The tiny kinkajou nibbling on a banana drew some interest.
And so did the baby wallaby, which nibbled on sweet potato slices from the comfort of a fleece pouch.
But the animal that sparked the most excitement from campers at the Munroe-Meyer Institute was Snickers, a long yellow snake.
Those animals, plus a few others, were the special guests at Camp Munroe, the recreational day camp for children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
During the one-week sessions, campers — who range in age between 3 and 21 — take part in sports, swimming, dancing, art, cooking and games. Special guests, like the visit from the animals at Wildlife Encounters, come once a week.
This year, the annual camp was expanded from six weeks to seven weeks.
Wildlife Encounters is always a crowd favorite, said Nicole Giron, director of the MMI Department of Recreational Therapy.
Campers were able to touch the animals as Jillian Lenz with Wildlife Encounters carried them around the gym and shared facts about each critter.
Some attendees opted to wave at the animals, while others gently petted them.
The crowd went wild when Tater Tot, an armadillo, gave a shake after unfurling from the curled-up position she had been resting in. After meeting all of the animals and asking a few questions, the group gave a hearty round of applause.
Lenz said the outing to MMI is one of her favorite summer staples.
“I love seeing how excited these kids get,” she said.