By Adam Malmut
Despite the dreary weather that afternoon, Fix brought the room to life with an assortment of animals, ranging from a freeze-dried Malaysian earth tiger tarantula to a living bird of prey called a Harris hawk –– aptly named “Lobo” after a friend and guide of famous ornithologist John James Audubon.
The children reacted audibly when Fix brought out “Shelly,” a 70-year-old, red-footed tortoise. Fix engaged in a playful, one-sided conversation with Shelly as he fed the tortoise a small piece of boiled carrot.
“Can you come over here and take this carrot?” asked Fix politely. “Please, don’t rush.”
After the performance, a wide-eyed youngster in the audience, 5-year-old Jacob Azemoun of Valley Stream, said he is really interested in science and nature. “I watch Animal Planet on TV all the time,” said Azemoun. “I was very happy when my grandma told me about the animal show... It was fun to see the animals up close.”
The show wasn’t just about observing unfamiliar creatures and having fun; it was educational too. Fix explained how each of the animals plays a role in its natural habitat.
“My goal here is to separate fact from fiction and show people that the environment needs these creatures,” said Fix. “A lot of the time kids hear or read fairy tales where some of these animals are vilified. I want to instill a respect for nature in young children so they treat the Earth properly when they become adults.”
Kathy Guidal, head of the Children’s Department at the Elmont Library, said even she learned something new. “I thought [the show] was wonderful,” said Guidal. “The kids learned so much, and to my surprise, so did I. We try to provide the best service to our young patrons, and Bill Fix delivered a fantastic performance.”
