Today, October 21, is National Reptile Awareness  Day. Reptiles are profound creatures, and they deserve the respect other animals receive.

Reptiles are often confused with amphibians, but they are actually very different. Reptiles, such as lizards and snakes, for example, have dry and scaly skin, are cold blooded and reproduce on land. 

Amphibians, on the other hand, have slimy skin and reproduce in the water, but then metamorphosize to live on land. 

Reptiles have quite a fascinating history, dating back hundreds of millions of years. 

They’re most iconic for including the dinosaurs. They were large, ferocious, and varied in shape and design. 

Dinosaurs ruled the prehistoric Earth with a scaly fist, and represented the Mesozoic Era, long before humans ever came around. Their time on Earth came to a halt when an extreme extinction-level event took place 65-million years ago. 

This event led to the rise of mammals, and in turn, humans, who live on to this day. 

Reptiles are still alive and prospering. We even have some famous reptiles here on campus. 

Our campus reptiles include, but are not limited to: Mindy the Alligator, the “Candy Cane Lake” turtles, and many more. 

Reptiles have come a long way, and you’ll find they’re still going strong today.

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