Randuwa II: Detroit Zoo: Butterflies and Birds

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Detroit Zoo: Butterflies and Birds

Next to the Polk Penguin Conservation Center (A) is a structure (B) dating back to the 1930's and the WPA work at zoo's across the country. In fact, the architectural design elements are dead ringers for several of the buildings from the Toledo Zoo which were built at the same time under the same circumstances. You enter the lobby and you are in the Ron Kagan Wildlife Interpretive Gallery, little art museum dedicated to the memory of for Detroit Zoo CEO Ron Kagan.

From here you enter the zoo's Lepidopterarium, or butterfly conservatory, were guests may enter in numbers not exceeding 6 and you encounter a variety of blooming tropical plants and over a dozen species of butterflies. Butterfly Houses are not common at zoos. I've only ever been at one other, the Berniece Grewcock Butterfly and Insect Pavilion at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. It's nice, but honestly, I liked this one better. Many more Butterflies and types of flora.

The space is designed with a single winding pathway, one entrance, and one exit. The exit takes you to a nice Matilda R. Wilson Free-Flight Aviary were you can hear more species that you can see. I encountered but three. The website suggests at least five others call the home. The plantings are well established and the vibe is copacetic. Once outside again, you've pretty much done was can be done in this initial area of the zoo, and it's time to start walking.

The building's facade, the impressive dome is actually over the art gallery (which covers two floors). The Lepidopterarium and Aviary are both behind it, modified and/or later additions.

Two sumptuous Art Deco statues of Baboons guard the entrance suggesting that in its original design the building was home to apes and monkeys.

Robert Kagan Wildlife Interpretive Gallery

The first image you see is of the namesake Ron Kagan who was the CEO of the Detroit Zoological Society from 1992 thru 2021. The dedication reads:

"Throughout his long career, Ron Kagan showed extraordinary dedication to celebrating and saving wildlife and wild places around the world. As a passionate advocate for the welfare of animals, Mr. Kagan inspired countless others to advance wildlife conservation, sustainability and humane education."

"Bullet Elephant," 1995

Mary Engel