Reptile & Amphibian Forums

today i was at the Brox Zoo and aside from all the rest they had three Curviers Dwarf Caiman 2 about 3feet and 1 about4.5 as well as two chinese alligators about 4.5-5.5 feet in length and they also had two False Gharials!!!! they were amazing! the cloration and paderns are teriffic! the bigger one had to be at least 15 feet in lenght! i never thought i'd ever get the chance to see them; i've seen Gharials at the San Diego Zoo a few years back but the False Gharials are a very awesomem site! if anyone ever gets a chance to go down there you should(all though i think the two False Gharials should have had more swiming room also with more depth)

k

Awsome. Seen ome Gharials in Ft Worth, Tx and I was enthuised. I'd find it hard to beat one, and hopefully I'll get to play with a Tomistoma or two in November.. Just hope Doug cracks under begging pressure. Heh. Did you happen to get any pics of your trip?
Xain
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He that cannot reason is a fool. He that will not is a bigot. He that dare not is a slave.

well i'm hoping that some good pictures came out of it but i'm 15 years old and my parents had control of the camera so i don't know what will come out or if they even took a pic of it when i asked them too.... hopfully they did though!

k

I really understand your excitement. The Bronx Zoo is truly one of the best zoos in the world, perhaps the best.When I was there about 4 years ago, I saw 50 Chinese alligators - behind the scenes. And of course...these Tomistomas are really awesome.
Please,visit the homepage of CSG´s Tomistoma Task Force, www.tomistoma.org
And the big cubans.....and the gharials at Jungle World, which is (for me)the best animal house in the world.

How where you able to go 'behind the scenes'!!!! that would be so awesome! someday i hope to somehow work with these animals at a zoo but there aren't really any zoo's close to where i live. some day...

k

Occasionally(about every 2 years) I organize these tours for the Upstate Herp. Association. Believe me...the really neat stuff is off display, though they've really cut back on the Chinese gators. As Ralf said, 3-4 years ago they had 50 but last January there were only maybe 1/2 dozen adult sinensis.

BTW...you left out the best part....the Cuban Crocs!! "Fidel" is my personal favorite down there. There's also a Tomistoma over in Jungle World, where it has more space to move, but that Reptile Building is quite old and probably wasn't built with croc enclosures in mind. Being a bushmaster fanatic though, When I remember that Ray Ditmars roamed the place ...it is truly a treasured building.

You are absolutely right: The Reptile house is a treasure for herpers! And you are right with "Fidel", the most beautiful Cuban I´ve ever seen.
I didnt know about the Tomistoma at Jungle World, but good to hear.

i looked all over expecting to see some crocodilian but i didn't see any. maybe i was looking in the wrong places.....

Maybe they removed since we were there....it's possible. I'd have to check.

I worked as a reptile keeper in a german zoo, many years ago,
and I wished, I had never changed this wonderful profession.
Its a hard job,and in those times very poorly paid, but...
Good luck !
Link

We've got a Chinese Alligator and a false Gharial here at the St. Louis Zoo too. They really are awesome creatures...
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All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.

I never have been at St.Louis Zoo, but really would like going there. I know a lot about this zoo and its awesome herpetological collection - they are also keeping Fiji iguanas,
Tuatara and many very rare snakes....wow!