CROCS - ANCIENT PREDATORS IN A MODERN WORLD

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During a recent family road trip to Washington D.C., we stopped by the National Geographic Museum to check out their newest exhibit CROCS - ANCIENT PREDATORS IN A MODERN WORLD.  A stop by the reptile house on any visit is a must do for my kids so when I heard that National Geographic was featuring an exhibit on crocodiles our family had to go see it while we were in town.  We weren't disappointed as CROCS lets visitors sink their teeth into the history, biology and behaviors of this fascinating species through fossils, models and actual real life animals.

Crocodiles were roaming the Earth munching on dinosaurs for snacks more than 100 million years ago.  While the dinosaurs became extinct, these predatory reptiles were able to to adapt and survive to modern times.  While much smaller in size now, today's alligators and crocodiles still very much resemble their prehistoric predecessors just in more miniaturized forms.  While not as large as their prehistoric ancestors these predators are still very formidable.  An average adult male American alligator is 11 feet long and they can weigh up to 1,000 pounds.  Salt water crocodiles can get even larger being able to grow to more than 17 feet long and weigh up to 3,000 pounds.  These magnificent creatures can be very deadly so if wandering in their natural habitat you shouldn't take dealing with them lightly.

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 While there are plenty of informative placards on display throughout the exhibit, it also a very nice digital component to it.  Videos of Dr. Kent Vliet, the primary scientific advisor for the project, as well as other crocodilian experts, appear as a running thread as visitors walk through the exhibit.  There are also hands-on interactive activities to experience.  Listen to croc calls then hear what a scientist believes what you just heard means.  Create a 3D animation of an extinct crocodilian  or test your strength against a croc on a modified force gauge that demonstrates how researchers measure the strength of real crocodile bites.  If you want to do something a bit less strenuous test your crocodilian IQ with fun facts and croc trivia.

There are several dioramas on display depicting realistic models of various types of crocodilians in their native habitats.

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My son was amazed by the life-sized model of Gomek, one of the world's largest crocodiles to ever be held in captivity.  When he died at Florida's St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in1997, Gomek was nearly 18 feet long and weighed 1,896 pounds. That was one big croc!

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The hit of our visit though was seeing the several dioramas on display featuring live crocodilians that ranged from very small to somewhat large in size.  The exhibit actually let you get fairly close to the animals for some terrific views.

CROCS will be at the National Geographic Museum until May 8, 2016 when it will be rotated out for a new exhibition.  Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for Magazine Subscribers, Military, Seniors (62+), College & High School Students and $10 for Children ( 5-12 years old).  The museum is open 7 days per week from 10 am - 6pm.  It is closed two days per year, Thanksgiving & Christmas Day.

Included with our admission to CROCS was a walk through the PHOTO ARK.  Photographer Joel Sartore has compiled a gallery of portraits of endangered species with the goal of encouraging people to care about conservation and habitat preservation.  These are some stunning photos and it is really troubling that some of these creatures will no longer be alive on our planet within the next decade.

Of course we couldn't leave without a souvenir! Check out this unique personalized National Geographic Magazine cover we created on our way out. The kids picked out the cheetah theme because that is my son's favorite animal.  What a nice memory keepsake to remember our visit to the National Geographic Museum.

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Toledo Zoo named BEST ZOO in the United States

We always make a special effort a few times per year to take a road trip with our kids to visit the TOLEDO ZOO because it really is a great park and a nice change of pace with different exhibits and animals on display to enjoy from our own local Detroit Zoo which with our annual membership itself is a pretty frequent destination for our family.  So it really wasn't that much of a surprise when we heard that this Midwestern factory town's zoo was named by USA TODAY as the "Best Zoo in the USA" and "one of the top 10 zoos in the U.S." by Family Fun Magazine. The Toledo Zoo is home to more than 9,000 animals representing over 800 species.  It also just completed a new 178,000 gallon aquarium so that a visit to the zoo not only lets you observe land animals but also takes you under the sea.

