Zoo news

Home ssssweet home The Staten Island Zoo’s renovated Reptile House is cold comfort to its slithering residents.

The Staten Island Zoo has long been the go-to destination to see snakes, lizards and other cold-blooded critters. A new, $12 million renovation of its famed 1930s Reptile Wing—the first anywhere to showcase all 32 varieties of native U.S. rattlesnakes—should only strengthen that rep. It adds 3,700 square feet of exhibition space and 12 live-animal displays, bringing the number of species onview to 120, more than double the pre-expansion roster.

Some of the debutants, such as the red-eyed crocodile skink and the Panamanian golden frog, can’t be seen anywhere else in the New York City area. Among the brand-new exhibits is the Alligator Pool, where gators and anacondas are visible from both above and below the water’s surface. Interactive graphics and push-button panels throughout will answer kids’ questions (we’re hoping for an explanation of the continued appeal of the GEICO gecko).

One of the zoo’s founding goals was to allay the public’s anxiety overreptiles, a tradition that continues today. To that end, handlers will periodicallybring out some of the cuddlier creatures—such as baby gators—for kidsto pet. If those creatures don’t give you the warm fuzzies, remember that “cuddly” isrelative: Just think about who their neighbors are.—Carolyn Juris