Elephant Odyssey - Rattlesnake Exhibit

geomorph · 17 Feb 2015

September 2014. This exhibit contains Southwestern speckled rattlesnake, Southern Pacific rattlesnake, and red diamond rattlesnake in its main space and four smaller wall terrariums. This 18-exhibit complex opened in 2009. It replaced the majority of the former area known as Horn and Hoof Mesa. Its theme is an exploration of the extinct animals of Southern California, interpreted through living examples of their descendants or similar animals. The complex is a long path that can be entered at either end.

snowleopard · 17 Feb 2015

I've been through Elephant Odyssey twice (back in 2011) and it never ceases to amaze me that the rattlesnake exhibit is probably around 9 feet in height. It is incredibly tall in comparison to the majority of reptile terrariums found in other zoos.

geomorph · 17 Feb 2015

I wonder if it was designed to be adaptable to displaying another type of animal if the rattlesnakes were not happy in the space?

zooboy28 · 17 Feb 2015

I think this is the single best enclosure in EO. And one of a few that couldn't be improved with a bulldozer.

I don't recall the other terrariums you mention geomorph - did these also hold rattlesnakes?

geomorph · 17 Feb 2015

Yes, there are two terrariums on each side of the rocky backdrop in this exhibit; I saw several rattlesnakes in a few of them but they are unsigned. I think they use them for on-view holding for some of the snakes for the main exhibit space, or perhaps they can travel between the main space and the four smaller ones at-will?

mstickmanp · 17 Feb 2015

I've seen snakes move from outside to the smaller ones inside and vice versa, so the snakes do have access to them. I also believe they are dark so they are like dens for the snakes.

Elephant Odyssey - Rattlesnake Exhibit

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