About a couple weeks ago, I took on the second largest state in the U.S. - Texas! I had an amazing time exploring some old historic sights and, of course, adding a couple animal attractions to my list. Here's the first of two reviews; I'm hoping to get the second one up as soon as I can.
Review of the Dallas World Aquarium
Dallas World Aquarium
Found in downtown Dallas, Texas, the Dallas World Aquarium’s site was originally an old warehouse for various companies like steel and rubber industries. The building was constructed in 1924, but after a massive overhaul, it reopened as the Aquarium in 1992. This was followed by the purchase of a next-door building, which became “The Orinoco” in 1997, and finally an expansion into a vacant lot that soon resulted in 2004’s “Mundo Maya.”
One of the many comments I’ve heard on here is that the facility is almost more of a rainforest complex than an actual aquarium, and after visiting, I can definitely see that. Regardless of if Dallas World Aquarium is perceived as an indoor rainforest or aquarium, this is an impressive and unique facility. It could certainly use some improvement in a number of places; however, the vast animal collection, mind-blowing number of enclosures that seem to be found in every nook and cranny, and just the general atmosphere and scope of the place outweighs these problems overall, making for an enjoyable visit for anyone.
Brace yourself – this might be the longest review I’ve done! * = Species I’ve seen for the first time.
Orinoco Rainforest
Jungle Jewels – Visitors begin their adventure with this lush aviary that can be viewed through glass. There are twelve species exhibited here, some of which I didn’t see, including: manakins (golden-headed* and red-capped*, golden-collared), tanagers (swallow, paradise*), cotinga (spangled, Guianan red), wattled jacana, little tinamou, scaled pigeon*, Antillean euphonia, and blue-naped chlorophonia.
Jungle Junction – Giant anteaters (didn’t see) and a variety of birds (like toco toucan, boat-billed heron, helmeted curassow, yellow-crowned night heron, and more) share an enclosure that has short palm trees, mulch, tons of rocky crags and roots on the ground, and up-close viewing. While I feel it is too small and too busy for the anteaters, there is a large amount of height that I was surprised to see, along with a lot of perches for the birds, making for a nice aviary.
Monkey Island – This gorgeous rainforest setting consists of an island packed with foliage and vines that can be viewed from two levels – one from above into the treetops, and another closer to the forest floor. White-faced saki monkeys and red-handed tamarins (didn’t see) climb all around the lush greenery, while below them is a beautiful water moat featuring several fish (to be described later), birds (including black-bellied whistling duck, ringed teal, white-faced whistling duck, and rosy-billed pochard), Arrau turtle, and a gigantic Antillean manatee*. There are two other exhibits in this section: a cave-like enclosure housing pied tamarins*, and an extremely small, box-like enclosure for pygmy marmosets.
Toucan Encounter – A half-triangle shaped enclosure for rotating toucan species. According the guidebook, younger animals are given time to adjust to the sights and sounds of the jungle from within the exhibit. Then, they are released into the free flight zone, free to mingle amongst the other feathered residents of the Aquarium. On my visit, a trio of red-breasted toucans* was residing in the exhibit.
Sloth Forest – Perhaps the most well known rarity at the Dallas World Aquarium can be found here. Visitor pathways surround a pair of smaller trees with plenty of branches and zero barriers, and the center of attention is a three-toed sloth*, one of very few in the United States. Being up-close to such a rare treasure is super cool – visitors can even walk between the trees and under the branches. Despite the sloth being mostly curled up dozing in the tree, it was a treat to see this slow-moving superstar.
Howler Heights – Another “sacred gem” can be found above the sloth: a troop of red howler monkeys* (with a bird that I thought was a curassow) live in an extremely tall, netted habitat packed with climbing branches. The viewing could be better as one has to look up at an enclosure that is set up far above the visitor path (on top of a small eatery to be exact), but just having the opportunity to view the rare primates more than compensates for this.
Cotinga Corner – This tall aviary is the final area of the Orinoco’s “Canopy” section. The features consist of a rocky back wall, mulch flooring, a number of tall trees and other perching opportunities, a viewing window, and several fascinating species of birds such as capuchin bird*, cocks-of-the-rock (Guianan* and scarlet*), and umbrellabird*.
Lobo Del Rio – The first stop of the “Understory” section of the Orinoco. A single giant river otter* inhabits a space that is a bit on the small side, and with a land area that is mostly fake rock with a few logs and a patch of sand. However, the pool is large and varied in depth, the up-close views are pretty cool, and just seeing the active massive mustelid is a memorable experience.
The Cave – I was quite intrigued with the design of this mixed-species terrarium. It can be viewed on two levels, with Amazon tree boa seen in the higher branches, while at the bottom of the terrarium, with a small pool and some vegetation, poison dart frogs can be found.
Lizard Cove – Only two enclosures are located here. First, is a caiman lizard terrarium that is average in size and quality, followed by a mulch-filled pen for three tortoises (red-footed?).
