Chelsey Skidmore
Wild A bout Ani Anim m als Liberty Science Center By Tara Ryazansky Photos by Max Ryazansky
C
helsey Skidmore coaxes a huge tarantula onto a piece of bark with a blush brush, of all things. “I’m not doing her makeup,” Skidmore explains that it’s just a way to gently move the Chilean rose hair tarantula without touching her. “She isn’t fuzzy and soft. She’s not an animal that you would want to pet. The hair on her body is actually a defense mechanism. She can flick off her hairs and they can irritate her predators.” The crowd that has gathered, myself included, takes a little step back upon learning that information. Skidmore assures us, “They really get a bad rep. People think of them as scary. The truth
is that most animals are not aggressive by nature at all. They just want to eat, and they don’t want to get eaten. As long as you’re respectful, there’s no reason to be scared of any animal. Even if they look really different from us, like a tarantula.”
Up Close At The Touch Tank Skidmore is the Animal Program Coordinator at Liberty Science Center. She works with 110 species of live animals who call the museum home. She brings me upstairs to see a few. In the Our Hudson Home exhibition, guests learn about the animals and environment of Jersey City. You can even connect with some of them up close at the Touch Tank. Right now we’re headed to the next floor where the Wild About Animals exhibit is
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located. The animals who live here come from places that are far from Jersey City. Cotton-top tamarin monkeys play inside of their enclosure. Skidmore says that because they are a critically endangered species they can’t come out to meet guests like some of the other animals here. Endangered animals are a big part of what inspired Skidmore to pursue her career. She remembers coming to Liberty Science Center for class trips when she was growing up in Edison. “I was the kid in the class that was really psyched to come and experience this. I loved anything to do with animals and science.” She says she was especially inspired by the topic of conservation. She’s still passionate about sharing that with guests.
