Dallas World Aquarium Help with spotting species in Dallas World Aquarium

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zoo_enthusiast

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Premium Member
Hello
I am planning to make a return visit to the Dallas World Aquarium in a couple of weeks. I've already visited twice (in 2013 and 2016) and saw many of their unique species. So this time I am planning to focus on a relatively few species that I haven't seen before, because they were either bts at the time or are new to the collection. The "Updated DWA Species List" threat by @jayjds2 is incredibly useful, however I still have a couple questions which hopefully someone here can answer:
  • What would be the best time to see active yapok - early morning (the aquarium opens at 10) or before closuring time? Even better, would anyone happen to know the approximate feeding times? I will only be able to spend a half-day at the most, so would really like to maximize my chances seeing this unique species.
  • I know that Mundo Maya exhibit has several eagle species, but during my last 2 visits I have only seen the harpy (Birds of El Triunfo exhibit). I am particularly interested in seeing Guiana crested eagle and black crested eagle (I already saw ornate crested eagle in a different facility). What is the best spot to see (and hopefully photograph) these two species? I think I read on one of the threads here that at least one of them can be best seen from inside the restaurant, but I cannot find that thread anymore.
Any help is really appreciated!
 
I visited the zoo last fall so any of these answers might be out of date

yapok - the enclosure was there but the sign was removed the last time I visited and the species wasn't listed on the map. However, they may have gotten a new one, I couldn't say. When I visited a previous year, I stopped by the exhibit 10 times or so but never had any luck.

eagles - I talked to an employee who showed them to me on the far wall of Mundo maya very high up (one of the employees who did the ocelot presentation). I could see the enclosure but seeing the animal would require binoculars or a very high powered zoom.

best of luck and let us know how it goes.
 
Yapok is really hit or miss. She’s usually fed before the aquarium opens and after it closes- just check back frequently. I’d still definitely go there right in the morning. I saw her a lot in the early afternoon.

Black hawk-eagle is the one that’s above the cafe. From the normal Mundo Maya pathway, it is above the jabiru stork exhibit, and tucked away in the corner. The Guianan crested eagle is above the exhibit that’s currently got spotted eagle and lesser devil rays. Both should be visible but neither will afford you a great view.
 
The statement @jayjds2 made is very accurate for the Yapok. Sometimes you can see her sleeping in her den, but the layout changes and more often then not she is impossible to see while sleeping. You can usually be in the aquarium a little after 5:00, which has proved to be a very good time to see activity with the yapok, as I have seen her swim and run around during this time on many occasions. I have also seen her very active during the middle of the day when I would expect a sensitive and nocturnal creature to not be active, so I would highly recommend checking back on the exhibit multiple times throughout the day. This Yapok is much more active than the past Yapok I have seen at the Aquarium (I have only actually seen two of the several past Yapok, once each, in my many visits, that is how elusive the past ones have been).

The cafe has skylights directly into the Black Hawk Eagle exhibit, but the skylights are still difficult to get good photographs through, though you will be able to easily see the eagles through them. The best view of the Crested Eagle is from the far end of the warped glass panel in the cafe (by where the glass viewing into the turkey exhibit is). This is by far the best viewing of free flight birds as well. From there you can peer into the fenced off portion of the Mundo Maya area, and get a decent view of the eagle. This does not work if she is in the right half of her enclosure unfortunately. Otherwise, the best view Iv'e found is from the sloping path by the devil rays, where you should be able to see her with some sort of zoom device or a very good set of eyes. Be warned though, I have seen her hanging around along the ceiling or top of the fencing along her exhibit many times, which can make her very difficult to spot at times.

If you are feeling lucky with your eagle spotting in the cafe, you can usually see the Ornate Hawk Eagles from across the free flight in their fenced off area as well, though if they are low in their exhibit this does not yield a view of them.
 
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