Category: Rainforest Pyramid (Page 5 of 7)

All about Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyramid

November 29, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 2 Comments

At the Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyramid, you can experience one of the most authentic rainforest recreations in the world. The ten-story glass pyramid features over one thousand exotic plants and animals from the rainforests of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. A recent $25 million enhancement project has improved the attraction, making it more realistic and bringing you closer than ever to a true rainforest experience.

As part of the enhancement project, a new walkway was built in the Rainforests of the World, which overlooks the endangered giant Amazon River otter exhibit. The unique walkway leads you into the pyramid at the canopy level. In the canopy level you can explore the rainforest from above, allowing you to get closer to the free-roaming tree-dwellers of the rainforest such as birds, sloths, white-faced saki monkeys, and cotton-top tamarins.

Featured in the canopy walkway is one of the most famous attractions in Moody Gardens: the butterfly exhibit. Several species of beautiful butterflies flutter around you as you wander through.

The next part of your journey takes you to the cloud forests, which are considered nature’s water towers. Observe the colorful frogs and artifacts from people of the rainforest before heading down to the rainforest floor. The nocturnal exhibit on the rainforest floor is home to a prehensile-tailed porcupine, African palm civet, and other creatures that only venture out after dark.

On the rainforest floor you will also discover plants and animals from the Asian rainforest, such as the carnivorous pitcher plant, colorful orchids and fish, and two Chinese alligators.

The rainforests of Central and South America are filled with colorful macaws, a spotted ocelot, and a flowing waterfall! You can also learn about the smells and spices of rainforest food in the interactive exhibit. Tour the Mayan ruins, home to a giant anaconda, piranha, caiman lizards, and even vampire bats!

The final stop on your Rainforest Pyramid adventure is down the Africa trail where you can marvel at the spider plant, giant windowpane palm, and the dead rat tree. Don’t worry; there aren’t actually dead rats in the tree! On your way out, you’ll be able to experience the ground-dwellers of the rainforest, including a Daramaland mole rat, Brazilian rainbow boa, and a cobalt blue tarantula!

Click here for ticket prices and more information.

Don’t miss out on a visit to the Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyramid during your next family weekend getaway in Texas. Moody Gardens is the place to be for the best events in Galveston. Learn more at www.moodygardens.com. We hope to see you soon!

Why You Can’t Skip a Visit to Moody Gardens During Your Trip to Galveston

November 21, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

Moody Gardens is the perfect place to visit on your family weekend getaways in Texas. There is so much to do at Moody Gardens that it’s impossible to fit all the fun into one day! Not only are the year-round attractions incredible, but we also have seasonal fun depending on what time of the year you visit. You can’t skip visiting the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid, Rainforest Pyramid, 3D Theater, and more!

Aquarium Pyramid: The Aquarium Pyramid is the largest pyramid at Moody Gardens. It houses four distinct ocean environments. When wandering through this big blue pyramid, you and your family will be entertained and entranced by the five species of penguins, the furry seals, and the famous Squirt, our blind sea lion. The colorful fish and coral reefs are nature’s art at its finest. Watch the sharks, sea turtles, eels, and tropical fish swim all around you as you walk through an underwater tunnel!

Rainforest Pyramid: A major enhancement project has allowed guests to experience the Rainforest Pyramid in a whole new way! You can now walk through an entry that overlooks a new Amazon River otter exhibit. A new treetop path leads you through the canopy level of the pyramid, allowing you to explore and see the monkeys, sloths, and other tree-dwellers closer than ever. Don’t forget to surround yourself with beautiful butterfly species in the butterfly exhibit. There are ten stories of rainforest magic to explore!

Moody Gardens Theaters. Choose from three different theaters, giving you three different experiences. At the MG 3D Theater you can enjoy larger-than-life images projected onto the largest movie screen in Texas. The Ridefilm combines both ride and a film, and the 4D Special FX Theater allows you to see, hear, feel, and smell the action with special effects such as wind, smoke, mist, leg ticklers, and seat buzzers!

The Aquarium Pyramid, Rainforest Pyramid, and the theaters at Moody Gardens are just a few of the reasons you can’t miss out on this famous tourist attraction. Learn more by visiting www.moodygardens.com. Don’t miss the Festival of Lights this holiday season if you are looking for Christmas events in Texas. We also have a special holiday offer going on!

Mr. Awesome

October 22, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

Sunday was Reptile Awareness Day and we’d like to make a belated tribute to one of the reptiles in our Rainforest Pyramid — Mr. Awesome.