Avian Trail – A single mesh exhibit that is nestled within a mock-rock cave. While it is a bit small, there are a good amount of branches and climbing opportunities for the golden lion tamarins, fiery-billed aracari, mountain toucan*, and wattled guan* that inhabited the space on my visit.
The River’s Edge – This is an excellent habitat that can be seen mainly from an underwater window, along with an elevated viewing area near the red howler monkeys. There is a very deep pool, tree trunks, vines, and vegetation close to the top of the well-designed habitat. Species include anaconda, discus, rainbow tetra (didn’t see), emperor tamarin, black-crested toucanet*, an aracari species, and some other fish that are unsigned.
Bats and Bugs – A small loop takes visitors through a well-designed cavern with a large vampire bat exhibit within, and a number of smaller terrariums for invertebrates and amphibians in the inner parts of the rockwork. These are fairly nicely designed with natural elements housing goliath bird-eating spider, curly hair tarantula, and ornate horned frog. Nearby, a dwarf caiman lives in an open-air tank that must be the tiniest crocodilian enclosure I’ve ever seen; the tank also has a very narrow fake rock crevice for land, and barely any room for the reptile to turn around.
Crocodile Cove – A decent-sized habitat for Orinoco crocodile, yellow-spotted Amazon turtle, and multiple fish species that can be first be seen from above by Cotinga Corner. The habitat looks superb when looking down upon it, but being right next to the first viewing window really adds to the immersion of being on the banks of a tropical river; this is probably the best of the major reptile exhibits and another highlight of the Aquarium. The enclosure is magnificent, with a rocky middle island, a large amount of water (with a stream-like flow in one area, and a deeper section in front of an open viewing area), lots of plants and logs, and a sand-filled cave. Above and off to the side of the viewing window is a snake terrarium (don’t recall the species) that is difficult to see into.
Flooded Forest – A shallow pool that can be seen above the surface is situated right next to the Orinoco croc – I think the two exhibits may even share the same water, except separated via other barriers. Anyway, while the tank is about average in size, it does feature a sandy bottom, a variety of rocks and branches, and even a few planted islands to further detail the enclosure. Species list: polka-dot stingray, silver arowana, yellow-spotted Amazon river turtle, and other small fish. Along the pathway, many species can be found in a number of terrariums such as electric eel and caecilian.
Toucan Terrace – The last enclosure to be seen in the “Orinoco Rainforest” is this narrow but tall space for two-toed sloths, bare-faced curassows, and one other bird species (don’t recall what though). It is set almost completely within a cave, with mesh being the visitor barrier. Nearby are a mesh enclosed rocky aviary for toucans, a cramped half-circle tank with polka-dot stingray, and a rocky terrarium for hawk-headed parrot*. There is also a prong-billed barbet exhibit in this area apparently, but honestly I don’t remember seeing it.
Aquarium
The River – This is the underwater window into the massive water moat that surrounds Monkey Island. The exhibit looks cool from above, but below the surface is an underwater environment that is fairly large and stunning with deep water and a rocky river bottom, teaming with huge fish that slowly cruise past the viewing area. I talked about most of the present species in my Monkey Island section, but here’s the list of fish: arapaima, golden dorado, catfish (red-tailed, fork-snouted, and shovel-nosed), and several smaller species. There are also a couple lush amphibian terrariums for Surinam toads and dendrobates frog.
Cape of Good Hope – One of the few exhibit areas of the Aquarium to be fully exposed to the great outdoors. Right after passing through the doors, Eastern yellow-billed hornbills, rock hyrax (didn’t see), and one other bird species (think it was great blue turaco) are seen in a cave-like exhibit. The centerpiece of the outdoor area is an African penguin pool that is on the small side and minimally detailed, but is designed so the aquatic birds can swim under a pedestrian bridge to get the other side of the exhibit, which to be fair is a clever idea.
Madagascar – Behind the waterfall that spills into the penguin pool is this seasonal outdoor area that can be found in a cave. These exhibits range from okay with smaller but fairly detailed herp terrariums, to underwhelming with a cramped tortoise tank and a fake-rock bird enclosure. The following animals are exhibited: blue-bellied roller, radiated tortoise, tomato frog, giant day gecko, and chameleons (panther, warty*, and Oustalet’s – don’t remember if I saw this species or not).
Other Tanks – There are several individual tanks that represent different areas and ecosystems across the globe. I’ll be honest, I went through these fairly quickly, so I didn’t note the majority of the species (most of these are according to the magazine guide and website), but I will say that they were overall nice exhibits, but nothing spectacular from what I saw. “Solomon Island” consists of giant clams, harlequin shrimp, and various fish like Magnificent foxface and Starki damselfish; “Southern Australia” is home to pot-bellied seahorse, tasseled anglerfish, and seadragons (both leafy and weedy); “Lord Howe Island” includes spectacled angelfish, Wideband anemonefish, McCullochi clownfish, comb wrasse, and painted goldie anthias; “Palau” (a darkened tank with flashlightfish* and others, and moon jellyfish in a separate tank) was my favorite of the tanks because of the unique presentation; “Fiji” is a colorful display of brain corals and fish such as clownfish (tomato and pink skunk), barred spinefoot, lyretail anthias, and spinefoot foxface; “New Guinea” was another highlight with the intriguing ribboned seadragon*, blue hippo tang, Percula clownfish, Mandarin dragonet, striped shrimpfish, and copperband butterflyfish; “British Columbia” has Pacific giant octopus, tiger rockfish, blackeye goby, starfish, sea cucumbers, anemones, and urchins; “Sri Lanka” consists of Eschmeyer’s scorpionfish, Moorish idol, Napoleon wrasse, and more; “Denizens of the Deep” is a somewhat dark and cool-looking environment with Japanese spider crab, longspine snipefish, and hulafish (bluelined and yellowhead); “Indonesia” has a number of intriguing fish species including Bangaii cardinalfish, black ocellaris clownfish, chocolate surgeonfish, and fathead anthias; “Japan” has wrought-iron butterflyfish, blotchy anthias, and powder-brown tang, and Japanese swallowtail angelfish swimming through the rocks, while spotted garden eels linger in the sand below; and “Continental Shelf” has a cool underwater tunnel with blue-spot stingray, clown triggerfish, unicorn tang, dragon wrasse, and more swimming all around.
Mundo Maya
River Delta – The third and final complex of the Aquarium starts in a dark, cave-like setting. It kicks off with some decent terrariums set into the rocky walls for Panamanian golden frog, bark scorpion, blue spiny lizard, marine toad, Mexican leaf frog, and alligator lizard. Further into the cave, cichlids (jaguar and Jack Dempsey) and red-eared slider turtles live in a round tank.
Fishes of the Cenote – There is a pair of exhibits that almost seem to be stacked on top of each other. The exhibit closest to visitors houses blind cavefish, while overlooking the fish towards the cave’s ceiling is a screech owl aviary that is long.
Los Petenes – The highlight of this section is a round, medium-sized desert habitat featuring burrowing owls, desert cottontails, and Montezuma quail. Going down the ramp, there is also a spotted moray eel tank and a long axolotl tank.
Cenote – I liked how the main area of the tank was mostly dark, making it hard to tell where exactly the boundaries were. The guide states that cenotes, which this tank is based off of, are actually deep sinkholes with pools at the bottom. It’s a very unique set-up and design in comparison to most other large shark tanks, which usually focus on the open ocean. Sharks (brown and blacknose), sawfish (I’m always fascinated by this species!), and stingrays (southern and eagle rays – neither of which I saw) are the inhabitants of this impressive section, which is viewed both via underwater tunnel, and from above just before entering the gift shop.
Marine Creatures – Lined seahorses, horseshoe crabs, and a wide variety of fish (such as royal gramma, bluehead wrasse, Clarion angelfish, and four-eyed butterflyfish) are the inhabitants of this group of saltwater tanks.
Serpent’s Den – This is a row of reptile enclosures featuring eyelash vipers, fer-de-lance, and spiny-tailed iguana. These are decent terrariums on the whole, with a variety in size and detail with the vegetation. The final set of exhibits is an interesting set-up - it appears to be one large enclosure with a few plantings, a couple logs, and rocky surface; however, the beaded lizards in front are separated from the neotropical rattlesnakes* via glass panel, a neat idea for enriching reptiles.
House of Zotz – To one’s left is a well-designed cave environment with leaf-nosed bats that gives the flying mammals some good height, followed by a red-eyed tree frog terrarium. On the other side of the pathway is a long, narrow cave aviary that is viewed mostly through wire for barred owl. As visitors emerge back into the jungle, there are a few more exhibits that can be seen below the railing: Morelet’s crocodile, Mexican giant musk turtle*, and red-tailed boa.
Caribbean Creatures – As the visitor path ascends, an underwater look into this tank comes into view. It is a circular exhibit that is a bit shallow, and looked to be average in size. According to the magazine guide, there are also queen and French angelfish and four-eyed butterfly fish (and maybe some more species) that live in this tank, but the only one I remember seeing are lookdown fish.
Birds of El Triunfo – A pair of harpy eagles* lives in an outstanding habitat that offers a good amount of space, vegetation, and perching. From what I could tell, it appeared that the exhibit was outdoors, with visitors viewing the majestic raptors from inside via windows. Nearby are many informative graphics with details about the eagles, and a screen showing cool clips of the birds in action.
Mayan Temple – This was the site of the infamous jaguar exhibit. Originally, the world’s third largest big cat was exhibited in (from what I saw in photos) a barren, tiny, square, glass tank with a small rocky pool, though there was also an outdoor segment that allowed the cats to get away from the crowds. Today, the jaguars appear to be gone, and now ocelots are in their place full-time (they rotated with the jags). Additionally, tons of natural elements like mulch, logs, and vegetation were added to make a much more appealing-looking habitat. The exhibit size (considering both inside and out) also seemed to be appropriate for the cats. I never saw any ocelots on my visit, and although this was my first time visiting the Aquarium (only seeing its previous form in photos), I was glad to see a much-improved exhibit.
Selva Maya – Two exhibits can be seen here. First, next to the ocelots, is a very poor, tiny Caribbean flamingo pool that overlooks the previously mentioned shark tank. Second, going up a flight of stairs, one will come across a viewing window into a solid habitat with dirt floors and lush plants for agoutis and ocellated turkeys*. On a side note, there’s a rocky path that is blocked by a glass door to prevent visitors from going in – did this used to be a walkthrough exhibit of some kind?
Jabiru Stork – The final habitat in the entire facility is a mid-sized habitat that contained a single Jabiru stork. The signage also indicated that scarlet macaws could be found here too, but I didn’t see any.
Other Exhibits
There are several animal exhibits that can be seen before entering the Aquarium and a few near the main lobby before ascending the stairs to the main exhibit path. I remember seeing the following: a red-tailed black cockatoo*/green-naped pheasant pigeon exhibit; a lush mixed-species habitat with multiple bird species (I couldn’t note many species due to the flowing crowd behind me, but I believe I saw Jambu fruit dove); a tall enclosure for lesser bird-of-paradise; Oriental pied-hornbills in a narrow exhibit; an Argus pheasant/Moluccan cockatoo aviary; a tank with fish like the Asian arowana; two small, cavern-like exhibits with branches – one for Matschie’s tree kangaroo, the other for Victoria crowned pigeon/palm cockatoo; two shoebill storks (along with another bird species I don’t remember) are in a small but lush, two-leveled habitat with up-close viewing; finally, a long narrow exhibit for little blue penguins. Also, above the outdoor habitats, I could see what appeared to be an off-display cage for what I believe were the red-backed bearded saki monkeys*. Can anyone confirm?
The build-up to the Aquarium before arriving at the ticket booth is fantastic. In addition to the animal exhibits seen along the winding path, there are lush plants, streams, a Central American statue and fountain, and even tribal music playing in the background. Once inside, visitors travel on a one-way trail through the majestic tropical setting with many free-flying birds soaring overhead (the only ones I definitely noted were scarlet ibis and troupial). This combined with the green jungle plants, multiple water features, caves, and even temple-like rockwork and other details made for an amazing atmosphere. The exhibit viewpoints range from open-air throughout most of the rainforest, to glass windows for the many fish tanks and terrariums. The glass, especially on the terrariums, is sometimes an issue because of the glare seen – often there is bright natural light or tree reflections staring back at visitors. The signage for the most part consists of many touchscreen panels, which I feel are a good idea, especially if one wishes to find out more about a certain species aside from a simple I.D. sign. However, there are times when the panel is the only signage available for an enclosure, which is unfortunate if someone wants to quickly pick out the name of a certain animal they’re looking for in a mixed-species exhibit.
Numerous talks are given throughout the day for different animals. On my visit, I witnessed a shark feed and an African penguin feed/talk; I also overheard a giant otter feed and chat before arriving at the exhibit, and saw a native tribal dance that was really cool. There are three restaurants at the Aquarium – “Café Maya” is right next to the entrance to Jungle Jewels, “Jungle Café” can be found below the red howler monkeys, and “Eighteen-0-One” is by the Aquarium complex. Lastly, the main gift shop is found at the entry/exit lobby, along with a small bookstore next to the African penguin area.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: It was quite hard to choose the day’s best part, as there were so many exciting animals that I never saw before! Some of those were either up-close, or being very active. However, I’d probably have to go with the giant river otter viewing. To see one of the world’s largest otter species was a real treat, as it scrambled along the land area, and swam around in the pool, coming up to the window at a couple points. I was amazed by just how HUGE the animal was – almost reminded me of a seal!
OVERALL: I was absolutely overwhelmed by the Dallas World Aquarium. The amount of rarities and the number of animal enclosures (Crocodile Cove, The River’s Edge, Cenote, and Birds of El Triunfo being some of the best the place has to offer) has to be seen to be believed. Unfortunately, some of these exhibits (like penguins, some marmoset species, some bird exhibits, caiman, and flamingo) are not as strong as others of their kind, and the details in presentation like signage and viewing are sometimes lacking. Having said that, the positive elements of the Aquarium are very strong and hold up well, and the immersive rainforest environment is very effective. On the whole, I feel this is a solid animal attraction that is definitely worth visiting.
According to the Aquarium’s most recent newsletter, construction will begin on new exhibits and updates soon. Nothing has been confirmed yet about what these will entail.
