Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The Nordic Ark, July 12th 2008. Part Seventeen

On the other side of the reptile house there are a number of outdoor enclosures. Not very large, but very well set up. These contain native animals - native to Europe if not to Scandinavia. Frogs, snakes, lizards, fish/catfish, and TURTLES! :-D

The sign by the orbicularis enclosures indoors said that the Ark has one adult pair of these animals. The adults were nowhere to be seen inside the reptile house, so when we got to that area outside I knew they must be in one of the enclosures there. I rushed to find it, of course. :-) Both the adults were basking in the sun on a piece of deadwood alongside their pond. It was SO cool to see them. :-) Their eyes are so strange compared to what I'm used to. Very light-colored. Soo pretty. :-)

Their enclosure was great, the pond could have been bigger but overall it was beautifully set up and designed. My RES Raphael would have loved to have been given the run of a place like that. :-) He loves to climb and exert himself physically and the enclosure had lots and lots of potential for climbing and exploration. It would have been fantastic to get to observe him in that type of environment. He would soo totally have ignored me. :-D

The two orbicularis didn't do much while we were there, they just lay there basking and looked at us. :-) The weather was too good for them to be wasting it. ;-) But it was enough for me just to get to see them in the flesh.

(Photo credit: me)

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