The rattlesnake, a venomous reptile native to the Sonoran Desert, will be showcased along with other animals as part of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Live Animal Show at the Tucson Festival of Books.

The museum’s show will take place Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Science City Main Stage. There will be two components to the presentation that will act as introductions to the museum’s larger live animal programs, “Live & (sort of) on the Loose” and “Fur, Feathers & Fangs.”

“Live & (sort of) on the Loose” will be the introduction to the venomous component of the show. A rattlesnake and Gila monster will be exhibited.

The next part will consist of an introduction to the museum’s other larger live animal show, “Fur, Feathers & Fangs.” The show will display other native animals, and each show will host a new variety of Sonoran fauna throughout the weekend.

On Saturday, the museum plans to bring a skunk, chuckwalla, ringtail and military macaw, according to Stephane Poulin, the museum’s general curator. On Sunday, a golfer snake will come along with the chuckwalla and ringtail. 

“Everything venomous is planned to be there all weekend,” Poulin said. The rattlesnake and Gila monster plan to stay throughout the two days including the signing at Flandrau Bookstore (Science City), which will follow each show. The other animals will be transported back to the museum following the presentation. 

“People are drawn to animals,” Poulin said. “They act as ambassadors for the desert.” 

The show will present the natural history of the animals’ roles in the Sonoran Desert in an effort to communicate part of the museums mission: to educate and inspire the community to live in tranquility within the Sonoran Desert ecosystem. 

For more information about the educational programs the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum offers, contact the museum at (520) 883-2702, or visit its website.