Yes, and they're usually a hit with visitors too. I honestly don't see much of a problem with meerkats (or any land-based animals for that matter) at an aquarium as long as they are adequately housed. And surely plenty of aquaria have land-dwelling species, anywhere from reptiles to birds to mammals. As long as they still have a majority of aquatic animals I guess a facility could still call itself an aquarium.
Sand boss and pancake tortoises are on exhibit but in the Loft building which does not share the same theme. I’ll try and take some photographs of the others. The only one I’m not sure is the rosy boa which I know they have, but I don’t remember ever seeing it on exhibit. In my opinion, it doesn’t look like a reptile building from the outside and it might be less intimidating to those people than other reptile houses. I’ll try and take some photos of the entrance area as well to illustrate my point.
With noteworthy exceptions such as El Paso Zoo or Bronx Zoo, I fail to recognize a certain general look of reptile houses that intimidates herpetophobics. Outdoor murals of reptiles? Reptile statues?
As an update to the previous discussion regarding the "novelity" of abstract reptile enclosures: this is the venomous snake section at Terrariet Zoo in Denmark
@Ebirah766 Your standards apparently differ from mine... @amur leopard: take another look at the explaination provided by the owners.
It's not a new exhibit, though Adventure Cove is. Personally I don't remember all the exhibits at the village (as the last time I visited Columbus was 2014) but the structures and some of the exhibits have been there. Possibly just renovated? Nevertheless, the village opened in 2011. Security Check Required
I can't see that link. It was not open during my visit in June 2019 and it was being branded as a new exhibit at the time. Everyone else on this site seems to think it is new.
"Animal Encounters Village in Jungle Jack's Landing opens today at the Zoo! You may come face to face with a wallaby or even see a cheetah on stage. Every day offers a new encounter so be sure to stop by!" -Columbus Zoo's facebook page. May 30, 2011. ~Thylo
Hmm..I could pick the Arctic Ring of Life...maybe the Desert Dome...maybe the Penguin Conservation Centre. Nah, I have to go to Columbus to see their ground-breaking new complex.. Jungle Jack's Landing ~Disappointing zoo enthusiasts since 2011.
I believe it opened (at that time) as a stage that had a scheduled animal encounter every once in a while, and the exhibits are new. At the very least they were not viewable in 2019.
Frankly, I would go to see the exhibit because it contains several species I really like. Not every exhibit is going to be on par with desert dome, that's an absurd thought.
