Exotic reptiles kept outdoors in Europe

DesertRhino150

DesertRhino150

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I have recently become interested in what species of exotic reptiles are kept in outdoor enclosures (for at least part of the year) in Europe. Exotic, in my definition, means species not already native to Europe because for the most part they seem to be kept outdoors as a matter of course and it stands to reason that the majority of them would be climate tolerant in the continent they are native to.

These are the species I have found out about living in outdoor enclosures in Europe; any others would be much appreciated. For now I am looking just at species kept outdoors in zoos - I know that if I had included private keepers and breeders the list would be much higher.

American alligator Alligator mississippiensis
Chinese alligator Alligator sinensis
Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus
Slender-snouted crocodile Mecistops cataphractus

Rhinoceros iguana Cyclura cornuta
Green iguana Iguana iguana
Australian water dragon Intellagama lesueurii
Komodo dragon Varanus komodoensis

Pacific rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus

Aldabra giant tortoise Aldabrachelys gigantea
Galapagos giant tortoise Chelonidis nigra
African spurred tortoise Centrochelys sulcata
Yellow-footed tortoise Chelonoidis denticulatus
Asian forest tortoise Manouria emys
Leopard tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis
Alligator snapping turtle Macrochelys temminckii
Common snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina
Chinese softshell turtle Pelodiscus sinensis
Various sliders, cooters, map turtles and the painted turtle Trachemys sp., Pseudemys sp., Graptemys sp. and Chrysemys picta
 
It would be interesting if experienced reptile breeders looked at that list. Possibly they would start crying and say: you cannot keep this and that species permanently underheated. Unless by Europe one means southern Mediterranean region.

Nevertheless, I saw on Zoochat a photo of African spurred tortoise crawling in the snow in some English zoo...
 
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Reserve Africaine de Sigean in France has outdoor exhibits for several of the species you mention, and white-throated monitors and Burmese pythons among the species you didn't mention.

As it was the worst May weather in the history of southern France when I visited (10 degrees Celsius, high wind, and pouring rain), the tropical species were all inside - with the exception of the monitors which seemed to do just fine outside.
 
In Loro Park (Tenerife) I saw Uromastyx dispar maliensis and Varanus exanthematicus being keept outdoors.
 
Jurek7 said:
It would be interesting if experienced reptile breeders looked at that list. Possibly they would start crying and say: you cannot keep this and that species permanently underheated. Unless by Europe one means southern Mediterranean region.

Nevertheless, I saw on Zoochat a photo of African spurred tortoise crawling in the snow in some English zoo...
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Sulcatas at Linton Zoo are allowed out is light snow, and put back if they don't make it back into the warm on their own. So I was told anyway.
 
Jurek7 said:
Possibly they would start crying and say: you cannot keep this and that species permanently underheated.
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The original post specified "...kept in outdoor enclosures (for at least part of the year) in Europe."

I don't think he was suggesting that all these species are kept unheated year-round in cold climates - or even that they lack artificial heat sources when they are kept outdoors.
 
Radiated and Red-footed tortoise for at least part of the year at Linton
 
pipaluk said:
Radiated and Red-footed tortoise for at least part of the year at Linton
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Radiated and Leopard Tortoises outside at Newquay, Radiated and Galapagos at Jersey, Sulcata at Exmoor, Axe Valley and Marwell.
 
FBBird said:
Radiated and Leopard Tortoises outside at Newquay, Radiated and Galapagos at Jersey, Sulcata at Exmoor, Axe Valley and Marwell.
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Thinking about it, most tortoises are held outside for part of the year, certainly Sulcata, which are everywhere
 
Where are the slender-snouteds kept outdoors? Somewhere Mediterranean I guess?

I remember Cotswold used to keep a lizard species in the walled garden, I think it was an iguana of some sort and it was in a semi-circular enclosure attached to the tropical house. Not much in the way of detail but it was my first exotic reptile kept outside! :)
 
Argus monitor (Varanus panoptes) at Tiergarten Worms
Indian gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
Various chelonian species, among others Astrochelys radiata, Chersinia angulata, Indotestudo elongata and Manouria emys, at A Cupulatta
And if I remember correctly, Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) at Serpentarium Calden
 
Thanks for all the replies so far - there definitely are a fair few species that can be kept outdoors for some part of the year.

Brum said:
Where are the slender-snouteds kept outdoors? Somewhere Mediterranean I guess?
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Colchester Zoo's recently redeveloped slender-snouted crocodile enclosure does have a (very) small outdoor enclosure - a small planted affair that doesn't include a pool. I have seen the crocodile use it a few times (three of four times, I think) when the weather is good.
 
Indian gharials have outdoor exposition in Prague Zoo, but I never see them there. For most time they are keeped indoor.
Also, speaking about Prague Zoo - giant tortoises and few years back nile crocodile (not anymore)
 
Indian gharials in Prague zoo have no longer access to their outside pen (since ca 2 years ago).

Ohrada zoo (South Bohemia) keeps their only Nile crocodile outside during summer months.

Usti nad Labem keeps Mississippi aligators outside during summer.

Zlin is rebuilding their ornamental square water tank with fontain into summer pool for Mississippi gators, it should open next summer.

Zájezd has a summer small aviary for chameleons.

Sulcatas are kept outside during summer months in Plzeň, Ostrava, Liberec, Ohrada and maybe elsewhere.
 
Jana said:
Indian gharials in Prague zoo have no longer access to their outside pen (since ca 2 years ago).
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Oh, didn´t know that. Is it mean forever? If so, don´t you know some plans for future? It is pretty big exhibition for few frogs and turtles living there
 
xmoose said:
Oh, didn´t know that. Is it mean forever? If so, don´t you know some plans for future? It is pretty big exhibition for few frogs and turtles living there
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It looks permanent. But I dont know their future plans with that pool.
 
For at least for one summer season in the 1970s Woburn Safar Park kept quite a large number of venomous African snakes (cobras are all I remember) in an outdoor open exhibit. Does anybody have a photograph of that, or recall exactly what was kept there and for how long?
 
zooboy said:
For at least for one summer season in the 1970s Woburn Safar Park kept quite a large number of venomous African snakes (cobras are all I remember) in an outdoor open exhibit. Does anybody have a photograph of that, or recall exactly what was kept there and for how long?
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I can't imagine they did very well, even in the really hot summer of 1976. London Zoo maintained an outdoor reptiliary for many years, mainly or entirely European species. I think nowadays Herring Gulls would prevent this (possibly less of a problem with Cobras......?)
 
FBBird said:
... London Zoo maintained an outdoor reptiliary for many years, mainly or entirely European species....
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London Zoo’s outdoor Reptilary, just inside the Main Gate, was built in 1927; it was originally called the Reptile Rock Garden and was swept away as part of the Sobell Pavilions development.

As you mention, it mainly housed European species (I recall both adders and grass snakes there in the 1960s) but on very hot days tropical chameleons were placed in the trees.
 
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