The Lincoln Heritage Public Library in Dale had a full house Wednesday morning, December 22 to meet visitors from the frozen north, and some from the tropical south as well. It wasn’t Santa, or the Miser brothers of Rankin/Bass fame, but rather a menagerie of exotic animals under the care of Hedgehog Hannah, a family-owned wildlife conservation program and show company based in Indianapolis. The animal show at the Dale library featured plenty of unusual animals to wow the audience, from Yukon, the fluffy and feisty arctic fox, to Virginia the Burmese python.
The whole story was featured in this week’s edition of the Spencer County Leader, but you can find the photos here!
Photos and story by Don Steen.
Cruz Lytle sits nonchalantly as he gets acquainted with Charlotte the tarantula.Paul Venckus gives Irwin the Alligator a nice rubdown while the gator kicks back. Irwin will be released in the wild next summer, as he is growing too large to keep tabs on.Paul Venckus shows off Taffy the Ferret.Willow Scott maintains poise with Grumpy the European legless lizard draped around her neck.One animal visitor at least was well suited to the outdoor climate. Yukon, an arctic fox from Canada, was taken on a tour of the room. Venckus noted Yukon could not be put down, however, as he was still a wild animal. In the summer months, Yukon sheds his snow-white coat for darker summer fur.Virginia the Burmese python was a very popular grand finale for the Hedgehog Hannah animal show. She was large enough that most kids in attendance could get their pets in quickly, in only a few shifts. Virginia was once a pet in her namesake state before being adopted by Venckus and family.
