| The building's Gallery features a Reptile Walk
with creatures such as pythons, rattlesnakes, frogs and geckos, and a Mammal Walk
that includes armadillos, porcupines, naked mole-rats and hyrax. Dominating
the Gallery center are larger-than-life three-dimensional representations
of a day gecko and a fennec fox (A & B on the map above), which allow
visitors to examine the natural characteristics of the animals in enhanced
detail. There is also a mini-theater for video and live presentations. |
Beyond the Gallery lies the spectacular
Ecosystem, an immense habitat re-creating the climates and conditions of
four continents under a stunning geodesic dome that rises 45 feet above.
Dense with radiant natural sunlight, live trees, waterfalls, natural vegetation
and several mixed-species exhibits, the impressive Ecosystem immerses visitors
in a variety of bioclimates -- from the desert to the rainforest. By following
flora-lined trails, visitors are transported to nearly every region on the
globe from South America to Africa to Asia and on to Australia -- where
koalas nestle and browse in towering eucalypyus trees.
It is here in the Ecosystem where technology
is truly cutting-edge. The Greenhouse Manager, a sophisticated, computer-based
system, monitors and maintains a wide variety of conditions, such as temperature
and humidity, necessary to represent the climates of four continents. It
also controls the building's lighting, shading and various water systems,
including several spectacular waterfalls.
Among the many other marvelous features
of the building are a hollow "talking" baobab tree (C above);
leafcutter ants that march between exhibits via a giant strangler fig (D
above); and a cave in which fruit bats can be seen flying about or just
hanging around. |
