Rainforest Reptiles is at Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo for a limited engagement! Aug. 25- Aug. 28!

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo concludes its summer programming schedule with Rainforest Reptiles, a dynamic, interactive, and educational show that is sure to engage and excite young and old alike. Rainforest Reptiles features over 200 exotic reptiles, ranging from iguanas, Burmese pythons, and boa constrictors to lizards, turtles, and American alligators. Visitors also will appreciate the Zoo's newly renovated "Alligator Alley" exhibit, which is home to five new alligators.

Alligator Alley's redesigned exhibit accommodates the five new alligators, all male, which reside there. A new deck has been constructed for the alligators, allowing visitors to better observe these reptiles as they go about their daily activities and feedings. A new roof now provides visitors with shading and protection from the elements, and the new audio system allows zookeepers to better interact with the audience. A higher plexi-glass wall prevents debris from easily falling in.

Alligators have been around longer than the dinosaurs, almost 65 million years, and are relatively unchanged in that time. Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo's alligators are between the ages of four and five and are still small, the largest weighing approximately 55 lbs, while the smallest averages 30 lbs. They range from four to five feet long. Known to grow continuously throughout their lives, these creatures are known to reach lengths of thirteen to twenty feet and weights from 400 to 2,000 pounds. They can bite down with 2,000 pounds of pressure with a mouth that contains 65 teeth. Formerly an endangered species, more than one million adult alligators live in the wild today, representing a conservation success story!



The Rainforest Reptile Shows are Thursday, August 25 - Sunday, August 28; the shows take place onThursday & Friday at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. On Saturday and Sunday the shows take place at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:00 pm. All shows are FREE with paid admission to the Zoo!

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Snowy Owls Now On Exhibit At Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo

Harry Potter fans are in for a treat this spring at Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo!  The Zoo is pleased to welcome four Snowy Owls, two males and two females that were born last July at the Hannover Zoo in Germany.  The four birds are brothers and sisters.   One pair is currently on exhibit in the former Lynx exhibit, between the Amur tigers and Andean bears.  A date for the other pair to make their public debut has not yet been determined.

"A lot of folks will recognize the Snowy Owl from its Hollywood debut in the "Harry Potter" series," explained Gregg Dancho, Zoo Director.  "Harry's owl, Hedwig, served as a trusted ally to the young wizard.  Our Snowy Owls won't be delivering mail anytime soon, but we're sure they will be a hit with the public."

Like other northern species of raptors, these birds have proven to be very susceptible to West Nile Virus, resulting in their loss at a number of zoos and nature centers, as well as breeding facilities, over the last few years.  Because conservation is a core part of the Zoo's mission, efforts to locate an unrelated pair with which the birds may mate.

Weighing in around four to five pounds, the owls have an average wingspan of five and a half feet and stand about two feet tall.  While the males are primarily white, the females have gray and black barring on their chests and wings making it easier to tell them apart.  As the female birds get older, they will become whiter much like their brothers.  The average lifespan of Snowy Owls in the wild is only about 10 years, but in captivity they can live for up to 25 or more years.

About Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo is closer than you think and features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species.  Visitors won't want to miss our new Bald Eagle exhibit, Andean condors, Amur (Siberian) tigers, ocelots, red & maned wolves, Andean (spectacled) bear, llamas, vampire bats, and golden lion tamarins.  Other highlights include our South American rainforest with free-flight aviary, the prairie dog exhibit with "pop-up" viewing areas, the New England Farmyard with goats, cows, pigs, sheep, and other barnyard critters, plus the hoofstock trail featuring bison, pronghorn, deer, and more.  Visitors can grab a bite at the Peacock Café, eat in the Picnic Grove and enjoy a ride on our colorful carousel.  For more information, visit http://www.beardsleyzoo.org