WHY I LOVE ANIMALS

If you’ve not heard about the remarkable new exhibit, Galápagos Islands, that recently opened at the Houston Zoo, then let me be the first to tell you that it’s well worth your time to see the amazing wildlife and beautifully designed landscapes. The first major exhibit of its kind, visitors are immersed in a place that evokes the environment of the one place on earth where unique species reside in a delicately balanced ecosystem. And, one that has a pressing need for conservation! By showcasing such an environment, visitors will hopefully come away in awe of the archipelago’s wonders that need our protection (primarily due to plastic waste). Not all animals in the exhibit hail from the Galápagos Islands, which are just off the coast of Ecuador, but they are similar and therefore great “ambassadors”.

Of major importance to Houstonians is the fact the exhibit is more than 90% temperature controlled, making it the perfect spot to view wildlife in comfort. On this particular trip, we photographed and learned about the aquatic life residing in One Ocean Aquarium. In future issues, we will also highlight some of the other species in the exhibit includ- ing California sea lions and Humboldt penguins (which I am so excited to meet!). The aquarium viewing area spans 40 ft. of clear acrylic revealing the coral reef structures and a tumble of volcanic boulders. Nearly 600 individually fabricated corals representing eight different species found in the ocean surrounding the Galápagos Islands provide niches within the 290,000-gallon habitat where green sea turtles, blacktip reef sharks, cownose stingrays, bonehead sharks and colorful fish swim. I was particularly enamored with Bobby the sea turtle and a cute little puffer fish that kept swimming by as if to say, “look at me”…which was so cool!

While waiting for our photographer to set up, I was able to just stand in awe of the beauty of these marine animals. The array of colors on the fish was beautiful to see but the real joy was the peacefulness of watching the seemingly effortless way the animals move and float in the water. It’s a great place to come sit, stay and decompress if you need a stress reliever!

To learn more about the Galápagos Islands exhibit, visit HoustonZoo.org for ticket information and schedule. Zoo staff is on hand at various times throughout the day to offer “mini lessons” on a variety of species and topics.