Tropical Getaway at the Zoo!

Completion of the Zoo’s Conservatory has been wrapped up for a few weeks now, and we thought this would be a great time to give you all the details on this tropical oasis!

Located in the World of Reptiles, the Conservatory is home to numerous tropical plant and bird species. As soon as you walk into the space, you will feel like you’re at a tropical destination due to the temperature and humidity of this exhibit.

Along with the climate of the exhibit, the background sound provided by the Conservatory’s feathered residents will give you another aspect of a tropical rainforest.

Crested Oropendola

Altogether, the Conservatory has four species of birds which include:

  • 8 Crested oropendolas
  • 6 Green oropendolas
  • 2 Oriole warblers
  • 2 Crowned pigeons

Which makes a total of 18 birds!

With this many occupants, there’s always something to see and hear. Bird keepers say keeping a lookout out on breeding activity is always encouraged. Oropendolas weave large, intricate nests that hang from the upper canopy, which are currently visible in the Conservatory.

Crowned pigeon nesting

The Crowned pigeons also are currently nesting giving visitors a unique opportunity to watch their natural breeding process. Along with the breeding activity, both the oropendolas and crowned pigeons have vocalizations that you can hear throughout your time at this exhibit.

As of right now, there are no plans to add any other animals to this exhibit, but we are always in discussion of what animals can be added to create a fun and dynamic environment for both the animals and visitors.

As animal species, plants need maintenance to keep them thriving, so a routine of hand watering and pruning is implemented for this tropical foliage. 

On the leafier side of things, there are over twelve species of plants in the Conservatory.

For the Horticulture team, designing a tropical paradise was a definitive process. Picking plants species that could sustain the exhibit along with finding plants that were “bird proof” was a priority, so they selected plants that were hardy and thick to endure the birds’ daily activities. There are more than two dozen plant species rooting in the Conservatory such as:

  • Banyan Tree
  • Rubber Tree
  • Chinese Fan Palm
  • Bird Nest Fern
  • And many other plant species!
See and hear the beautiful ambiance this exhibit provides.

On your next Zoo visit, stop by the Conservatory and explore the sights, sounds, and feels of the tropics!

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