The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to explore, explain, and sustain life.

Get your feet wet with Academy educator Melissa as she leads you on a tour of the cypress swamp habitat at the Academy.

Artist Michael Bartalos created the snazzy swamp creatures for this coloring page.

Swamp habitats provide a home for many different kinds of plants and animals.

Claude stars in his very own storybook! Settle in for storytime with author Emma Bland Smith and discover how he got to the Academy and what makes him such a special and important animal.

Grab a pencil and follow along with Academy educator Alex for a step-by-step Claude drawing lesson.

World-class care for our nearly 40,000 animals is the Academy’s top priority. Meet Academy biologist Jenoh as he feeds Claude and explains what it takes to keep an alligator happy and healthy.

Alligators may have thick skin, but they’re pretty sensitive, too. Learn more about their surprisingly delicate sense of touch with Academy biologist Brian.

You’d need a lot of paper to make a 10-foot ‘gator, so set your sights on this cute Claude craft instead.

Their camouflage may allow them to blend into the background, but today our turtles take center stage. Learn more about the Academy’s three alligator snapping turtles and how they get along with their toothy roommate.

Step into the Naturalist Center with Academy educator Katy as she demonstrates the differences and similarities between the skulls of an alligator snapping turtle and an American alligator.

Zoom, spin, and rotate this 3D alligator snapping turtle specimen while practicing your skull-sketching skills…and keeping your fingers.

Oh, snap! Make an alligator snapping turtle with a worm-shaped tongue and practice “chomping” some fish.

The Bay Area has lost 90% of its wetlands over the last 200 years, which means it’s absolutely critical to protect what remains. Join Academy educator Jahnine for an inspiring journey into the wetland in her backyard.

Make your own mini-swamp to see the filtration in action.

Intrepid Academy educators Louise and Laura venture out to collect natural materials for their “swamp in a bottle” and then demonstrate how swamps and other wetlands filter water.

Head to Florida for a cypress swamp safari—and don’t forget your crayons!

Working together can make a difference. This brief article highlights a helpful relationship between two unlikely swamp animals.