Sherburne — The Rogers Center invites the community to visit the “Dinosaurs As Real Animals” Program from 6 to 7 p.m., July 23, at the Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center, Inc., located at 2721 State Highway 80 in Sherburne.

The program is free to the public and available to ages eight years or older. Registration for the program by emailing ariah@friendsofrogers.org.

Friends of Rogers Educator and Communications Lead Ariah Mitchell said dinosaurs are often portrayed as cartoon characters or movie monsters, but thats not reality.

“Dinosaurs have captured the imaginations of so many people, and we’re so excited to be hosting Matthew at Rogers Center so he can share with visitors both his scientific perspective and real fossils,” Mitchell said.

She explained that during the program, Matthew Ellerbeck, founder of Dinosaur Devoted, will offer a perspective on dinosaurs, showcasing the animal as a real pre-historic animal. He will also share real dinosaur fossils, allowing participants to touch them and take photos.

“He will also present paleontological research to tell the vivid story of these extinct creatures.” Mitchell added.

According to the American Museum of Natural History, dinosaurs are prehistoric reptiles that have lived on Earth from about 245 million years ago to the present.

Modern birds are related to the dinosaur as they share a common ancestor with non-avian dinosaurs.Non-avian dinosaurs; all dinosaurs besides birds, which are now extinct, varied greatly in shape and size.

Some weighed as much as 80 tons and were more than 120 feet long while others were the size of a chicken and weighed as little as 8 pounds.

It is recorded that all non-avian dinosaurs lived on land although some may have gone into the swamps and lakes for food, they did not live entirely in water.

Meat-eaters walked on two legs and hunted alone or in groups. Plant-eaters walked on either two or four legs and grazed on plants.

There is one feature that distinguishes dinosaurs from other reptiles. It is a hole in the hip socket, which allowed dinosaurs to walk upright.

The Friends of Rogers website states their mission is to provide outstanding educational opportunities that excite, inspire, and motivate people of all ages to enjoy, understand, appreciate, and protect the natural environment.

Rogers Center is one of four New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)

environmental education centers, and is operated by the Friends of Rogers.

The Visitor Center is Open Monday and Tuesday by appointment only, Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 12 to 4 p.m.

For more information on Friends of Rogers programs, visit their website at friendsofrogers.org.