

"Doug! Sophie!" she called. "Mom has some exciting news to tell us when we get to the zoo."

"I wonder what it is," said Sophie."Maybe some little koala babies were born, or the dolphins learned some new tricks."

"I'll bet a new animal's arriving at the Herpetology House," I said.Herpetology is the study of reptiles and amphibians,and the Herpetology House is my very favorite place in the whole zoo.

"There's been a major ruckus there lately.Haven't you noticed that one area in the back that's all boarded up?" I said."There must be something huge going on back there.I've heard pounding and drilling and sawing for weeks."

"You don't think it's a new dolphin act?" asked Sophie, disappointed.Dolphins are her favorite animals.I take her to the Dolphin Exploratorium every single time we visit Mom.She can't get enough of their big smiles and amazing tricks.

Todd, the dolphin trainer, is proud of the exhibit, and it is the most popular one in the whole zoo.Todd is really knowledgeable about dolphins, and he teaches them to do great tricks, like jumping through hoops.He lets Sophie feed the dolphins.

"Sorry, Soph! Maybe it'll be a gigantic python for the Herpetology House," I said hopefully."How cool would it be to have a thirty-foot python there?"

"Pretty cool, Professor Science!" said Nicole.She always calls me that. I like my nickname because learning about science is my hobby.

The Herpetology House is another popular exhibit at the zoo, and I'm not the only one who is wild about it.Kaneesha, the animal handler there, is always busy directing tours or caring for the animals.She knows everything about all the animals there and about the habitat, which is the place where animals live.

Just last night, Sophie and I looked at my science notebook.Thanks to Todd and Kaneesha, I've filled up my science notebook with tons of animal information,and Sophie always begs me to read it to her at bedtime.

"Sophie, did you know that the largest group of reptiles is formed by lizards and snakes?There are more than 3,500 species, or kinds, of lizards and more than 2,400 snake species.Most lizards prefer warm or hot habitats.So do snakes, although one type lives north of the Arctic Circle."

"Doug," asked Sophie, "what are amphibian habitats like?"

"I know it's in here somewhere," I said, as I rustled around in my notebook."Aha! Amphibians spend part of their lives in water and part on land,so their habitats are usually moist places, such as lakes, streams, and ponds."

"Doug, do you think I can be your helper when you become a scientist?" asked Sophie.

"Do you want to be an animal handler like Kaneesha or a trainer like Todd?"

"Either one - or else a superstar," she yawned.I laughed and closed my notebook.

I remember that conversation as if it were yesterday.Oh, that's right, it was yesterday!

"I thought we'd never get here," said Sophie as we arrived at the zoo."Let's hurry and find Mom. I can't wait to hear her news."

"Still holding out for dolphin tricks?" Nicole asked.

"You never know!" laughed Sophie.

As we arrived at the zoo, we saw Mom walking with a tall, gangly man we had never seen before.

"Kids, I want you to meet Dr. Fernandez.He's a herpetologist, and he's designing a fantastic new exhibit for the zoo." We all introduced ourselves.

"Is a new animal coming to the zoo?" asked Sophie.

"Yes," said Mom. "I couldn't wait to break this news to you.Remember the Japanese giant salamander we saw at the Detroit Zoological Park last year?"

"How could we forget?" asked Nicole. "That thing was enormous!" I added.

"I'm glad it left such a lasting impression," laughed Dr. Fernandez."At more than five feet long and one of the largest salamanders in the world,it is an unforgettable sight, and now Lakemoor Zoo is getting its own Japanese giant salamander."

I can't believe Mom managed to keep this a secret from us,but I guess we have been preoccupied with the dolphin exhibit a lot lately.

"I remember that these salamanders are endangered," I said.

"Yes," said Dr. Fernandez. "They're nearly extinct."

"It stinked?" asked Sophie, her nose wrinkled.

"Extinct," said Dr. Fernandez, smiling."That means that they could all die out."

"Because the Japanese giant salamander prefers to live in dark, cool, moist places," Dr. Fernandez explained,"the new habitat will feature a pond and a cave.We're going to create a rocky grotto for our new resident.These salamanders like to hide under rocks during the daytime and come out at night.You see, like many amphibians, they live on both water and land."

"What do they eat?" asked Nicole.

"Mostly insects, fish, and worms," said Dr. Fernandez."In fact, they have sticky tongues that help them slurp up their prey!"

"Here goes Professor Science," laughed Nicole as she noticed me busily jotting down notes.

"These are great facts!" I exclaimed.

"Here's a fact that might really intrigue you," said Dr. Fernandez."The Japanese giant salamander has barely changed appearance in thirty million years."Dr. Fernandez invited all of us to return the next afternoon,when the concrete was going to be poured to make the foundation for the rock grotto.

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