By Devin Edmonds
In March of 2005, I took a trip to Chicago over spring break. As always, I made a goal to visit the local zoological institutions while I was on vacation. I was able to spend half a day at the Shedd Aquarium viewing their huge collection of aquatic animals. In addition to the reptile and amphibians below, I also spent time staring into all of their aquariums. They really do a top notch job. On the way back from Chicago I stopped at the Brookfield zoo. Unfortunately, their reptile house was thinning out their collection in preparation for renovations, so there was not as large of a selection of reptiles and amphibians as I had hoped. That's not to say it wasn't worthwhile, just a little disappointing. Below are some of the photographs I took accompanied by descriptions.
Grand Caymon blue iguana (Cyclura nubila lewisi)
Caiman lizard (Dracaena guianesis)
Caiman lizard (Dracaena guianesis)
Caiman lizard (Dracaena guianesis) swimming.
A large terrarium containing a group of blue dart frogs (Dendrobates azureus).
Orange splash-backed dart frog (Dendrobates galactonotus).
Orange splash-backed dart frog (Dendrobates galactonotus).
This tall terrarium housed their group of Dendrobates galactonotus.
Phantasmal dart frog (Epipedobates tricolor).
Epipedobates zaparo, notice the large millipede on the left.
Epipedobates zaparo
Bernhard's mantella frog (Mantella bernhardi).
Haraldmeier's mantella frog (Mantella haraldmeieri)
Two Haraldmeier's mantella frogs (Mantella haraldmeieri), one that's very dark and one that's very light.
Haraldmeier's mantella frog (Mantella haraldmeieri)
Mantella nigricans
The large display terrarium that housed their mantella frogs. Notice the large waterfall.
Close up of the top half of the mantella terrarium.
Terrible dart frog (Phyllobates terribilis)
This terrarium housed their group of Phyllobates terribilis.
Terrible dart frogs (Phyllobates terribilis)
The terrarium on the left houses Dendrobates azureus, on the right are the above Phyllobate terribilis.
Another shot of the same terrariums.
Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus)
Blue dart frog (Dendrobates azureus)
Frilled dragon (Chlamydosaurus kingii)
Galapagose giant tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus)
Western green toad (Bufo debilis)
Western green toad (Bufo debilis)
Green tree monitor (Varanus prasinus)
Green tree monitor (Varanus prasinus) and its enclosure.
Green tree monitor (Varanus prasinus)
Green tree python (Chondropython viridis)
King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
A large frog from Madagascar, Grandidier's Frog (Mantidactylus grandidieri).
Grandidier's Frog (Mantidactylus grandidieri)
Rhinoceros Igauana (Cyclura Cornuta)
Rhinoceros Viper (Bitis nasicornis)
Sungazer (Cordylus species)
Sungazer (Cordylus species). Notice the strong ultra-violet lighting.
An enclosure housing tomato frogs (Dyscophus antongilli). They chose to use river stones as a substrate.
Two-striped forest pit viper (Bothriopsis bilineata)
Waxy monkey tree frog (Phyllomedusina sauvagi)
A zoo keeper feeding a caiman.
Please contact me with any questions or comments you have.