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A Herpetarium is usually a building at a zoo or private collection with different species of reptiles and amphibians.
[edit] History
The Herpetarium was completed in the summer of 1960 and was an indoor exhibit of modernistic design to open at the Fort Worth Zoo. The building was to measure 117 by 55 feet. Boasting the largest exhibit of reptiles and amphibians in the world (with 175 vivaria and ca. 200 species), the facility also included a zoo hospital and quarantine room. Then contemporary features, such as refrigerated air, operational skylights, temperature controlled water, switch operated emergency alarms, and state-of-the-art service facilities, made this Herpetarium a true marvel of technology of its time. Innovative exhibits such as a display of giant snakes with curved non-reflective glass (creating the illusion of an open-fronted exhibit) were especially popular attractions. The main public area included five exhibit halls covering various geographic regions and another area that was devoted exclusively to amphibians. There were also special exhibits teaching the identification of native venomous snakes and treatment for snakebite.[1]
- ^ Garret, Clay M., "Herpetology at the Fort Worth Zoo: A 45-Year History", Herpetological Review, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Vol.37, No.3, 2006, pp.264-268.
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