Saturday, August 15, 2026

Smithsonian National Zoo: Amazonia, Part 3 (Amphibian Conservation Lab)

 When you depart the interactive Amazon Rain-forest, you enter into a sort of lobby that leads you to the Amphibian Conservation Lab.  The vibe is pure Rain-forest Colonial Finca with high ceiling fans and stucco archways built off of solid square columns, and walls painted in soft by warm shades of yellow.  Besides the habitats full of Frogs and Toads and Newts and Salamanders, there are viewable "lab" areas with many other tanks and spaces for specialists to conduct research--although I don't think anything actually occurs there.   All around the spaces are interesting artifacts set up in curiosity cabinets, and on shelves and attached to the walls.  Everything from a beautifully taxidermied Jaguar to a Lepidopterist's field notebook and collection of Butterfly specimens in a glass faced box.  There's even an alcove with tanks that feature endangered Corals.  
Dyeing Poison Dart Frog

Cranwell's Horned Frog

Eastern Red-Spotted Newt


Gray Tree Frog (top)
and
Fowler's Toad (bottom)

Fowler's Toad


Panamanian Golden Poison Dart Frog

Blessed Poison Dart Frog

Brazilian Poison Dart Frog

A Lepadopetrist's Curiosity Cabinet.  

The Endangered Corals Alcove.

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