page_title: Earthplace
section_title: Features
hierarchical_section_title: Earthplace / Features
caption_attribution_description: English: Mother Bear and Cubs, Bronze Statue by Anna Hyatt Huntington located at Earthplace, Westport, CT
context_page_description: Earthplace is a Nature Discovery and Environmental Learning Center whose purpose is to build a passion and respect for nature, and a more sustainable future for our community. Earthplace blends science, nature conservation, and education into pathways for experiencing and learning about the natural world. Earthplace is located at 10 Woodside Lane in Westport, Connecticut.
context_section_description: Natureplace is the museum room that features interactive nature displays, hands-on activities and a small video theater.  Five large wildlife dioramas depict animals and plants found in various seasons and ecosystems in Connecticut. The adjacent Smilow Family Ecology Resource Lab features nature exploration activities and a diorama of backyard birds.
  Earthplace houses a large collection of rescued wildlife that are exhibited as species ambassadors, including bald eagles, hawks, turkey vultures, a black vulture, a kestrel, several types of owls, a box and wood turtle, a black rat snake, and little brown bats. Due to their injuries, these animals cannot be released back into the wild. Several domestic animals are used in public programs, including rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, and Madagascar hissing cockroaches. One of the most popular domestic animals, Barney the Burmese python, was put down in December 2011 at over 26 years old.
  Earthplace maintains a 62-acre (25 ha) sanctuary, which is the largest open-space area in Westport. Trails cross areas of wetlands, ponds, streams, hardwood forests and meadows.  Sightings of rabbits, chipmunks, deer, box turtles, wild turkeys, mink, bullfrogs, coyotes, wood frogs and many birds are regularly made on the trails.
  The Native Plants Courtyard was designed in 1960 by landscape architect Eloise Ray to highlight plants native to southwestern Connecticut. Species include bloodroot, trillium, jack-in-the-pulpit, wild ginger, Solomon's seal, yellow lady's slipper and prickly pear cactus.
  A large bronze statue of a mother bear and two cubs by noted animal sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington is placed near the entrance to two major trails.
caption: Mother Bear and Cubs, bronze statue by Anna Hyatt Huntington
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