Conservationist Travis Gale brings out his unlikely show stopper, the humble porcupine, at an exotic animal show sponsored by Downtown Day Camp at PS 234 on Feb. 7.
BY COLIN MIXSON |
An adorable wallaby hopped on stage at the animal show.
Manhattan Youth celebrated the 25th year of its Downtown Day Camp program by treating parents and kids alike to an animal show at PS 234 on Feb. 7 starring exotic critters hailing from across the globe. And while the show featured an alligator, a wallaby, a pig, and even a gorgeous arctic fox, it was the humble porcupine that stole the show, proving once and for all that the quill is mightier than the claw, according to one mom.
“Her favorite was the porcupine,” said Tribeca mom Kaiama Glover, speaking for her 7-year-old daughter Salome Valter. “That was her first crazy porcupine situation.”
Educational conservationist and showman Travis Gale, from New Jersey animal refuge Eyes of the Wild, delighted the audience with his eclectic menagerie, which he discussed in detail and cautioned that, despite their general adorableness, the beasts were wild as can be and would make lousy pets.
But Gale was still able to coax a few tricks out of his porcupine pal, who surprised the crowd in assuming a defensive posture and puffing up to nearly twice his size. The critter, who enjoys the safety of his enclosure, elicited some chuckles from the crowd when Gale went to open the top of the cage, only for the porcupine to reach up and pull it back down.
The conservationist even demonstrated how easily the porcupine’s quills detach, and upon plucking a few, he curiously decided to stick them into his own arm, according to Glover.
“He showed how the quills come off, and he actually stuck a few into his own arm, which elicited some shocked thrills from the audience,” she said.
In Downtown Manhattan, even a pig can qualify as “exotic.”
The event was arranged by Manhattan Youth and Downtown Day Camp as a show of appreciation to local families for their continued support and to promote the day-camp program’s upcoming 25th season, which begins near the end of June, according to Manhattan Youth’s associate executive director, Russ Schulman.
“These shows are largely a ‘thank you’ to the community,” said Schulman. “These are the kind of special events we do for the campers over the summer, but we wanted to do something for the families that don’t usually get to see it. It’s really fun. The parents love it almost more than the kids.”
Downtown Day Camp prides itself on offering city kids an experience similar to more suburban camp organizations, and offers campers access to an indoor swimming pool and sports fields at Battery Park City, along with coaching and instruction, said Schulman. Additionally, the camp has arts programs, a camp carnival, and other special events — like Gale’s animal show — designed to educate and entertain, he said.
“For 25 years, we’ve offered what we like to think of as the suburban camp experience in the city,” Schulman said. “We’ve had literally thousands and thousands of families come to us in the last 25 years, so we want to thank everyone and share the smiles with parents and the kids.”
