Pics at the L.A. Zoo "lair" exhibit

[jaleely]

We went to the Zoo yesterday! I must admit, I love the zoo, but after all the hype going into the Los Angeles zoo's new reptile exhibit...i was kind of disappointed. They still have their old area where they house some snakes, and bugs, which is super small...but this new places seems even more cramped. There were a few enclosures that were large, but still housed multiple snakes. There were tons of people trying to file thorugh, and there was very little room for viewing or moving around. Overall, seems like a weird rennovation, to make it more sucky! But, the animals were beautiful and my favorite was the Giant Chinese Salamander. As big as me!!! Everyone walked right by not realizing he was there because they were expecting something small. He looked like just a huge rock on the bottom of the tank!
I'll get to him. Anyway...I have here a lot of photos. Not the quality I'd hoped, as lighting was hard to manage, or at times direct sunlight was glaring on the glass.
Still, you'll get the idea, and there are some beauties!



There were two










This photo was taken at the end of the day, about 4pm, whereas the other two were taken at 11 am. Clearly a huge mover *lol*

[jaleely]

Hiding

This little brat jumped across the tank just as i tried to photograph him! So no head pic *lol*

[jaleely]

[jaleely]

Ah it kind of sucks. Many of these were too far away to really get a good photo. Plus there were *so* many people shoving and being in the way, that I couldn't even read the signs, more or less take a good photo of them. A lot of times i just took a photo of the sign, then waited to get close enough to read it, and see the animal. Anyway, apologies because the photos only kind of get worse. lol you do get the idea that these are the animals you might glimpse if you ever go to this zoo though.

[jaleely]

[jaleely]

[jaleely]

These guys were sooo cute and active. Probably hated being together in their display lol

[jaleely]

[jaleely]

[knox]

Great pics, Melissa! Thank you for posting them. That first Palm Viper is GORGEOUS!

[jaleely]

[BarelyBreathing]

Fun! I love the Mangshan! Also, I've never seen a palm viper with black like that before.

[jaleely]

I loved the gaboon viper...he stayed flattened out and in the same spot all day *lol* he was huge!!






This was the "nursery" area. A couple places with incubators, this section of "antivenom" lol and a bunch of five gallon tanks with baby snakes in it with only one hide

[jaleely]

[jaleely]