Thousands of Maryland school children do just that every year when they invite Scales and Tales to their schools. Scales and Tales is a mobile program that uses rehabilitated animals native to Maryland to introduce kids to wildlife in ways that most people never dream possible. Scales and Tales is a program of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources' State Forest Park Service, and offers many environmental and educational opportunities. Young and old alike learn the value of the different kinds of animals found in Maryland and discover how easy it is to live safely side by side with our undomesticated neighbors.
Most people naturally try to avoid creatures they find unpleasant or threatening.
Sometimes an animal s scary appearance prevents a child from really understanding how important it is to the ecosystem. Scales and Tales personnel explain that all animals, no matter what they look like, serve a purpose in nature. Citizens come away with a positive message that Maryland s parks and forests are conserving our living and natural resources and are also great places to visit. Naturalists display a wide variety of birds of prey and reptiles, taking them out of their cages, and creating the opportunity for a closer look and very careful handling. Monies from adoptions are used to feed and maintain the animals cared for by Scales and Tales.