Hays Post

“In the long history of humankind – and animal kind too – those who learned to collaborate and improvise move effectively have prevailed.” Charles Darwin

Help celebrate Darwin Day Sunday at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, 3000 Sternberg Drive, Hays, with a day of free admission.

Activities will be available around the museum gallery from 1 to 4 p.m.

This year features predator and prey interactions.

Children will be able to play a predator and prey game.

They will also learn how predators and prey evolved over time.

For example, horses were originally smaller animals but as they moved onto the Plains grew taller over time to better evade predators, Rachel Unruh, Sternberg marketing intern, said. Their eyes also became set differently to better scan for predators.

Pronghorn developed speed during the ice age when they were being preyed upon by saber-tooth cats.

Darwin Days is usually celebrated in February in conjunction with Darwin’s birthday, but this year the museum is conducting Darwin Days on Penguin Awareness Day. The museum will also have a station that talks about penguins. This will include information on penguin predators — sea lions and killer whales.

Museum-goers will be able to visit with staff, see fossils and even handle some museum specimens.

The museum’s newest traveling exhibit “Megalodon: The largest shark that ever lived,” will open to the public on Feb. 2. In honor of that upcoming attraction, children will be able to make a shark craft.