Mr. Awesome, or more commonly known as the Crocodile monitor, can be found in mangroves and rainforests in Papua New Guinea. Unfortunately, they are facing pressures of habitat destruction and pet trade.

So what makes him so awesome? Well, he’s one of the longest lizards out there. Including his tail, he’s about eight feet long.

Mr. Awesome is a fast runner and a great climber, making it hard for his prey to run away. And if you’re lucky, he’ll smile and show you his long teeth — the longest of any monitor. He eats a variety of prey, from mammals to birds to eggs and even carrion.

But the best part, like all of the animals in our Rainforest Pyramid, is his behavior. Mr. Awesome is quite attentive to our keepers. We’re in the process of teaching him basic husbandry behaviors, for maintenance and emergencies, and he’s showing signs of intelligence similar to a dog – but in his own stubborn way.

Bats for Bats Weekly Online Auction

October 17, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

2012 is Year of the Bat and we’re celebrating it with Bats for Bats! We’ll be having a series of online auctions for the coming weeks. Each sports memorabilia was generously donated to support bats and their important role in the environment. The money raised from these items will be donated to Bat Conservation International to fund crucial education and awareness.

ITEM 1
(SOLD!)

Houston Astros Maxwell & Johnson Autographed Baseball

ITEM 2
(SOLD!)

Dynamo Fan Pack with Two Tickets for any 2013 game

ITEM 3
(SOLD)

Texas Rangers’ Michael Young Autographed Photo

ITEM 4
(SOLD)

Authentic Texas Tech football autographed by Tommy Tuberville


ITEM 5 Bid here: http://bit.ly/Bats4Bats5 (bidding ends 11/13)

UT Football with authentic Mack Brown autograph

Madagascar Giant Jumping Rats

October 3, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

Meet the newest members of our Rainforest Pyramid: Madagascar Giant Jumping Rats

Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Zoo

These guys are the largest endemic rodents in Madagascar. They find food by foraging the forest floor for fallen fruits. These nocturnal animals live in dry and deciduous coastal forests. Jumping rats often communicate in trills and barks, and are extremely active and curious creatures. Despite the name, they don’t really jump unless they’re startled or frightened. Both of our new additions are male.

Moody Gardens is fortunate enough to provide a home for the Jumping Rats, as we are only one of six North American zoos and aquariums to have these species. These endangered species are threatened by habitat loss and hunted by feral cats and dogs.

With these newest family members, we are now a part of the large European Endangered Species Program (EEP), equivalent to the North American’s AZA Species Survival Plan.

Porcupine Baby Born at Moody Gardens

July 27, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

Porcupine Baby!

From brightly colored macaws to lounging lizards, more than 200 animal species have made a home in the Rainforest Pyramid at Moody Gardens. And as of yesterday, Moody Gardens has the second prehensile tailed porcupine born onsite since the Rainforest Pyramid’s grand re-opening.

The reddish orange baby was born on the same exact date as its older sibling last year. A quill was sent for DNA testing to determine the gender and after, a name will be chosen. Weighing at 480 grams, the newborn is on exhibit inside the nocturnal gallery of the Rainforest Pyramid.

Here is the mother, Bobby-Sue!

Although the newborn looks as soft as a puppy, the quills will harden within a few weeks. Sharing an exhibit with the mother, Bobby-Sue, the new baby is climbing the trees and exploring the area. Bobby-Sue and the father, Bono, have been together since 2007 and this is their second baby since their introduction into the newly enhanced pyramid.

Prehensile Tailed porcupines are found in the wild in Central and South America. These vegetarian, tree-dwelling rodents usually weigh between four and eleven pounds and their tails are almost as long as their whole body. They are covered in short, thick spines and their body color runs from yellowish to orange to brown. One of their defining characteristics is a small head with a round, bulbous nose which is covered by short and fine hair. They also have whiskers on the face and feet that help in maneuvering around at night.This species is named for their unique tail, which is used a fifth hand to help hold onto branches as they climb throughout the canopy. The last 1/3 of the tail is spineless, enabling the animal to get a better grip on the tree branches. The front and hind feet are modified for grasping, which makes them excellent climbers. One thing they cannot do however is jump.Porcupines have a built-in defense. While most of their body is covered in sharp quills, they are incapable of throwing them, which is a common misconception. These quills will detach easily when touched and imbed into the skin of an enemy. They have also been known to hit and bite their attackers and curl up into a ball when caught. When provoked, they will stomp their hind feet, sit on their haunches, shake their quills and emit deep growls and high pitched cries. These defenses are so formidable that Prehensile Tailed porcupines have the luxury of a longer lifespan and slower reproductive rate than most rodents.

