Project Pick Up Fishing Line volunteer Jann Nichols demonstrates the threat to nature from discarded lines. Four-year-old triplets Joy, Quinn and Kai Kennedy enjoy the lesson.

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - From reptiles to raptors, bats and insects, and the world’s largest rodent, the Effie Yeaw Nature Centre went batty, buzzy and ratty during its recent open day.

NatureFest is the center’s largest event, this year hosting nearly 800 visitors at the Carmichael facility. Creatures great and small were paraded. A raptor show featured live owl, hawk and falcon ambassadors from the Native Bird Connection organization.

A seven-foot alligator called Spike, an owl named Nova and Donatello the snapping turtle were introduced by JoJo Kerschner, whose family runs Wild Things animal sanctuary in Placer County.

Kerschner’s rescued animals are featured on television and hundreds of school programs. For NatureFest, his rock star was a capybara. Related to tiny guinea pigs, the South American native is the world’s largest rodent. The visitor was the rejected runt of a litter born to a female rehoused from an Arizona zoo. Kerschner bottle-fed the baby from infancy. Noting her spud-like profile, the educator named her Tater Tot.

Alligator Spike is a perennial attraction at NatureFest. Handler is JoJo Kerschner from the Wild Things Animal Sanctuary in Placer County.

“She loves to lick my face and chew on my hair,” Kerschner told an enchanted audience. “She thinks I’m her dad  and her mom.”

Dozens of Nature Center visitors lined up to pet the 70-pound 2-year-old.

“Tater’s big and homely,” said a fan. “But she’s affectionate and lovely to touch. I can’t believe a giant guinea pig kissed me.”

Another educational hit was a game invented by Project Pick Up Fishing Line founder Jann Nichols. Her visitors chose a toy bird and drew cards to determine its fate. Birds that ended up “hooked or snared” by careless anglers’ lines were untangled by Wildlife Encounters volunteers in an adjacent booth.

“The kids liked the game,” said Nichols. “I hope they also learned that fishermen need to use rivers responsibly and that there are people out there trained to rescue animals that get in trouble.”

Guinea pig relative Tater Tot represents the world’s largest rodent species. Handler JoJo Kerschner raised the South American capybara after it was rejected by its mother.

Nearly 50 organizations interacted with visitors during the Nature Center open day.

“We’ve been doing this event for 14 years,” said Effie Yeaw Interim Executive Director Betty Cooper. “The number of attractions has increased over the years and it remains our most popular educational outreach.”

NatureFest sponsors included Fred and Betsy Weiland, SMUD, Irish Iron, Carmichael Water District, Eric Ross, Save the American River Association, Randy Getz, Sacramento Area Creeks Council, California Native Plant Society, Sacramento Audubon Society and Dr Gabrielle Rasi. 

For more information on Effie Yeaw Nature Center events, visit www.sacnaturecenter.net