PHILADELPHIA, March 26, 2015

Science and fantasy meet for a “Game of Thrones” Dire Wolves and Dragons Day Sunday, April 12, at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.

With the fifth season of the popular television series launching on the same date, Dire Wolves and Dragons Day is a good opportunity to brush up on the fact and fiction of the animal world woven into the story. It’s also a good time to see live wolves in the safety and comfort of the museum.

“With popular novels and television shows such as “Game of Thrones” that feature dire wolves, dragons, crows, and other farfetched creatures, I think people are wondering which animals could be real and which not,” said Timshel Purdum, the Academy’s director of education and lifelong learning. “Are dire wolves real? You may be surprised by the answer!”

At Dire Wolves and Dragons Day, visitors will meet some of the real animals that have inspired the fictional and factual animals of Westeros, including two recently rescued wolf-dog hybrids. Academy specimens of a dire wolf and other creatures will be on display for close examination and a house sorting game will reveal facts about the curious animals.

The event is free with museum admission. Below are some of the activities. For more information, visit ansp.org.

• 11 a.m. Fact or Fiction Live Animal Show featuring a live porcupine and opossum.
• 1 p.m. Howling Woods Farm of Jackson, N.J., gives a presentation on the natural history and conservation needs of modern wolves, featuring two rescued wolf-dog hybrids.
• 3 p.m. Meet some live animal representatives of the creatures featured in “Game of Thrones.”
• Discover the true history of dire wolves with real fossils and modern wolf specimens.
• Make a dragon egg and dragonet to take home.

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