WORLD’S LARGEST FLOWERING PLANT IN FULL BLOOM AT MOODY GARDENS

June 14, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

: 9:30am on 6/13/12

Corpse Flower, “Morticia” Intrigues Guests with Two-Day Bloom and Powerful Stench.

Galveston Island, TX (June 14, 2012) — The odor of rotting flesh has never smelled so sweet as “Morticia,” the Giant Corpse Flower officially started to bloom in the evening June 13 at the Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyramid. With a short blooming period of 2 to 4 days, visitors have the rare opportunity to see and smell the Amorphophallus titanum. Native only to Sumatra, Indonesia, it is not only rare in its native habitat, it is extremely rare in cultivation. Fewer than 85 Corpse Flowers have ever bloomed in the United States. Measuring in at 56 inches tall and 40 inches in circumference, this bloom is only the fourth in the state of Texas. Visitors can expect to have their breath taken away in more ways than one.

“The stench and beauty of this plant are equally amazing,” said Donnita Brannon, horticulture exhibit manager at Moody Gardens; who added the staff has been anxiously waiting for the big blooming event to occur since the plant first broke dormancy May 1. “She is even more beautiful than I expected. We are celebrating and invite guests to hurry out to the Rainforest Pyramid to share this experience with us.”

The common name, Corpse Flower, originates from the unpleasant odor the plant emits during flowering. The strong smell that is similar to rotting flesh attracts its pollinators, carrion beetles and sweat flies. It is considered the largest flowering plant in the world, often reaching heights of over 10 feet tall. Technically, it is the largest unbranched inflorescence, containing both male & female flowers.

The plant has a very unpredictable blooming schedule. There is no bloom season and flowers can be produced at any time of year. The Corpse Flower grows from an underground tuber which can weigh up to 200 pounds. A single large leaf that resembles a small tree emerges from this tuber that can grow to more than 20 feet tall. During this vegetative state, the tuber gains energy to produce the massive bloom. The plant then goes into a dormant period for approximately three months. The tuber will then either produce another leaf or a flower as it has at Moody Gardens. Once the tuber breaks dormancy and begins to send up a flower spike, the plant will usually bloom within four to six weeks as it did at Moody Gardens. There are six other Corpse Flower tubers in the Rainforest Pyramid. Brannon hopes to see some of these plants bloom in the future.

The Corpse Flower was first discovered in 1878 by an Italian plant explorer Odoardo Beccari. Upon initial discovery, the plant struck fear into Beccari’s team due to the plant’s tremendous size and smell. It was believed to be a man-eating plant. Beccari took seeds back to the botanical gardens in Florence, Italy and later sent seedlings to The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, England. The first recorded bloom of the Corpse Flower took place at Kew in 1889. Police had to be called in to control the crowds of people who came to see it.

The first bloom ever recorded in the United States took place at New York Botanic Garden in 1937 where it created a similar response. The same plant bloomed again in 1939. In May 1998, the University of Missouri at St. Louis had a bloom and was the first in this country in nearly 60 years. Due to the plant’s peculiarity, popularity and incredible appeal to growers and collectors in the botanical community, the Corpse Flower began to gain attention in again the 1990s and early 2000s. Since May 1998, there have been 84 recorded blooms in the U.S. at arboretums, botanic gardens, zoos and universities.

Rainforest Pyramid®: Special Hours of Operation
Thursday, June 14: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday, June 15: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday, June 16: 9 a.m. – 10p.m.

Click here for more information

“Who ‘nose’ when the Corpse Flower will bloom?” Contest

June 6, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 14 Comments

UPDATE—WINNERS: Lucky 13…today has been declared official bloom date! Only guesses submitted by 2:00pm today June 13, 2012 will be taken in consideration. Email us at communications@moodygardens.com if we reply to your comment with “WINNER” to claim your prize. Thank you all for your guesses!

Morticia, the Corpse Flower, looks like she’s ready for her bloom! But without a set blooming season, it’s hard to predict when the Corpse Flower will bloom. So who “nose” when the Corpse Flower will bloom and begin its silent and smelly flowering? The first 20 people to guess correctly will win a free ticket to the Rainforest Pyramid to see Morticia!

