The term Herptiles may not be the most common scientific word, but most Polk County residents have come across one of these in the recent past.

Herptiles is a word that includes Reptiles and Amphibians, animals that dwell in the creeks, rivers, and streams throughout the county.

Want to learn more? From 4 to 5 p.m. on May 23 at the Saluda branch of Polk County Libraries, an in-person program titled “Reptile and Amphibian Encounters” will take place. This will also serve as a chance to introduce kids to the ecoEXPLORE program.

EcoEXPLORE is a community science program for children in kindergarten through eighth grade. According to the website, this program was “developed by The North Carolina Arboretum, this innovative program combines science exploration with kid-friendly technology to foster a fun learning environment for children while encouraging them to explore the outdoors and participate in community science.” Learn more here.

The “Reptile and Amphibian Encounters” at the Saluda Library will be a chance to find out what distinguishes herptiles from other animals, where different herptiles live, what they eat, how they breathe, plus much more.

Click here for more information.

You can sign up for the program on the ecoExplore website.