The Flint Hills Discovery Center stands tall in the heart of Manhattan, Kansas, buzzing with curiosity. Visitors of all ages come to explore the hands-on exhibits, the beautiful views and the history of the Flint Hills and Tall Grass Prairie. However, many stay for the four quiet stars of the show — the ambassador animals, scaly, slimy and lovable.

The Flint Hills Discovery Center currently has four ambassador animals: an ornate Box Turtle, a Western Hognose Snake, an Eastern Tiger Salamander and a beautiful Speckled Kingsnake. Each ambassador animal represents a living link between everyday people and the beautiful Flint Hills ecosystem.

Education supervisor and head of animal care Amber Myers shares that these ambassadors help to introduce the inhabitants of Manhattan to the wild and native side of our region.

“The main goal is to help visitors connect with their wild neighbors,” Myers said. “We want people to appreciate even the less glamorous species and see how they fit into the bigger picture.”

A program crafted from curiosity

The ambassador animal program began as a temporary exhibit. When Myers first joined the Flint Hills Discovery Center team, she proposed adding live reptiles and amphibians to help supplement an exhibit. What was supposed to be a temporary experience has turned into a beloved key piece of the Flint Hills Discovery Center.

“It was a huge success,” Myers said. “Visitors loved the animals, and they became a permanent part of the Discovery Center.”

Today, the animals serve as educators by participating in camps, outreach programs and even school events. The animals being part of education helps to bring awareness, help people overcome fear and teach respect for the local wildlife, such as their wild cousins.

The stars of the show

The lovable personality and beautiful shell of the box turtle makes this creature a crowd favorite in the exhibit Lacey Esau, a former educator at the Discovery Center, said 

“When I first met the Ornate Box Turtle, I was so excited,” Esau said. “During enrichment times, it seemed like he would climb onto me to get my attention and follow me around the classroom. He loved to play!” 

For both staff and visitors, the Ornate Box Turtle has a way of turning fear or hesitation into curiosity and fascination. He has a way of bringing people out of their shells, children and adults alike delight in feeding him and watching his personality shine.

“It is always a huge hit to see our youngest visitors feed the box turtle,” Myers said. “These are children under 2 years old, and they remember the experience for weeks or months.”

Behind the scenes, caring for the box turtle takes years of dedication, experience and effort. Box turtles require a varied diet, UV light exposure and regular enrichment time for their health.

While the Ornate Box Turtle easily wins hearts, there is a member who is often the one changing minds and breaking prejudice: the Western Hognose at the Discovery Center is known for its gentle temperament, helping visitors overcome fears.

“Seeing a kid who’s terrified of snakes reach out and touch the hognose — it’s always so rewarding,” Esau said. “They realize snakes aren’t slimy or scary, just misunderstood.”

Myers agrees, explaining that the ability to interact more directly with animals often corrects misconceptions about the animals. 

“Some of these visitors have never seen these species up close,” said Myers. “Most often, I see acceptance of the snakes that these previous visitors would have killed or been scared of.”

The eastern tiger salamander and speckled kingsnake may not enjoy the spotlight like the other animals, but they still play a vital role in the ambassador animal program. Each of the four species represents an important piece of the Flint Hills — the animals that are often unseen but essential to keeping the prairie ecosystem balanced.

For the tiger salamander, the only amphibian in the program and a stand-in for its wild cousin, the western salamander, this means reminding visitors of the important and delicate connection between water and land. For the Kingsnake, this means showcasing the fierce side of balance, being an example of natural pest control, helping keep rodent populations in check.

Myers knows that taking care of the animals always comes first for the staff, and they closely monitor for when a break is needed.

“If an animal is not acting like themselves, then they don’t do a program; we also gauge the length of their handling based on their behavior.”

Wild Wonder and the legacy it leaves

For nearly a decade, the ambassador animal program continues to adapt and grow, much like the ecosystem itself, one curious visitor and one connection at a time.

“Working with the Hognose snake made me fall in love with snakes and eventually led me to get a pet snake of my own,” Esau said. “That kind of connection sticks with you.”

Just as the visitors’ light up learning about their wild neighbors, a smile spreads across Myers’ face watching decades old misconceptions shatter when confronted with the truth of our  intricate ecosystem.

“The animals are delightful to me, but when I see a person recognize the value of a snake — that’s gold,” said Myers.