Animal Ambassadors

Skittles – Corn Snake

• Background: Skittles was born in February 2023 and was Pemberton Nature Center's first animal ambassador.
• Appearance: Corn snakes are slender orange or brownish-yellow with patterns of large red blotches outlined in black.
• Native Habitat: Corn snakes are native to the United States, primarily on the East Coast and in the Midwest.
• Diet: Mainly consists of small rodents like mice and rats.
• Size: Hatchlings range from 8-12 inches in length. They can grow up to 72 inches long.
• Lifespan: Up to 25 years in captivity; 8-10 years in the wild.

Angel – Ball Python

• Background: Angel was rescued from a transfer station in April 2023. She's an older snake who can’t see very well, so she appreciates quiet voices and slow movements from her visitors.
• Appearance: Ball pythons vary in color. The standard ball python is brown with large dark blotches and an oval shaped head. These snakes earned their name by regularly constricting themselves into ball-like shapes for comfort.
• Native Habitat: Ball pythons are native to the grasslands of Central and Eastern Africa.
• Diet: Consist of rodents, small birds and large insects.
• Size: The ball python is the smallest species of the African Python. They can grow to be 2.5-5 feet in length. Female ball pythons are typically larger than male ball pythons.
• Lifespan: 15-20 years in captivity; up to 10 years in the wild.

Jack - Milk Snake

• Background: Jack was adopted in May 2023 from a breeder in Salisbury. Take a close look around his enclosure to find this shy boy.
• Appearance: Milk snakes are usually banded with white, red, yellow or orange stripes.
• Native Habitat: Milk snakes are native to North America, often found in heavily forested regions, grasslands and prairies.
• Diet: Consist of small rodents and birds.
• Size: Milk snakes can grow up to five feet in length.
• Lifespan: 12-20 years; typically 20 years in captivity.

Mater – Russian Tortoise

• Background: Mater was adopted in March 2023. He's a friendly guy who loves snacking on leafy greens and strawberries.
• Appearance: Russian tortoises are tan with dark splotches. They are known for having only four toes on their front feet.
• Native Habitat: Harsh desert and barren regions of Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and western provinces of China.
• Diet: Leafy greens and vegetables.
• Size: Females tend to be larger than males, reaching 6-10 includes in diameter. Some males only reach 5-6 includes in diameter.
• Lifespan: 40-50 years in captivity; up to 100 years in the wild.

Monkey - Green Anole

• Background: Monkey was adopted in May 2023. Monkey got his name because of his tendency to jump around.
• Appearance: Green anoles are small, slender lizards with arrow-shaped heads. They range from bright green to mute brown in color.
• Native Habitat: Southern United States
• Diet: Small insects like crickets, mealworms, spiders and roaches.
• Size: Can grow to 5-8 inches long. Males are usually larger than females.
• Lifespan: 5 years in captivity; 2-6 years in the wild.