Asian Bamboo Garden Blooms at Jacksonville Zoo

Far East, Deadly Dragons Up Close and Personal

Mar 25, 2009

Among the towering bamboo and flowering Japanese plum and cherry trees they lurk - two huge Komodo dragons make the Jacksonville Zoo's Asian Bamboo Garden Exhibit home.

The exhibit opened early March, 2009 and quickly became a favorite among zoo-goers, especially the littlest ones. They're in awe of the gardens' two ruggedly handsome residents.

Komodo dragons are the world's largest lizard species, growing 10 feet long or more and weighing an average 200 pounds. The largest on record tipped the scales at 370 pounds. But the most dreadful detail is the Komodo dragons' long, yellow forked tongues famous for the deadly bacteria found in their saliva. Unlucky victims bitten (these dragons boast 60 cerrated teeth) suffer slow, lingering deaths by septicemia.

"Komodo dragons are endangered and protected, with an estimated wild population of only 3,000," says Delfi Messinger, director of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens' animal programs. "Our animals are part of a managed captive group, from which we hope to eventually obtain a female for breeding."

An Indonesian fishing village is the setting for the Komodo Dragon exhibit, designed after the few remote islands of the Indonesian archipelago where these reptiles are found in the wild. The animals will appear to be sunbathing in the back yards of villagers living on the Island of Komodo. Visitors will enjoy watching zookeepers train the dragons through an interactive panel.

The rest of the 2.5-acre exhibit features lush gardens dominated by 29 species and varieties of bamboo. Towering tallest among them is the Parker's Hawaiian Giant, which can reach upwards of 70 feet tall. Other plant species and varieties featured include the Japanese plum yew, Firepower nandina, cherry trees and purple-leafed azalea.

"This garden is completely different from anything we’ve done thus far," said Bob Chabot, director of horticulture and facilities. "The use of hills and berms and the addition of 78 Asian species that are new to our gardens at the Zoo give it a very unique feel."

Features throughout the gardens include the Moon Gate, a traditional Asian gate with a circular entry that symbolizes perfection; the Lotus Pool, featuring rock and water expressing the yin and yang principles of Chinese garden design; the Moon Bridge, which reflected in the water becomes a full circle recalling the moon and which is expected to be a prime spot for weddings (several of the zoo's exhibits are available for rent during off-hours); the Orchid Pavilion, surrounded by bamboo and overlooking the Koi Pool; and the Bamboo Mist Forest, home to several bronze Giant Panda sculptures.

Eventually, the full, larger exhibit will welcome giant Asian tigers and sun bears, named for the half circle-shaped, yellow-orange marking emblazoned on their chests.

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is open year-round, including holidays. It opened in 1914 with a single red deer fawn and grew in part with the help of Northeast Florida's silent and early film industry. Animals starring in jungle features, or at the long defunct Dixieland Amusement Park and Ostrich Farm, found new homes at the zoo once the cameras stopped rolling and Dixieland closed down. Today, the zoo houses more than 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species.

The copyright of the article Asian Bamboo Garden Blooms at Jacksonville Zoo in Florida Travel is owned by Devan Stuart. Permission to republish Asian Bamboo Garden Blooms at Jacksonville Zoo in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.