Have you ever wanted to go to the desert and see the animals that live in that habitat but you do not really want to go to the desert because it is so darn hot? say no more! the Henry Doorly Zoo desert dome has you covered. This dome is the world’s largest indoor desert. The Desert dome was opened in April of 2002, and there are animals from three different deserts: the Red Center of Australia, the Namib Desert of southern Africa and the Sonoran Desert of the southwest United States. Here are 5 cool animals you can find in this dome and some fun facts about them.
- Ocelots: you will find these cute, not-so-little, kitties sleeping all the time in their pens. They come from the Sonoran Desert of the southwest United States and they are twice as big as house cats. According to National Geographic, unlike house cats, they actually like going into the water. Fun fact: when they are in captivity in a zoo, ocelots can live about 20 years. In the wild, they live around 10 years.
- Bat-eared fox: the bat-eared fox originally come from Africa and they are super cute. After looking information about these cute little things I found out that they are losing their living space to humans, so the fact that the Henry Doorly Zoo is giving them a safe place to live is amazing. Fun fact: the bat-eared fox got its name because of its big ears.Donate to save the bat-eared fox’s living space here.
- Meerkats: Meerkats live together in groups and each of them has a different job. According to National Geographic, some of them serve as lookouts and some of them look for food. Ever since I was a kid and watched Zoboomafoo and learned about them I have been obsessed. Fun fact: Did you know that meerkats can see eagles in flight more than a thousand feet away?
- Swift Fox: the swift fox is found around North America. The eat prairie dogs, rabbits, mice, birds and squirrels, and berries and seeds. They also tend to be the size of house cats. Fun fact: their name is “swift fox” because of how fast they move; they tend to be running around their pens.
- Inland taipan: when I heard that the world’s most venomous land snake is in the desert dome I had to go and see it. The inland taipan comes from Australia, and according to BBC Nature, it usually eats small rodents, birds and mammals. Fun fact: the inland taipan’s venom is so powerful that it is life-threatening, and if one bites you, you need to immediately go to the doctor.
I hope you liked reading about these interesting animals that reside at the desert dome. The Zoo has made an amazing job at making a little home for each of these animals. After doing some research on them, it is clear that they are doing everything they can to keep them safe and healthy. It is clear that they care for these animals because they have decided to give them a place to live since some of their homes have been taken away.
Open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Building exhibits stay open until 5 p.m. Now through March 14. Closed Christmas Day.
Thank you for reading!
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Virginia Rodriguez 
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