Submitted photo At Audubon Community Nature Center’s Little Explorers on Saturday morning, February 12, 3 to 8-year-olds and their adults learn how animals like this porcupine protect themselves.

“Animal Defenses” is the subject for Audubon Community Nature Center’s Little Explorers on Saturday, Feb. 12, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

All animals in the wild have ways to keep themselves safe from predators or in competition with other animals for resources. Sometimes they use these adaptations to physically defend themselves and sometimes they use them to avoid being caught.

Join Audubon to learn more examples of the ways animals protect themselves with their structures, behaviors, and senses. After a short lesson, challenge yourself to figure out how different local animals defend themselves by looking for animals out on the trails and meeting some of Audubon’s animal ambassadors. A snack is provided after the hike and a craft is offered if there is time.

The fee for the program is $8 for adults, $6 for children ages 3 – 8 and Nature Center members. Enrollment is limited to 15 children, 30 participants total. Make reservations by Thursday, Feb. 10, by calling 716-569-2345 during business hours or by going to AudubonCNC.org and clicking on “Upcoming Programs.”

Sponsored by Univera Healthcare, Little Explorers is presented on the second Saturday of every month from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Audubon Community Nature Center is located at 1600 Riverside Road, one-quarter mile east of Route 62 between Jamestown and Warren. Dawn to dusk daily hike, snowshoe and cross country ski the six miles of trails, view Liberty, Audubon’s non-releasable Bald Eagle, and enjoy the outdoor Nature Play Area, all for free.

The three-story Nature Center building houses interactive displays, a collection of live animals including the Hellbender exhibit, the 2021 Nature Photography Contest winners, and the Blue Heron Gift Shop. Visitors are welcome Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sundays, 1 to 4:30 p.m. Nature Center members and SNAP/EBT cardholders enjoy free building admission daily. Building admission is also free every Sunday for non-Nature Center members.

To learn more about Audubon and its programs, call 716-569-2345, find Audubon Community Nature Center on Facebook, or visit AudubonCNC.org. All visitors, volunteers, and staff are required to wear face coverings while inside the building; any updates to these requirements can be found at the COVID-19 Notice on that webpage.