The Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, is a great place to learn about life on our living planet. Various displays and exhibits explain how difficult it is for many animals, birds, and fish around the world to survive in the natural world and what we can do to protect the unique characteristics of our planet. The museum contains over three million specimens (not all on display) housed in nine separate biological collections -- Our Living Planet, Life on Top: Apex Predators, Life Submerged: Marine & Freshwater, Fred & Sue Morris Bird Gallery, Butterflies, and special exhibits.
A display sign states: "The African Elephant, Loxodonta afticana, is an example of a species in decline due to human-related impacts. The ivory tusks of this species are valuable because they are commonly used to make fine jewelry. Hunting, illegal poaching, as well as habital loss have all been factors influencing the decline of this species."
Shasta the Liger lived at the Salt Lake City Zoo until she died at the age of 24. A display sign states that "A liger is the offspring of a male lion and a female tiger. A similar crossbreed is the tigon, which involves a cross between a male tiger and a female lion. Ligers and tigons do not occur in nature but have been produced in zoos in various parts of the world."
Walking through the museum there are a number of animals displayed as they fight to survive.
A display sign states: "These butterflies with shiny wings belong to the genus Morpho. As 'Morpho' butterflies open their wings during flight there is a flash of light. Some predatory birds are attracted to these flashes of light; however, when Morpho butterflies close their wings, the light disappears, making it difficult for the birds to locate them."
When we visited the museum, there was a special exhibit on Titanoboa, the largest snake ever found. (They also had some smaller live snakes that you could have your picture taken with.)
In 2004 the Titanoboa snake fossil was found in Colombia's Cerrejon coal mine, along with evidence of turtles the size of pool tables, enormous snub-nosed crocodiles and many species never seen before. It was soon discovered that Titanoboa was at the top of a monster-eat-monster food chain. Titanoboa was 48 feet long, had a 26 inch diameter body that could expand to over 50 inches after eating, weighed about 2,500 pounds, and could swallow a crocodile whole!! (An Anaconda can grow up to 26 feet and a Boa Constrictor up to 9 feet.)
While we are talking about eating, Marley's Cafe is located in the west side of the Timpanogas Harley Davidson dealership and is well-known for its gourmet sliders. 80% of the entire building was built using recycled materials from the Geneva Steel plant, the Coca-Cola factory, and the 1800's Ogden Depot. The tower on top of the building is a 75-foot tall, 1100-pound water tower.
We also found the Largest Blender in the World! Okay, so it's not a real blender, but it serves as the entrance lobby for Blendtec, a company that manufactures blenders.
I was amazed at the large collection of vintage gas station signs and related gas station equipment that we found in a storage facility near the Provo Airport. I had never seen several of the signs before. The signs are behind a gated fence, but if you stop and talk to the owner you can obtain permission to go in the storage yard and look at the displays.
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