A Corpse Flower bloom occurs when the spadix, the long, French bread-like stem, emerges from the bud. At that point, the flower will grow four to six inches a day and the strong smell will start to roll in. The strong smell that is similar to rotting flesh attracts its pollinators, carrion beetles and sweat flies. It is considered the largest flowering plant in the world, often reaching heights of over 10 feet tall. Technically, it is the largest unbranched inflorescence, containing both male & female flowers.

The Corpse Flower grows from an underground tuber which can weigh up to 200 pounds. From this tuber, a large single leaf emerges resembling a small tree that can grow to more than 20 feet tall. During this vegetative state, the tuber gains its energy to produce the massive bloom. The plant then goes into a dormant period for approximately three months. The tuber will then either produce another leaf or a flower as it has at Moody Gardens.

Once fully unfurled, the flower will only last for a day or two. Then the flower collapses upon itself and withers away. The tuber will then go into a dormant period, resting and gaining energy, eventually sending up another tree trunk-like stalk, beginning the incredible process all over again!

The Corpse Flower is under threat of extinction in the wild due to illegal logging and the clearing of rain forest land for cultivation of oil palm plantations. It is our hope that interest in and appreciation of our Earth’s amazing plants and animals will lead to increased efforts at conserving the habitats of these and other rare species.

CONTEST RULES:

Use the information we’ve provided above as well as Morticia’s growth progress, which we update frequently on our Facebook & Twitter, to guess the exact date that she will bloom. Our horticultural exhibit manager, Donita Brannon, will declare the official bloom date. Here are the rules:

Leave your guess in the comments section of this post or tweet us your guess @Moody_Gardens with hashtag #MorticiaContest
Only one guess per person.
Contest open until flower starts to bloom
First 20 people to guess correctly will win two (2) tickets to the Rainforest Pyramid®
Only people who guess the EXACT date determined by our horticultural exhibit manager will win

While you’re at it, why not go ahead and like us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Inc. Any comments that are inappropriate, offensive, spam or commercial in nature can be deleted by the page admin. Must be 18 years or older to win.

Bat Facts: What’s with the hanging?

May 11, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

Q: WHY DO BATS HANG UPSIDE DOWN?

A: Unlike the bodies of other animals, a bat’s body is best adapted for hanging upside down. Its hind limbs have rotated 180 degrees so that its knees face backwards. This rotation aids in the bat’s ability to navigate in flight and to hang by its feet. Bats actually have specialized tendons that hold their toes in place so that they are able to cling to their roosts without expending any energy. In fact, bats must flex their muscles in order to let go of the roosting surface. These adaptations are quite helpful for a flying mammal since bats only need to let go of the roost in order to drop into flight. Hanging upside down also provides bats with roosting space away from predators in safe places on the ceilings of caves, in trees, and buildings that few other animals can use because they have not evolved to hang upside down by their feet.

Visit Bat Conservation International to learn more about bats!

Save the Date: Bats Are Doin’ It

January 27, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

Throughout 2012 Moody Gardens® will bring attention to an often overlooked, but important animal: the bat. The United Nations has declared 2012 as International Year of the Bat and Bat Conservation International (BCI) as an International Year of the Bat founding partner. Moody Gardens® will be participating throughout 2012 with opportunities for the public to get involved in the conservation mission. The International Year of the Bat campaign aims to raise global awareness about bats, bat conservation and the unique roles bats play in our environment.

The “Bat’s Are Doin’ It” fundraiser will bring attention to the ecological importance of bats such as eating their weight in harmful insects and pollinating many economically valuable crops including bananas and mangoes. Guests will leave with a new appreciation for this misunderstood animal species; which will assist BCI in their efforts to protect bats.

Enjoy a special evening celebrating the mysterious creatures with a tasty bat- themed food and drink menu. The night will include a cocktail party, special guest speaker James Eggers from Bat Conservation International and a tour of the Rainforest Pyramid®. This event will give you the chance to help save an often overlooked animal species while celebrating the special holiday.

SAVE THE DATE: Bats Are Doin’ It: A Fundraiser for Animal Lovers

• When: February 11th from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

• Where: Moody Gardens Visitors Center

• Price: $50 for a single ticket, $90 for two
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

• Included in the price: Heavy hors’ doeuvres and 2 drink tickets for specialty bat- themed drinks. Each attendee also receives a free “Bats Are Doin’ It” goody bag.

• Other Information: Raffle tickets can be purchased upon arrival to the event. Prices are $5 for 1 ticket or $10 for 3 tickets.Prizes will include various fabulous bat themed packages.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EVENT FLYER

Proceeds raised for the event will be donated to the organization Bat Conservation International. This event is open to individuals who are 21 and above only.