THOMASVILLE- Thursday morning, the Thomas County Public Library invited Nicholas Petryk from Animal Tales to come and introduce a few of his animal friends with local children, educating them on the wildlife around them.

Petryk said that Animal Tales is an educational organization, commonly showing up at schools and libraries, as well as birthday parties.

“Animal Tales is an educational based organization,” he said. “So, we do multiple exhibits, travel to schools, libraries, other community events, even birthday parties”

At the demonstration, Petryk showed off Roger, a 30-year old gray parrot, Charlotte, a tarantula, and Sid, a wallaby, as well as an assortment of other animals including a hissing cockroach, a tortoise, and an Texas indigo snake.

“Our main goal is to spread awareness about some of the wildlife that we share the planet with, including how to improve our conservation efforts as well,” he said. Petryk said that there is a growing disconnect between people and wildlife as technology increases everyday and he hopes to inspire kids to interact and reconnect with the living world around them.

“Especially in this day and age with technology increasing everyday, people and children don’t get the opportunity to get outside as much as they used to or interact with these animals like they get to with us,” Petryk said. “So that’s our goal, is to inspire and educate and hopefully have the kids grow up to do the same thing.”

Petryk said that he is based out of Tallahassee, but Animal Tales works out of Kentucky and Pensacola, Fla. as well.

With around 50 animals cared for at his own home in Tallahassee, Petryk said that the animals he shares during his demonstration are chosen from his home.

“They are all my personal animals, all come home with me,” Petryk said. “I just pick and choose who to bring with me for the day.”

Petryk said that he has been working in animal education for years now, but has only been working with Animal Tales for around 2 years at this point.

“I’ve been working in animal education for years now,” he said. “For Animal Tales, specifically, I believe this is only my second year doing it, but I see myself doing for a lot longer.”

His favorite part of the job, he said, was the reactions from his audience and getting to see their hesitation and fear melt away at the excitement to get to see his animals during the demonstration.

“It’s really enjoyable,” Petryk said. “My favorite part of the job, besides working with the animals, I like to see people’s reactions. Like when I bring out the big snake, for example, seeing the kids’, even the adults’, reactions to something they may have never seen before and seeing them kinda overcome their hesitation or their fear, possibly, of the species, is really rewarding in my opinion.”