Our cornsnake made his Animal Encounter debut this week!

The name cornsnake is thought to have originated from the markings on the cornsnake’s belly that resemble the checkered pattern of kernels of maize. Others believe they were named for frequenting the corn cribs where farmers stored their harvested crops.

We also welcomed two giant red sea cucumbers to our Feeding exhibit. Close relatives of sea urchins, sea stars and other echinoderms, these sea cucumbers have no heads or brains and can grow to be up to thirty inches long! In the face of danger, sea cucumbers discharge sticky threads to entangle their predators and sometimes even expel their intestines (which they later regenerate). Check out the video below to see this bizarre defense in action: