Part 3 - Rosellas to Ravens
This final part (other than species total) will focus on my journey from the World of Adaptations to Our Big Backyard. This part will encompass the following exhibits.
- World of Adaptations
- Himalayan Trek
- Wild Woodlands
- Feinstein Junior Scholar Wetlands Trail
- Our Big Backyard
World of Adaptations
Next to the entrance of the exhibit is an outdoor enclosure for radiated tortoises which was empty (they were inside). Once entering, there is a tree kangaroo enclosure on the left side of the room and the right side of the room has a Komodo enclosure with a radiated tortoise enclosure in front of you. Once passing these enclosures, there is a hornbill enclosure, a paludarium, an indoor aviary, and a future home for Giant African Pouched Rats. I would replace the hornbill with Raggiana Bird of Paradise, and the Emerald Tree Boas with Green Tree Pythons which would be more "thematically" appropriate.
- Huon Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus matschiei) [Signed as Matschie's Tree Kangaroo]
- Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis)
- Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)
- Wrinkled Hornbill (Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus)
- Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius)
- Speckled Mousebird (Colius striatus) [not seen]
- Eastern Snake-necked Turtle (Chelodina longicollis) [Signed as Snake-necked Turtle]
- Emerald Tree Boa (Corallus caninus)
Once outside, there is a wallaby and otter enclosure on either side of the pathway. Then, there is the former walkthrough aviary which now has King Vultures and a Binturong enclosure which is going under renovations. There is also a babirusa, and kookaburra enclosure before exiting. Finally, there is a Gibbon enclosure past the exit. I would replace the wallaby with the Aldabra Giant Tortoise from Our Big Backyard, the kookaburras with Kea, and the otters with waterfowl like Nene.
- Red-necked Wallaby (Notamacropus rufogriseus) [Signed as Bennett's Wallaby]
- North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis) [not seen]
- King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa)
- Sundaic Binturong (Arctictis binturong binturong) [Signed as Binturong] [not seen]
- Sulawesi Babirusa (Babyrousa celebensis) [Signed as Babirusa]
- Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)
- Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) [Signed as White-cheeked Gibbon]
Himalayan Trek
This area is formally known as the Marco Polo Adventure Trail which I like more. It starts off with a decent paddock for camels (though they could use more vegetation), then a large enclosure for a male Asian black Bear. After that, there is a red-crowned Crane enclosure going under renovation, a massive snow Leopard enclosure, the new red Panda enclosure, and a takin enclosure. I liked the theming of the original name so I would replace the black Bear with Sloth Bears, add waterfowl to the crane enclosure, and move the muntjac to the red Panda enclosure.
- Domestic Bactrian Camel (Camelus bactrianus) [Signed as Bactrian Camel]
- Asian Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) [Signed as Moon Bear]
- Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) [not seen]
- Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)
- Chinese Red Panda (Ailurus styani) [Signed as Red Panda]
- Chinese Takin (Budorcas thibetana) [Signed as Takin]
Wild Woodlands
This area mainly focuses on North American wildlife. The first part is the Snake Den which has two snake terrariums with a vulture enclosure and an Animal Ambassador area adjacent (typically has Nine-banded armadillos). Then, there is a mixed eagle enclosure, a pronghorn enclosure, a wolf enclosure, and a bison enclosure.
- Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) [Signed as Northern Copperhead]
- Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) [Signed as Black Ratsnake] [not seen]
- Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
- Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
- American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
- Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
- Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
- American Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana americana) [Signed as Pronghorn]
- Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) [Signed as Wild Turkey]
- Red Wolf (Canis rufus) [not seen]
- Plains Bison (Bison bison bison) [Signed as American Bison]
Feinstein Junior Scholar Wetlands Trail
Next to the bison enclosure, there is a muntjac enclosure which had what I thought would be the most active muntjac I've seen (this would be proven wrong later that day). I didn't see that much there wild-wise other than a couple starling, catbirds, and mallards.
- Reeve's Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) [Signed as Muntjac]
Our Big Backyard
This area is somewhat "hidden" with the enclosures being very hard to find. I couldn't see the raven as I didn't go to the tree house but the giant tortoise enclosure was more in the open.
- Common Raven (Corvus corax) [not seen]
- Aldabra Giant Tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea gigantea)
To Be Concluded...
