Warning: if snakes make you squirm, lizards make you leap, or crocs make you cry, you may want to stop reading now.
For the rest of us, we have some exciting news from Zoo Atlanta.
Always a local favorite for the Georgia community, the zoo is again improving the visitor experience.
Last month, Zoo Atlanta broke ground on a new amphibian and reptile experience, which will replace the 51-year-old World of Reptiles. The current building is the zoo’s oldest building still in use.
At a gathering of elected and appointed officials, community partners, and Zoo Atlanta leaders and staff, ceremonial shovels broke ground on “Scaly Slimy Spectacular: The Amphibian and Reptile Experience.”
The new complex is scheduled to open in late 2015.
Demonstrating the true philanthropic nature of Georgia’s communities, Scaly Slimy Spectacular will represent the largest fundraising effort in Zoo Atlanta’s history. As of June, the zoo had raised just under $22 million for the ongoing capital campaign, with the goal of raising $1.4 million over the next few months.
There are more than 450 reptiles and amphibians at the zoo, but a large portion of these creatures have not been on display as a result of the space constraints in the World of Reptiles. The new 14,000 square-feet Scaly Slimy Spectacular complex will provide the necessary space as well as naturalistic new homes for members of the collection. There will now be large crocodilians on display, along with other new arrivals.
The complex will feature interactive indoor venues and state-of-the-art exhibits showing the amazing extremes in size, speed, color, and behavior that make reptiles and amphibians such fascinating animals.
We encourage you to take family and friends to Zoo Atlanta to experience all the animals the experience has to offer. A day at the zoo can be educational, entertaining, and most importantly: fun. As we excitedly await the newest addition to Zoo Atlanta’s makeup, be sure to check out all there is to see now and support the zoo’s wildlife and conservation endeavors.