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Natural Encounters Exhibits
Entry Foyer
A crystal clear pool teaming with fish, turtles, and a cascading waterfall welcomes guests to the Ethel G. and Allen H. Carruth Natural Encounters Building. Lush greenery and the first of many detailed murals set the tone for the adventure that awaits.
Red-bellied Side Neck Turtle
Native to the inland rivers of Papua New Guinea, this colorful species of turtle diet consists of worms, fish and plant material in the wild. These turtles are highly aquatic and rarely leave the pond except to bask or nest. Long ago, this species was thought to have helped the ancestors of Iwaka Village in Papua New Guinea and thus a taboo was placed on hunting them. When reproducing, the females typically lay between 7 and 14 eggs, which take up to 49 days to hatch.
Siebenrock’s Snake-necked Turtle
A native of New Guinea, Northern Australia, and Irian Jaya, this species takes its name from its extremely long neck. Unlike most turtles, their neck and head are folded sideways between their carapace (upper shell) and plastron (lower shell) rather than being withdrawn under their carapace. The Snake-necked turtle spends little time basking, preferring to spend its time buried in the soft mud of the river.
A native of New Guinea, Northern Australia, and Irian Jaya, this species takes its name from its extremely long neck. Unlike most turtles, their neck and head are folded sideways between their carapace (upper shell) and plastron (lower shell) rather than being withdrawn under their carapace. The Snake-necked turtle spends little time basking, preferring to spend its time buried in the soft mud of the river.
River's Edge
Flowing effortlessly over the rocks, the river in Natural Encounters has carved out a steep mud embankment along its edge. Listen for the high-pitched squeaks and trills of Asian small-clawed otters playing in the rushing water and interacting with their trainers.Asian small-clawed otters
The smallest otters in the world, Asian small-clawed otters are found in the wetlands and mangrove swamps of Southern India, Southern China, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Living in small social groups, they frequently catch their prey with their paws instead of their mouths.
Blue-Bellied Rollers
Natural acrobats, Blue-Bellied Rollers earned their name for their aerial “rolling” during courtship and territorial display. With plumage in beautiful shades of blue, purple, and russet, rollers launch their loud aerobatic displays from roosts in high treetops. Found from Senegal to Gambia and Sudan.
Discovery River
Follow the Natural Encounters' river system to a feature designed especially for children. Kids, young and old, can crawl through an acrylic tunnel in a deep-water exhibit, offering a stunning underwater view of dozens of shimmering piranhas. Follow the river to a waterfall and see freshwater rays, rainbow fish, and tetras. Down stream, a pier juts out into the river offering the perfect environment for an electric eel.
Natural acrobats, Blue-Bellied Rollers earned their name for their aerial “rolling” during courtship and territorial display. With plumage in beautiful shades of blue, purple, and russet, rollers launch their loud aerobatic displays from roosts in high treetops. Found from Senegal to Gambia and Sudan.
Discovery River
Follow the Natural Encounters' river system to a feature designed especially for children. Kids, young and old, can crawl through an acrylic tunnel in a deep-water exhibit, offering a stunning underwater view of dozens of shimmering piranhas. Follow the river to a waterfall and see freshwater rays, rainbow fish, and tetras. Down stream, a pier juts out into the river offering the perfect environment for an electric eel.
Fresh water meets salt water at the river’s mouth creating a brackish environment for archer fish and four-eyed fish swimming among the roots of a mangrove tree.
Piranha
The Amazon basin’s most notorious aquatic animal, the piranha’s reputation is largely the result of legend and lore. Although humans have reportedly been bitten by piranhas, the danger to humans is often greatly exaggerated. They have a highly developed capacity to detect sound, will lurk until prey is detected, and then give chase by swimming with short bursts of speed.
Freshwater Rays
Stingrays get their name from the long spine or stinger found on the top of the tail, which is used as a defensive weapon. The stinger is shed and replaced 3 or 4 times a year. With openings to its gills found on its top surface, the stingray is able breathe while buried in sand.
Electric Eel
Not a true eel but eellike in shape, the electric eel can produce an electrical charge in excess of 500 volts. The electrical shocks come from special muscles in the tail portion of the eel’s body. The electrical discharges are used to stun and kill prey and to ward off predators.
Not a true eel but eellike in shape, the electric eel can produce an electrical charge in excess of 500 volts. The electrical shocks come from special muscles in the tail portion of the eel’s body. The electrical discharges are used to stun and kill prey and to ward off predators.
Rainforest Canopy
Bathed in natural skylight illumination, animals and plants are woven into a complex environment in Natural Encounter’s Rainforest Canopy. Five species of monkeys, Sailfin lizards, Tamandua, sloth, Provosts squirrel, Silver pheasant, Pied imperial pigeons, Lady Ross’ turacos, and Collared Aracari share the trees and branches while Red-footed tortoises and Acouchi search for food and shelter among the tree roots. Tamarins
The Rainforest Canopy of Natural Encounters is home to two species of Tamarins, Cotton topped and Golden lion. Found in the rainforests of South America, tamarins are among the world’s smallest primates. Golden lion tamarins are distinguished by their long fur and lion-like mane. The Cotton topped tamarin’s prominent crest of white hair extends over the head and from ear to ear.
Prevost’s Squirrel
With its black, tan, and white coat, the Prevost’s Squirrel is the most colorful of the world’s squirrels. Nimble tree climbers, they use their tails for balance when running and as a rudder when they jump. Native to the lowland forests of Southeast Asia.
