Things promise to get a bit Wild as WAES members and guests come
together for the group's month meeting set for May 10, 2008 at 7 p.m.
in the Salt Lake County Commission Chambers as the exotic birds and
trainers from Wild Things Science and Animal Explorations will be
presenting a hands-on, interactive educational science program.
Wild Things has been featured on many of the local morning television
shows with their grouping of animals that range from reptile, to avian
to mammal. On May 10th the trainers will be presenting their avian
keeps who range from and include Clifford, Yellow-Naped Amazon; Congo,
African-Grey; Kiwi, Quaker; Cheeky, Rainbow Lorikeet; Indigo, Blue Head
Pionus; Sonya, Sulfur-Crested Cockatoo; and Sweetpea, a Pied Lutino
Cockatiel.
Wild Things is owned and operated by Lorien and Nephi Self. Lorien has
a great love of all animals and the interaction of human and animal
behavior. This helped her in earning a B.S. in Psychology from BYU,
following which she served an internship at the San Diego Zoo's
Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES); where she worked
specifically with endangered Douc Langur monkeys. This lead to another
internship at the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute, Central
Washington University. With her professional career Lorien worked at
the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park as an educator guide and most
recently worked as the same at Utah's Hogle Zoo.
The co-owner of Wild Things is Lorien's husband, Nephi, who after
serving in the USMC, is now working in the engineering field. Nephi
shares in Lorien's love of animals and assists in many aspects of the
company.
May's WAES meeting will be a great opportunity for you to bring
friends and family who might not be familiar with many different types
of exotic birds, and since all of the birds can be handled it will be a
chance to get up close and personal to some of nature's most beautiful creatures.
Besides sharing tricks and treats with the birds, much of the evening
will be educational as Lorien and her trainers will share different
behaviors and backgrounds about each of the birds they bring.
For more information about the evening call Clark H. Caras at
801.201.9276, or email at chcaras@utah.gov. Following the program there
will be questions and answers and refreshments shared.
For more information about Wild Things go to
www.wildthingsscience.com.
