Monday, March 25, 2024

Virginia Zoo: Reptiles of the World and Friends

 I love a good herpetarium, and they are not that common at most zoos.  Often Reptiles and Amphibians are scattered in and among other collections of animals in say a "Tropics House."  Sometimes this works, I would say that the Denver Zoo's arrangement is particularly successful, while the Reptiles included in the expanded Jaguar/Tropical Aviary habitat at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle tends to lose the snakes in the rest of the spectacle.   Some Zoos try to create a dedicated building, which often feels like an afterthought, a box to check off in broadening the range of species.  The smaller the zoo, the less successful the attempt.  So where are some great Herpetariums?  The Smithsonian National zoo has a pair in the Reptile House and the Amazonia Tropical Forest building.  The Philadelphia Zoo has arguably the first modern Herpetarium and after a major overhaul a few years back one of the finest.  And then there is the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk.

About 5 years ago now, if memory serves me, it opened an expanded and ambitious new Herpetarium called "Reptiles of the World and their Friends".  Nestled a wee bit off the beaten path between the Beastro Cafe and the Children's Petting Zoo, it's honestly possible to visit the zoo and completely miss it, or think it no big deal.  However, you would have missed one of the best things about the Virginia Zoo and one of the best Herpetariums in the nation.

The design in organic and "snakes" around from entrance to exit presenting the visitor with dozens of habitats, medium, large and extra large in size.  There are two working labs where species survival is front and center with arches of glass walls to peek inside and discover what goes on in a poison dart frog fertility lab, or what do infant boa constrictors eat?  Not for the faint of heart.  Around one turn is a series of large aquariums featuring, exotic newts, water snakes, and even seahorses.  The largest feature is a huge pool full of enormous cichlids and koi and a pair of very content Siamese Crocodiles.  

The last thing you see is a series of 4 habitats, large vertical spaces arranged in a reverse bay window.  Each is home to a different species of Tree Monitor Lizard--all with Color names: Blue, Black, Green and Yellow.  It creates an amazing, real-time opportunity to compare the stunning and unique coloration of each to the other.

On the way out is large aviary which was originally designed to be shared by small primates, titi monkeys, a three-toed sloth, and some copacetic bird species.  The very first time I visited, the space was still under construction.  The second time, it was homes to tropical plants, but animals were yet added.  Today, I found the plants and a couple of species of birds, Nicobar Dove and a species of Myna.  No primates.  I get the sense that in leaving some areas incomplete, the zoo may have bitten off more than it can chew when it set about designing the entire complex.  But if one lacking aviary is the only issue, I am so grateful that they went ahead with the rest.  And the fact that they have intentionally made space for animals from all corners of the world and in many cases with conservation concerns is really what makes this place unique.



The Building's Exterior


King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) with neck flaps completely retracted
Native to: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sikkim, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Fiji Banded Iguana (Brachyolophus fasciatus)
Native to: Fiji
Conservation Status: Endangered

Smallwood's Anole (Anolis smallwoodi)
Native to: Cuba
Conservation Status: Near Threatened

Frilled Dragon (Chlamydosaurus kingii)
Native to: Australia
Conservation Status: Least Concerned

Henkel's Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus henkeli)
Native to: Madagascar
Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Aruba Island Rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus unicolor)
Native to: Aruba (Dutch Caribbean Antilles)
Conservation Status: Least Concerned

Mangrove Snake (Boiga dendrophla)
Native to: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam
Conservation Status: Not Evaluated

Cantil Viper (Agkistrodon bilineatus)
Native to: El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico
Conservation Status: Near Threatened

Cottonmouth [Water Moccasin] (Agkistrodon piscivorus)
Native To: United States
Conservation Status: Least Concerned

Sailfin Dragon (Hydrosaurus pustulatus)
Native to: Philippines
Conservation Status: Least Concerned

Iranian Newt (Neurergus Kaiseri)
Native to: Iran
Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Egyptian Tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni)
Native to: Egypt and Libya
Conservation Status: Critically Endangered

Blue Tree Monitor (Varanus macraei)
Native to: Indonesia
Conservation Status: Endangered

Yellow Tree Monitor (Varanus reisingeri)
Native to: Indonesia
Conservation Status: Not Evaluated

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