How long does it take to tour MOLA? Could it be at least an hour (or much longer!) to properly see all of the numerous exhibits? Judging from photos some of the floor-to-ceiling habitats appear to be simply amazing.
Totally depends. To me it is almost too much to see in 1 visit. After about 30 minutes I get reptile'd out. Too much straining to find the animals makes my eyes go a little dizzy.
I do not think the actual number of exhibits is any more than some other reptile houses (and probably less than some). It is just that they are so much bigger. You could see it all in half an hour if you are just ticking off the exhibits (as in you are not a ZooChatter), but if you really want to appreciate them (as in you are a ZooChatter), I would say at least an hour.
For those that have visited, how does MOLA stack up in comparison to other great American Reptile Houses?
Here are perhaps the 7 best zoos for reptiles and amphibians (in no specific order):
Fort Worth - 850 animals of 100 species in a 30,000 sq. ft., $19 million building that opened in 2010
Saint Louis - 700 animals of 150 species in a brilliant, historic (1927) building
Detroit - 250 animals of 85 species in the Holden Museum of Living Reptiles, but there is also a top-notch separate building (Amphibiville) with more species, plus a 2-acre wetland zone between the two structures
San Diego - around 100 exhibits between the Reptile House, Reptile Mesa and assorted other areas scattered around the zoo
Omaha - there is not a specific Reptile House but instead around 110 exhibits between Lied Jungle, Desert Dome, Kingdoms of the Night, Expedition Madagascar and Exploration Station. Like everything else at this zoo that might be the biggest collection in America.
Dallas - A 1960's-era building with a staggering number of off-exhibit species, including over 70 venomous species in the collection. Does anyone know how many terrariums there are?
Denver - about 80 species in the vast Tropical Discovery building
It is shocking that someone as thorough as SnowLeopard would leave the new Los Angeles reptile house off the list!
I have not seen all of them, but I have been to A LOT of zoos in every part of the country and I have never seen a reptile house as nice as this one. I cannot imagine there is one better than this.
If we are discussing reptile displays, the one that needs to be mentioned is Life On The Rocks at my local Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. It is not a reptile house (which is why I still say MOLA is the best reptile building) but a somewhat groundbreaking outdoor natural habitat. For southern zoos that have the climate to allow it, this is an exciting new direction.
(Of course as I type this at 8:10am with the sun up, the current temperature outside according to a quick weather station check is 22 degrees Farenheit here in Tucson. We have been having near record lows the last few days and I am about ready to move to the Equator!)
It is shocking that someone as thorough as SnowLeopard would leave the new Los Angeles reptile house off the list!
I have not seen all of them, but I have been to A LOT of zoos in every part of the country and I have never seen a reptile house as nice as this one. I cannot imagine there is one better than this.
If we are discussing reptile displays, the one that needs to be mentioned is Life On The Rocks at my local Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. It is not a reptile house (which is why I still say MOLA is the best reptile building) but a somewhat groundbreaking outdoor natural habitat. For southern zoos that have the climate to allow it, this is an exciting new direction.
(Of course as I type this at 8:10am with the sun up, the current temperature outside according to a quick weather station check is 22 degrees Farenheit here in Tucson. We have been having near record lows the last few days and I am about ready to move to the Equator!)
On my recent visit I found "Life on the Rocks" to be devoid of...well, life. It had many exhibits with "Animals Temporarily Off Display" signs, or in the case of the California Leaf-nosed bats, replaced with a plastic model. Quite disappointing.
MOLA certainly looks impressive and it seems from a guest perspective at least to be a forerunner in the "Best Reptile Building" contest.
@Arizona Docent: I've heard that LAIR is amazing and everyone loves it, but there are only 49 exhibits and that is 50% of many of the zoos with really big reptile collections. But perhaps quality trumps quantity?
ASDM is a fantastic place, but it does not compare to the big guns in the "herp world" like San Diego, Saint Louis, Detroit and Fort Worth.
