Gator, Opossum Big Hit At Van Community Library

Van Community Library’s Summer Reading Program (SRP) children were enthralled Thursday, June 18 by the menagerie of animals brought to the Library. The East Texas Gator and Wildlife Farm (ETGAWF) exhibited a variety of creatures native to East Texas. 

 Among the various species the children were introduced to, were a young opossum, a 7 month old American alligator, a slider turtle, a red ear snapping turtle, a painted box turtle, a ribbon snake, a speckled prairie king snake, a rattlesnake skin, and 2 well-secured recluse spiders.

Jana Harris, co-owner of ETGAWF, allowed the children to pet some of the animals in the traveling collection.  The park is located on Hwy 1255 between Hwy 110 south of Grand Saline and I-20 west of Van.

Alligators from hatchlings to 12 feet long reside at the park, along with parrots, ferrets, lizards,  deer, and fish.  The park also touts The Grill concession stand offering menu items from hamburgers to gator kabobs and snow cones.  For more information regarding the park, please call 903-962-5630.

Activity day for SRP at Van Community Library continues through July 23 each Thursday at 10am. 

The library is inside the Van Community Center near the soccer fields at 310 Chestnut. 

For more information regarding the library or the library’s reading program, please call 903-963-7942.