A new and exciting era in zoo exhibit design began when the Houston Zoo opened the doors of the new Ethel G. and Allen H. Carruth Natural Encounters Building. Years in the making, Natural Encounters began as a routine renovation of the Zoo’s 1960s era Small Mammals Building, the result is far from routine. Tons of concrete, miles of rebar, and hundreds of square feet of glass have transformed the 45-year-old building into a spellbinding collection of interactive exhibits representing seven different ecosystems.
Tree branches stretch out over the pathways, waterfalls cascade into pools, and animals meet you at every turn. Visitors are nose to nose with some of the worlds most endangered animals. Young and old experience animals up-close through large glass viewing panels, guest can even “crawl” right into the piranha exhibit via an acrylic see-through tunnel. Keeper chats are regularly scheduled throughout the day, where keepers demonstrate and explain everything from otter enrichment to piranha feedings. In addition, keepers frequently mingle with the visitors, intimately sharing some of the Zoo’s most unusual creatures and intriguing stories about the animal’s habitats.
“Natural Encounters has been a real-life adventure from start to finish,” said Zoo Director Rick Barongi. “From conception to design and construction, Natural Encounters is a state of the art design that will educate, amaze, and inspire visitors of all ages,” added Barongi.
The Natural Encounters Building sets a new standard for interactive zoo exhibitry. Over 50 different species of mammals, birds, and reptiles, not to mention an astounding array of tropical fish and spectacular corals, share multi-species exhibits. A journey through this building is like an adventure, it touches all your senses along the way and demonstrates the importance of protecting and understanding our natural world.
