I'm now in San Antonio, Texas, for an internship with an energy company. While down here, I've sampled some amazing BBQ, met amazing people, and had some very close encounters of a reptilian nature. A few weeks ago, I visited the San Antonio Zoo, arguably one of the best zoos for reptile enthusiasts. It just so happens that they are running a specialty program that focuses on giant reptiles. On display throughout the park were pythons, crocodilians, and komodo dragons. Having visited the zoo once before, I faintly remembered what some of the exhibits looked like (for example, the reptile house was basically unchanged). However, I was struck by how much the zoo had expanded: the Africa, Amazonia, and Wet Land exhibits were new (to me at least) and very professionally done. I had the privilege of watching the zoo crew extract Tomistoma eggs from the croc's enclosure. While I've read many papers on the Tomistoma (Tomistoma schlegelii), there's nothing like seeing the 12', flesh and blood croc defending its nest. It was literally something straight out of the Crocodile Hunter. I talked with a staff member who was overseeing the entire operation and learned that the Tomistomas at the zoo were breeding on a semi-annual basis. Indeed, the zoo was quite proud of their breeding program as evidenced by the front-and-center display of "Tomistoma babies born last year" exhibit in the reptile house. Even after all these years, the zoo doesn't fail to impress.
Here're some pics from my visit:
The False Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii)
A gorgeous mountain rattlesnake (Crotalus spp.)
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