Because the Detroit Zoo is just a few minute drive from our house we've become pretty accustomed to that place so making a trip to the Toledo Zoo is always a special treat to check out new things.  My kids favorite three features of the Toledo Zoo ( the hippoquarium, elephant exhibit & salt water aquarium)  aren't available to see at our local zoo making the experience out of the ordinary and extra special for them.  These exhibits really provide a close up views of these creatures allowing for some extraordinary experiences.

The Hippoquarium

Visitors to this exhibit are treated to a view of the underwater world of Nile hippopotamus.  This 360,000 gallon pool has a filter system that cleans 8,000 gallons of water every 90 minutes to help provide a clear closeup view of the hippos as they lounge and wander about underwater.  My kids always are thrilled when they have an up close encounter with these humongous creatures.

 

Elephants of the Savanna

Speaking of larger creatures, right next door to the hippoquarium is the elephant enclosure.  Whenever my daughter brings up a trip to the Toledo Zoo the first thing she references is wanting to go see the elephants.  The Toledo Zoo enlarged and renovated this exhibit in 2012 providing for expanded viewing areas for people and more stimuli for the African elephants that call it home including elevated feeders, enrichment walls and trees that creating a dynamic space for the animals.

The Hippoquarium and Elephants of the Savanna exhibits are part of a larger themed African Safari themed display area called the Tembo Trail.  As you venture along the Tembo Trail in addition to elephants and hippos, you'll also encounter lions, white rhinoceros, spotted-necked otters, slender-snouted crocodiles, naked mole rats and meerkats.



Aquarium

After a two and half year closure for a $25 million dollar expansion and renovations just re-opened in the Spring of 2015.  This exhibit has transformed a 46,000 gallon aquarium that had mostly displayed local freshwater varieties of fish into a 178,000 immersive underwater experience where people can view more than 3,000 creatures from a variety of ecosystems around the world.

We took a road trip this summer to the Toledo Zoo just to check out the new aquarium facility and I have to say it really is fin-tastic!  CLICK HERE to check out A Geek Daddy's review of the Toledo Zoo's aquarium "Sea-ing the Toledo Zoo Aquarium is Fin-tastic!"

Playgrounds

It just figures though that my kids enjoy playing at the Toledo Zoo almost as much as venturing around observing all the wonderful animals.  The zoo has a nice area called Nature's Neighborhood that has a playscape area featuring a kids only tree house to explore, rock walls to climb and a stream to wade in.  There is also the Jumpin Junction indoor workshop area that has projects to do and presentations to see throughout the day all year long.  At Jumpin Junction kids can see themselves on a large TV screen with backgrounds from the natural world behind them or they can play around with animal costumes and puppets for a fun experience.

During the warmer months there also are daily performances at 2 pm each day featuring Toledo Zoo animals at the outdoor Fisher-Price Discover Stage for families to enjoy or you can pet African pygmy goats in Nature Neighborhood's Goat Yard.

As part of the aquarium renovation, the Toledo Zoo also just installed a great aquatic splash pad play area directly behind that facility that also includes oceanic themed play structures like a giant crab holding a tire swing in its pinchers.

A few other highlights of trip to the Toledo Zoo include taking a train ride around Africa! which circles a field filled with zebras, giraffe, wilderbeest, ostrich, and wild dogs; trekking through the Arctic Encounter to view polar bears and seals; meandering through the Primate Forest filled with lemurs, monkeys, and red pandas; and a walk through the reptile house which features a giant saltwater croc. CLICK HERE for a map with a full layout of the zoo.

Of course we can't head home for the day until we've taken a ride on the old fashion carousel situated by the park's main entrance.

 

If you happen to be visiting the area the Toledo Zoo has a nice Out-of-town Visitor Guide on its website to help with planning a trip to the zoo.  If you can make it to Toledo, A Geek Daddy recommends that a visit to their zoo is well worth it.  You'll always discover something that will put a smile on your at the Toledo Zoo!