You Looking at Me?

Have you ever wondered what the animals might be thinking when you are taking their picture?

Our long awaited walk with the reptiles at San Diego Zoo

When most people think of the 4th of the July, they think of BBQ's, picnics, homemade desserts and fireworks with friends and family. Well, we spent the 4th a little differently this year. Still with friends and family, just not the human kind.

After what seemed like a year of construction, the San Diego Zoo had its grand opening of the new Reptile Walk on July 4, 2012 - we had to be there. Dylan and I had both missed seeing the frogs and especially the Galapagos tortoises. The new long awaited Reptile Walk is amazing and definitely worth the wait.

Still located behind the Reptile House, the Reptile Walk is a beautiful stroll down planked pathways that are lined with trees and lush landscaping.

Once  through the entrance, you enter the first building which houses the amphibians and California native species.

The new open-air design allows for better public viewing and the enclosures are much bigger. You still have to look around to find those tiny frogs, but the glass is now a good 4-5 times larger than before. Here you will see poison dart frogs, tree frogs, mossy frogs, king snakes, giant horned lizards, a green tree boa, and more. 

I'm not sure if it was the new habitats or if it was too early in the morning (9 a.m.), but there were about five animals that we couldn't find in their enclosures. We did go back at night and see a few more, but then it was too dark for pictures.

Next, another pathway takes you to the new Chinese Alligators. These reptiles are critically endangered and most now live only in breeding centers like the San Diego Zoo.

One of things I love most about the San Diego Zoo is the informative signs throughout the zoo like this one. Every trip is a learning experience for me and Dylan.