Review of the Dallas World Aquarium
Dallas World Aquarium
Found in downtown Dallas, Texas, the Dallas World Aquarium’s site was originally an old warehouse for various companies like steel and rubber industries. The building was constructed in 1924, but after a massive overhaul, it reopened as the Aquarium in 1992. This was followed by the purchase of a next-door building, which became “The Orinoco” in 1997, and finally an expansion into a vacant lot that soon resulted in 2004’s “Mundo Maya.”
One of the many comments I’ve heard on here is that the facility is almost more of a rainforest complex than an actual aquarium, and after visiting, I can definitely see that. Regardless of if Dallas World Aquarium is perceived as an indoor rainforest or aquarium, this is an impressive and unique facility. It could certainly use some improvement in a number of places; however, the vast animal collection, mind-blowing number of enclosures that seem to be found in every nook and cranny, and just the general atmosphere and scope of the place outweighs these problems overall, making for an enjoyable visit for anyone.
Brace yourself – this might be the longest review I’ve done! * = Species I’ve seen for the first time.
Animal Exhibit Complexes
Orinoco Rainforest
Jungle Jewels – Visitors begin their adventure with this lush aviary that can be viewed through glass. There are twelve species exhibited here, some of which I didn’t see, including: manakins (golden-headed* and red-capped*, golden-collared), tanagers (swallow, paradise*), cotinga (spangled, Guianan red), wattled jacana, little tinamou, scaled pigeon*, Antillean euphonia, and blue-naped chlorophonia.
Jungle Junction – Giant anteaters (didn’t see) and a variety of birds (like toco toucan, boat-billed heron, helmeted curassow, yellow-crowned night heron, and more) share an enclosure that has short palm trees, mulch, tons of rocky crags and roots on the ground, and up-close viewing. While I feel it is too small and too busy for the anteaters, there is a large amount of height that I was surprised to see, along with a lot of perches for the birds, making for a nice aviary.
Monkey Island – This gorgeous rainforest setting consists of an island packed with foliage and vines that can be viewed from two levels – one from above into the treetops, and another closer to the forest floor. White-faced saki monkeys and red-handed tamarins (didn’t see) climb all around the lush greenery, while below them is a beautiful water moat featuring several fish (to be described later), birds (including black-bellied whistling duck, ringed teal, white-faced whistling duck, and rosy-billed pochard), Arrau turtle, and a gigantic Antillean manatee*. There are two other exhibits in this section: a cave-like enclosure housing pied tamarins*, and an extremely small, box-like enclosure for pygmy marmosets.
Toucan Encounter – A half-triangle shaped enclosure for rotating toucan species. According the guidebook, younger animals are given time to adjust to the sights and sounds of the jungle from within the exhibit. Then, they are released into the free flight zone, free to mingle amongst the other feathered residents of the Aquarium. On my visit, a trio of red-breasted toucans* was residing in the exhibit.
Sloth Forest – Perhaps the most well known rarity at the Dallas World Aquarium can be found here. Visitor pathways surround a pair of smaller trees with plenty of branches and zero barriers, and the center of attention is a three-toed sloth*, one of very few in the United States. Being up-close to such a rare treasure is super cool – visitors can even walk between the trees and under the branches. Despite the sloth being mostly curled up dozing in the tree, it was a treat to see this slow-moving superstar.
Howler Heights – Another “sacred gem” can be found above the sloth: a troop of red howler monkeys* (with a bird that I thought was a curassow) live in an extremely tall, netted habitat packed with climbing branches. The viewing could be better as one has to look up at an enclosure that is set up far above the visitor path (on top of a small eatery to be exact), but just having the opportunity to view the rare primates more than compensates for this.
Cotinga Corner – This tall aviary is the final area of the Orinoco’s “Canopy” section. The features consist of a rocky back wall, mulch flooring, a number of tall trees and other perching opportunities, a viewing window, and several fascinating species of birds such as capuchin bird*, cocks-of-the-rock (Guianan* and scarlet*), and umbrellabird*.
Lobo Del Rio – The first stop of the “Understory” section of the Orinoco. A single giant river otter* inhabits a space that is a bit on the small side, and with a land area that is mostly fake rock with a few logs and a patch of sand. However, the pool is large and varied in depth, the up-close views are pretty cool, and just seeing the active massive mustelid is a memorable experience.
The Cave – I was quite intrigued with the design of this mixed-species terrarium. It can be viewed on two levels, with Amazon tree boa seen in the higher branches, while at the bottom of the terrarium, with a small pool and some vegetation, poison dart frogs can be found.
Lizard Cove – Only two enclosures are located here. First, is a caiman lizard terrarium that is average in size and quality, followed by a mulch-filled pen for three tortoises (red-footed?).
Avian Trail – A single mesh exhibit that is nestled within a mock-rock cave. While it is a bit small, there are a good amount of branches and climbing opportunities for the golden lion tamarins, fiery-billed aracari, mountain toucan*, and wattled guan* that inhabited the space on my visit.
The River’s Edge – This is an excellent habitat that can be seen mainly from an underwater window, along with an elevated viewing area near the red howler monkeys. There is a very deep pool, tree trunks, vines, and vegetation close to the top of the well-designed habitat. Species include anaconda, discus, rainbow tetra (didn’t see), emperor tamarin, black-crested toucanet*, an aracari species, and some other fish that are unsigned.
Bats and Bugs – A small loop takes visitors through a well-designed cavern with a large vampire bat exhibit within, and a number of smaller terrariums for invertebrates and amphibians in the inner parts of the rockwork. These are fairly nicely designed with natural elements housing goliath bird-eating spider, curly hair tarantula, and ornate horned frog. Nearby, a dwarf caiman lives in an open-air tank that must be the tiniest crocodilian enclosure I’ve ever seen; the tank also has a very narrow fake rock crevice for land, and barely any room for the reptile to turn around.
Crocodile Cove – A decent-sized habitat for Orinoco crocodile, yellow-spotted Amazon turtle, and multiple fish species that can be first be seen from above by Cotinga Corner. The habitat looks superb when looking down upon it, but being right next to the first viewing window really adds to the immersion of being on the banks of a tropical river; this is probably the best of the major reptile exhibits and another highlight of the Aquarium. The enclosure is magnificent, with a rocky middle island, a large amount of water (with a stream-like flow in one area, and a deeper section in front of an open viewing area), lots of plants and logs, and a sand-filled cave. Above and off to the side of the viewing window is a snake terrarium (don’t recall the species) that is difficult to see into.
Flooded Forest – A shallow pool that can be seen above the surface is situated right next to the Orinoco croc – I think the two exhibits may even share the same water, except separated via other barriers. Anyway, while the tank is about average in size, it does feature a sandy bottom, a variety of rocks and branches, and even a few planted islands to further detail the enclosure. Species list: polka-dot stingray, silver arowana, yellow-spotted Amazon river turtle, and other small fish. Along the pathway, many species can be found in a number of terrariums such as electric eel and caecilian.
Toucan Terrace – The last enclosure to be seen in the “Orinoco Rainforest” is this narrow but tall space for two-toed sloths, bare-faced curassows, and one other bird species (don’t recall what though). It is set almost completely within a cave, with mesh being the visitor barrier. Nearby are a mesh enclosed rocky aviary for toucans, a cramped half-circle tank with polka-dot stingray, and a rocky terrarium for hawk-headed parrot*. There is also a prong-billed barbet exhibit in this area apparently, but honestly I don’t remember seeing it.
Aquarium
The River – This is the underwater window into the massive water moat that surrounds Monkey Island. The exhibit looks cool from above, but below the surface is an underwater environment that is fairly large and stunning with deep water and a rocky river bottom, teaming with huge fish that slowly cruise past the viewing area. I talked about most of the present species in my Monkey Island section, but here’s the list of fish: arapaima, golden dorado, catfish (red-tailed, fork-snouted, and shovel-nosed), and several smaller species. There are also a couple lush amphibian terrariums for Surinam toads and dendrobates frog.
Cape of Good Hope – One of the few exhibit areas of the Aquarium to be fully exposed to the great outdoors. Right after passing through the doors, Eastern yellow-billed hornbills, rock hyrax (didn’t see), and one other bird species (think it was great blue turaco) are seen in a cave-like exhibit. The centerpiece of the outdoor area is an African penguin pool that is on the small side and minimally detailed, but is designed so the aquatic birds can swim under a pedestrian bridge to get the other side of the exhibit, which to be fair is a clever idea.
Madagascar – Behind the waterfall that spills into the penguin pool is this seasonal outdoor area that can be found in a cave. These exhibits range from okay with smaller but fairly detailed herp terrariums, to underwhelming with a cramped tortoise tank and a fake-rock bird enclosure. The following animals are exhibited: blue-bellied roller, radiated tortoise, tomato frog, giant day gecko, and chameleons (panther, warty*, and Oustalet’s – don’t remember if I saw this species or not).
Other Tanks – There are several individual tanks that represent different areas and ecosystems across the globe. I’ll be honest, I went through these fairly quickly, so I didn’t note the majority of the species (most of these are according to the magazine guide and website), but I will say that they were overall nice exhibits, but nothing spectacular from what I saw. “Solomon Island” consists of giant clams, harlequin shrimp, and various fish like Magnificent foxface and Starki damselfish; “Southern Australia” is home to pot-bellied seahorse, tasseled anglerfish, and seadragons (both leafy and weedy); “Lord Howe Island” includes spectacled angelfish, Wideband anemonefish, McCullochi clownfish, comb wrasse, and painted goldie anthias; “Palau” (a darkened tank with flashlightfish* and others, and moon jellyfish in a separate tank) was my favorite of the tanks because of the unique presentation; “Fiji” is a colorful display of brain corals and fish such as clownfish (tomato and pink skunk), barred spinefoot, lyretail anthias, and spinefoot foxface; “New Guinea” was another highlight with the intriguing ribboned seadragon*, blue hippo tang, Percula clownfish, Mandarin dragonet, striped shrimpfish, and copperband butterflyfish; “British Columbia” has Pacific giant octopus, tiger rockfish, blackeye goby, starfish, sea cucumbers, anemones, and urchins; “Sri Lanka” consists of Eschmeyer’s scorpionfish, Moorish idol, Napoleon wrasse, and more; “Denizens of the Deep” is a somewhat dark and cool-looking environment with Japanese spider crab, longspine snipefish, and hulafish (bluelined and yellowhead); “Indonesia” has a number of intriguing fish species including Bangaii cardinalfish, black ocellaris clownfish, chocolate surgeonfish, and fathead anthias; “Japan” has wrought-iron butterflyfish, blotchy anthias, and powder-brown tang, and Japanese swallowtail angelfish swimming through the rocks, while spotted garden eels linger in the sand below; and “Continental Shelf” has a cool underwater tunnel with blue-spot stingray, clown triggerfish, unicorn tang, dragon wrasse, and more swimming all around.
Mundo Maya
River Delta – The third and final complex of the Aquarium starts in a dark, cave-like setting. It kicks off with some decent terrariums set into the rocky walls for Panamanian golden frog, bark scorpion, blue spiny lizard, marine toad, Mexican leaf frog, and alligator lizard. Further into the cave, cichlids (jaguar and Jack Dempsey) and red-eared slider turtles live in a round tank.
Fishes of the Cenote – There is a pair of exhibits that almost seem to be stacked on top of each other. The exhibit closest to visitors houses blind cavefish, while overlooking the fish towards the cave’s ceiling is a screech owl aviary that is long.
Los Petenes – The highlight of this section is a round, medium-sized desert habitat featuring burrowing owls, desert cottontails, and Montezuma quail. Going down the ramp, there is also a spotted moray eel tank and a long axolotl tank.
Cenote – I liked how the main area of the tank was mostly dark, making it hard to tell where exactly the boundaries were. The guide states that cenotes, which this tank is based off of, are actually deep sinkholes with pools at the bottom. It’s a very unique set-up and design in comparison to most other large shark tanks, which usually focus on the open ocean. Sharks (brown and blacknose), sawfish (I’m always fascinated by this species!), and stingrays (southern and eagle rays – neither of which I saw) are the inhabitants of this impressive section, which is viewed both via underwater tunnel, and from above just before entering the gift shop.
Marine Creatures – Lined seahorses, horseshoe crabs, and a wide variety of fish (such as royal gramma, bluehead wrasse, Clarion angelfish, and four-eyed butterflyfish) are the inhabitants of this group of saltwater tanks.
Serpent’s Den – This is a row of reptile enclosures featuring eyelash vipers, fer-de-lance, and spiny-tailed iguana. These are decent terrariums on the whole, with a variety in size and detail with the vegetation. The final set of exhibits is an interesting set-up - it appears to be one large enclosure with a few plantings, a couple logs, and rocky surface; however, the beaded lizards in front are separated from the neotropical rattlesnakes* via glass panel, a neat idea for enriching reptiles.
House of Zotz – To one’s left is a well-designed cave environment with leaf-nosed bats that gives the flying mammals some good height, followed by a red-eyed tree frog terrarium. On the other side of the pathway is a long, narrow cave aviary that is viewed mostly through wire for barred owl. As visitors emerge back into the jungle, there are a few more exhibits that can be seen below the railing: Morelet’s crocodile, Mexican giant musk turtle*, and red-tailed boa.
Caribbean Creatures – As the visitor path ascends, an underwater look into this tank comes into view. It is a circular exhibit that is a bit shallow, and looked to be average in size. According to the magazine guide, there are also queen and French angelfish and four-eyed butterfly fish (and maybe some more species) that live in this tank, but the only one I remember seeing are lookdown fish.
Birds of El Triunfo – A pair of harpy eagles* lives in an outstanding habitat that offers a good amount of space, vegetation, and perching. From what I could tell, it appeared that the exhibit was outdoors, with visitors viewing the majestic raptors from inside via windows. Nearby are many informative graphics with details about the eagles, and a screen showing cool clips of the birds in action.
Mayan Temple – This was the site of the infamous jaguar exhibit. Originally, the world’s third largest big cat was exhibited in (from what I saw in photos) a barren, tiny, square, glass tank with a small rocky pool, though there was also an outdoor segment that allowed the cats to get away from the crowds. Today, the jaguars appear to be gone, and now ocelots are in their place full-time (they rotated with the jags). Additionally, tons of natural elements like mulch, logs, and vegetation were added to make a much more appealing-looking habitat. The exhibit size (considering both inside and out) also seemed to be appropriate for the cats. I never saw any ocelots on my visit, and although this was my first time visiting the Aquarium (only seeing its previous form in photos), I was glad to see a much-improved exhibit.
