What an ugly sculpture - I'm all for sculptures/statues to enhance exhibits/areas as they do add a bit of visual interest [see Chester's baby elephant, komodo dragon etc], but this one is on par with Colchester's red panda statue for the realism award
How expensive can it be to set up an African rock python exhibit anyway? - With wood and glass they could probably have had somebody to knock up a cheap but effective glass and wood vivarium [and I don't necessarily mean what would pass as a decent exhibit in the UK ].
£500 budget to set up a rock python exhibit? I reckon I could do it for that [and that's with buying a rock python].
In fact, if you're in the UK you can buy a vivarium and a pair for £350, then it's just a case of the bulbs and guards/substrates/dishes and viv locks etc.
An outdoor terrarium as described above in the brutal summer heat of Tucson would result in a barbequed snake in a very short period of time. Although I agree the python "sculpture" is a dubious quality and value.
An outdoor terrarium as described above in the brutal summer heat of Tucson would result in a barbequed snake in a very short period of time. Although I agree the python "sculpture" is a dubious quality and value.
An outdoor terrarium as described above in the brutal summer heat of Tucson would result in a barbequed snake in a very short period of time. Although I agree the python "sculpture" is a dubious quality and value.
As for cost, when an exhibit is planned it it not just the actual construction of it that is taken into account, but also the maintenance. This is much lower maintenance then a real python would be.
I've always wondered why zoos don't have more artificial reptiles. They rarely move anyway
I must confess I was a bit disappointed by the comicy look of this. The dung beetles and termite mound, however, are very realistic and much better than this one. For the record, there was never any thought of having a python exhibit and I think the python sculpture was a rather late addition.
