After a long wait, the World of Reptiles at the Virginia Zoo is finally open! The new exhibit is in the same space as the old reptile house, but it has double the exhibits. So far, there are snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles (omg the Alligator snapping turtle is a dinosaur...), spiders, cockroaches, and toads. The exhibit isn't actually finished... monkeys, alligators, seahorses, birds, and sloths are still to come!
Some of the cool points to see are the tropical frog conservation lab where the zoo helps breed amphibians, and the amphibian nursery for when the babies are born. There is also a reptile nursery. The teacher in me is seeing a lot of science SOL's being hit here! Also be sure to check out the aquatic gallery towards the end. Check out the tentacled snake, who looks super weird and apparently makes waves with its mouth to make fish change direction and swim towards it so it can eat them.
Another new feature that is kid climbed-on approved is Snavely. This is actually the region's largest snake sculpture and is a Rhinoceros Viper.
Also redone is the Beastro, a snack shack outside of the World of Reptiles. It's got some kid friendly snacks and lunch options, including a PBJ.
Of course we couldn't leave without having a little water fun. The fountains are open all day now that school is out!