Acouchi
A small rodent with a round body and small thin legs, Acouchi inhabit tropical evergreen forests in South America. Males tend to stay in open forest and females in dense vegetation. They do not dig their own burrows but make leaf nests in hollow logs or old armadillo holes. Acouchi help with seed distribution and rainforest re-growth by burying seeds throughout their range.
Bats
The Straw-colored fruit bat
The Straw-colored fruit bat is named for their silky yellow or straw colored pelage. It is the most widely distributed of all the African fruit bats and can be found from the southwestern Arabian Peninsula down through the central African forest and savannah regions. Straw-colored fruit bats are a very social species and roost in large colonies. These bats find food by sight as well as smell. Their diets consist of fruits, leaves, nectar, flowers, and is known to chew into soft wood to obtain moisture. Because they eat fruits and flowers, they play a very important role in pollination and seed dispersal of the forests.
Dry Lands
Arid ecosystems may appear inhospitable and barren, but as Natural Encounter’s Dry Lands exhibit demonstrates, the world’s deserts are teeming with life above and below ground. Antelope ground squirrels play amid the rocks and sand, and colonies of honey pot ants and mole rats nest in tunnels beneath the desert floor. Guest are invited to ask keepers questions about the Three-banded armadillo, Springhaas, or the tortoise or watch keepers train the Dry Land’s birds, the vulturine guineafowl and “buzz” the crowned hornbill.
The Straw-colored fruit bat is named for their silky yellow or straw colored pelage. It is the most widely distributed of all the African fruit bats and can be found from the southwestern Arabian Peninsula down through the central African forest and savannah regions. Straw-colored fruit bats are a very social species and roost in large colonies. These bats find food by sight as well as smell. Their diets consist of fruits, leaves, nectar, flowers, and is known to chew into soft wood to obtain moisture. Because they eat fruits and flowers, they play a very important role in pollination and seed dispersal of the forests.
Dry Lands
Arid ecosystems may appear inhospitable and barren, but as Natural Encounter’s Dry Lands exhibit demonstrates, the world’s deserts are teeming with life above and below ground. Antelope ground squirrels play amid the rocks and sand, and colonies of honey pot ants and mole rats nest in tunnels beneath the desert floor. Guest are invited to ask keepers questions about the Three-banded armadillo, Springhaas, or the tortoise or watch keepers train the Dry Land’s birds, the vulturine guineafowl and “buzz” the crowned hornbill.
Mole Rats
Native to Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia, naked mole rats are unusual mammals because their body temperature changes with their surroundings. Naked mole rats live in colonies with a social structure similar to that of bees or termites. Damaraland mole rats are one of the largest of the world’s truly subterranean animals. Due to their poor eyesight, they seem to locate their food simply by “blind luck”. They are extremely sensitive to vibrations and air currents within the tunnels.
Honey Pot Ants
As the name implies, honey pot ants are living food jars. Worker ants collect plant juices and other foods, and feed sweet liquid to a specialized group of adult workers call repletes which store honey to sustain the colony through lean times.
Native to Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia, naked mole rats are unusual mammals because their body temperature changes with their surroundings. Naked mole rats live in colonies with a social structure similar to that of bees or termites. Damaraland mole rats are one of the largest of the world’s truly subterranean animals. Due to their poor eyesight, they seem to locate their food simply by “blind luck”. They are extremely sensitive to vibrations and air currents within the tunnels.
Honey Pot Ants
As the name implies, honey pot ants are living food jars. Worker ants collect plant juices and other foods, and feed sweet liquid to a specialized group of adult workers call repletes which store honey to sustain the colony through lean times.
Coral Reef
Natural Encounter’s 5,000 gallon live coral reef exhibit nurtures an impressive array of brilliantly colored coral, clown fish, and a host of other sea creatures. The Coral Reef’s gently curving glass offers a panoramic view of a remarkable environment where life is infinitely complex and beautiful.Coral
Although covering only a tiny portion of earth, Coral Reef ecosystems are some of the most diverse and complex habitats found on Planet Earth. The diversity found on Coral Reefs rivals that of the Tropical rainforest. Complex interactions between these diverse forms of life have led to the largest structures ever constructed by any living organisms. Yet coral reefs bring this rich diversity to bloom in waters so nutrient poor that they can be compared to deserts.
Clown Fish
Found in warm tropical waters, the clown fish and their host anemones exist in a symbiotic relationship. Unaffected by the anemones paralyzing sting, the clown fish swims among the deadly tentacles and helps itself to food its host doesn’t eat. In return the clown fish grooms the anemones tentacles and protects it from predators.
Presentation Porch
Located near the Coral Reef, Natural Encounter’s Presentation Porch provides a relaxed and friendly “front porch” neighborhood environment for children’s storytelling, and other fun interactions between guests, keepers and animals.
Meerkat Habitat
A dry riverbed and towering termite mounds are featured in a large outdoor environment for a “mob” of meerkats interacting as they would naturally on the open savannas of Africa.
Meerkats
Anthropomorphism may be frowned on in purist circles, but it is hard to resist human comparisons with meerkats, especially for their characteristic upright two-legged stance as they scan the horizon for signs of danger. These highly sociable members of the mongoose family inhabit the drier regions of South Africa, Namibia, southern Botswana, and Angola where they live in family groups.
