SCALY SLIMY SPECTACULAR

New reptile house opens at Zoo Atlanta

By Isadora Pennington

If you love creepy-crawly things, the new Scaly Slimy Spectacular at Zoo Atlanta should be right up your alley.

The new facility replaces the World of Reptiles, which opened to the public in 1967, and was home to hundreds of salamanders, lizards, turtles, tortoises, frogs, toads and snakes, including black mambas, king cobras, and reticulated pythons. Over time, antiquated technology and an aging climate control system became a danger to the reptile population and prompted a full overhaul of the property.

Renovations on the reptile house began in 2013 and were recently completed in March of 2015. Construction took approximately18 months to complete and the zoo invested an estimated $18 million into the expansion. The 14,000 square feet building will house more than 70 different species of reptiles.

The exhibit features a 45-foot tall glass dome ceiling in the main exhibition space, 60,000 gallons of water in the aquatic displays, and 9,700 square feet of customdesigned rockwork. The building has taken a distinct leap into the future with interactive touchscreens replacing name plaques and digital educational games that allow visitors to learn more about the reptiles in a fun, engaging way.

“It’s really art when you get right down to it,” Zoo Atlanta president and CEO Raymond B. King said of the construction.

The tall glass ceiling is impressive both