New facility opens in May with expanded exhibits and facilities

When planning outdoor excursions for this summer, don’t forget to pencil in  a visit to the new Rainforest Pyramid at Moody Gardens in Galveston.

Scheduled to open in May after being closed for several months for construction, Rainforests of the World will house a new treetop canopy entrance and trail that will take guests on a “bird’s eye” exploration of plant and animal life for an entirely new perspective of the attraction. Along the 300-foot-long canopy walkway, guests will be greeted by a variety of new exhibits and animals, including a cloud forest frog exhibit, butterflies, leafcutter ants and fruit bats that will fly from the treetops to a new cave exhibit visible on the ground.

Other enhancements will include the addition of a Mayan ruin exhibit that will showcase the culture of people who rely on the rainforest for survival as well as exhibits featuring giant river otters and endangered Chinese alligators.

“The Rainforest Pyramid at Moody Gardens has always been an exciting exhibit because it takes guests on a wild adventure through an exotic world,” said John Zendt, gardens president and CEO. “This enhancement will take that adventure even further by allowing guests to see the rainforest from the perspective of the creatures who live among the tree-tops.”

With the addition of three giant river otters in December, Moody Gardens became one of only six zoo and aquarium facilities in the country to house these unique creatures.  The young otters came to Moody Gardens by way of the Philadelphia Zoo.

The otters are between two and three years old and weigh about 60 pounds each. They will be on exhibit when the new facility opens in May and will be the focus of an exhibit at the Rainforest Pyramid. The giant river otter exhibit was specially designed to house the active otter trio. It features a sandy river bank with a complex waterfall feature as well as an area that will allow guests to watch training sessions. Guests will view the exhibit from the new canopy-level entrance to the Rainforest Pyramid.  For more information, call 800-582-4673 or visit www.moodygardens.org.