If you love creepy-crawly things, the new Scaly Slimy Spectacular at Zoo Atlanta should be right up your alley.
The new facility replaces the World of Reptiles, which opened to the public in 1967, and was home to hundreds of salamanders, lizards, turtles, tortoises, frogs, toads and snakes, including black mambas, king cobras, and reticulated pythons. Over time, antiquated technology and an aging climate control system became a danger to the reptile population and prompted a full overhaul of the property.
Renovations on the reptile house began in 2013 and were recently completed in March of 2015. Construction took approximately18 months to complete and the zoo invested an estimated $18 million into the expansion. The 14,000 square feet building will house more than 70 different species of reptiles.
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The exhibit features a 45-foot tall glass dome ceiling in the main exhibition space, 60,000 gallons of water in the aquatic displays, and 9,700 square feet of custom-designed rockwork. The building has taken a distinct leap into the future with interactive touchscreens replacing name plaques and digital educational games that allow visitors to learn more about the reptiles in a fun, engaging way.
“It’s really art when you get right down to it,” Zoo Atlanta president and CEO Raymond B. King said of the construction.
The tall glass ceiling is impressive both inside and out, and the overall feel of the building is far more naturalistic than the dark, low-ceilings of the previous World of Reptiles. Impressive, too, are the massive waterfalls and large glass windows into the underwater worlds of the exhibits. “I’m a water guy,” King said about his favorite feature of the new facility. “I really love water features.”
The Scaly Slimy Spectacular is open during normal Zoo hours To learn more about the facility and for ticket prices visit, zooatlanta.org.