Selva Maya – Two exhibits can be seen here. First, next to the ocelots, is a very poor, tiny Caribbean flamingo pool that overlooks the previously mentioned shark tank. Second, going up a flight of stairs, one will come across a viewing window into a solid habitat with dirt floors and lush plants for agoutis and ocellated turkeys*. On a side note, there’s a rocky path that is blocked by a glass door to prevent visitors from going in – did this used to be a walkthrough exhibit of some kind?
Jabiru Stork – The final habitat in the entire facility is a mid-sized habitat that contained a single Jabiru stork. The signage also indicated that scarlet macaws could be found here too, but I didn’t see any.
Other Exhibits
There are several animal exhibits that can be seen before entering the Aquarium and a few near the main lobby before ascending the stairs to the main exhibit path. I remember seeing the following: a red-tailed black cockatoo*/green-naped pheasant pigeon exhibit; a lush mixed-species habitat with multiple bird species (I couldn’t note many species due to the flowing crowd behind me, but I believe I saw Jambu fruit dove); a tall enclosure for lesser bird-of-paradise; Oriental pied-hornbills in a narrow exhibit; an Argus pheasant/Moluccan cockatoo aviary; a tank with fish like the Asian arowana; two small, cavern-like exhibits with branches – one for Matschie’s tree kangaroo, the other for Victoria crowned pigeon/palm cockatoo; two shoebill storks (along with another bird species I don’t remember) are in a small but lush, two-leveled habitat with up-close viewing; finally, a long narrow exhibit for little blue penguins. Also, above the outdoor habitats, I could see what appeared to be an off-display cage for what I believe were the red-backed bearded saki monkeys*. Can anyone confirm?
Visitor Experiences
The build-up to the Aquarium before arriving at the ticket booth is fantastic. In addition to the animal exhibits seen along the winding path, there are lush plants, streams, a Central American statue and fountain, and even tribal music playing in the background. Once inside, visitors travel on a one-way trail through the majestic tropical setting with many free-flying birds soaring overhead (the only ones I definitely noted were scarlet ibis and troupial). This combined with the green jungle plants, multiple water features, caves, and even temple-like rockwork and other details made for an amazing atmosphere. The exhibit viewpoints range from open-air throughout most of the rainforest, to glass windows for the many fish tanks and terrariums. The glass, especially on the terrariums, is sometimes an issue because of the glare seen – often there is bright natural light or tree reflections staring back at visitors. The signage for the most part consists of many touchscreen panels, which I feel are a good idea, especially if one wishes to find out more about a certain species aside from a simple I.D. sign. However, there are times when the panel is the only signage available for an enclosure, which is unfortunate if someone wants to quickly pick out the name of a certain animal they’re looking for in a mixed-species exhibit.
Numerous talks are given throughout the day for different animals. On my visit, I witnessed a shark feed and an African penguin feed/talk; I also overheard a giant otter feed and chat before arriving at the exhibit, and saw a native tribal dance that was really cool. There are three restaurants at the Aquarium – “Café Maya” is right next to the entrance to Jungle Jewels, “Jungle Café” can be found below the red howler monkeys, and “Eighteen-0-One” is by the Aquarium complex. Lastly, the main gift shop is found at the entry/exit lobby, along with a small bookstore next to the African penguin area.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: It was quite hard to choose the day’s best part, as there were so many exciting animals that I never saw before! Some of those were either up-close, or being very active. However, I’d probably have to go with the giant river otter viewing. To see one of the world’s largest otter species was a real treat, as it scrambled along the land area, and swam around in the pool, coming up to the window at a couple points. I was amazed by just how HUGE the animal was – almost reminded me of a seal!
OVERALL: I was absolutely overwhelmed by the Dallas World Aquarium. The amount of rarities and the number of animal enclosures (Crocodile Cove, The River’s Edge, Cenote, and Birds of El Triunfo being some of the best the place has to offer) has to be seen to be believed. Unfortunately, some of these exhibits (like penguins, some marmoset species, some bird exhibits, caiman, and flamingo) are not as strong as others of their kind, and the details in presentation like signage and viewing are sometimes lacking. Having said that, the positive elements of the Aquarium are very strong and hold up well, and the immersive rainforest environment is very effective. On the whole, I feel this is a solid animal attraction that is definitely worth visiting.
According to the Aquarium’s most recent newsletter, construction will begin on new exhibits and updates soon. Nothing has been confirmed yet about what these will entail.
) opinions about electronic signage. I feel like these are a good idea in some cases; for example, they are more interactive, and they help with being able to get more information about a species on display - particularly a mixed-species habitat where it may be hard to pick a certain animal out. There are times though in my opinion when they aren't, such as if it is the only signage around and may thus become crowded, or (as you stated) if there is one or a couple for a certain number of exhibits in the area. In general, at the very least a basic animal I.D. sign works for me along with an electronic sign.