A 90-minute world tour!

Bring the entire family to learn about animals all over the world!

On April 3, award-winning author Marty Essen will present his high-energy digital slide show, Around the World in 90 Minutes. This event is presented by the Chattanooga Nature Center (CNC), Reflection Riding Arboretum and Botanical Garden (RR), Tennessee Aquarium, UTC and Lookout Mountain Conservancy.

“This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the incredible diversity of life around the world from someone who has seen so much.” said Dr. Jean Lomino, CNC executive director. “We hope participants will leave with a greater desire to protect our planet.”

Marty’s show features interesting facts, humorous stories, and the best of thousands of photos he took while traveling the world for his book, Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents. It's the type of show where the audience has fun laughing at the stories, oohing and aahing at the photos, and then, when it's all done, they realize just how much they've learned. Around the World in 90 Minutes is great for wildlife lovers from 7 to 107!

Highlights of the show include:

•  Amazing animal facts
• Debunking animal myths
• Cuddly wallaroos and spiny walking sticks
• Charging elephants and howling wolves
• Deadly snakes and friendly penguins
• Bizarre creatures and endangered species
• Swimming with pirranhas
• Kayaking in the rainforest
• Hiking with the Porcupine caribou migration
• Rafting with humpback whales
• Surviving a hippo attack in Zimbabwe

“Marty’s presentation is the kick-off for the 2010 BioBlitz, and it is intended to bring more attention to this significant undertaking,” Lomino said. The Chattanooga BioBlitz brings together scientists and experts from across the region in a race against time to see how many species can be counted during a 24-hour biological survey of CNC and RR properties. Chattanooga BioBlitz combines the best of a festival, educational event, scientific endeavor, and contest into a unique event which is set for 3 p.m. April 30 and continuing through 3 p.m. May 1.

Around the World in 90 Minutes will take place at Benwood Auditorium on the UTC Campus, Saturday, April 3 at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (Benwood Auditorium is located inside the Engineering, Math, and Computer Science building, at the corner of Vine and Palmetto streets. Click here for a map of the campus.) Cost is $5 for adults, $2.50 for children ages 4 to 11 and 3 and under are free. Attendees can pay at the door or reserve seating by calling 821-1160, ext. 0.

Books and photographs will be available for purchase.