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Scales and Tales

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Bird's Eye View from Reptile Gardens, Volume 2

I hope everyone survived the winter - and I hope winter is done for all of us in general. We are now in our spring season here at Reptile Gardens and we opened our doors on March 4th! If you are interested in seeing our new additions to the lower ring of our Dome and check out the spring bird and snake programs, along with all the other exhibits and the tropical flowers, now is the time to come. SkyDome


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Birds Eye View from Reptile Gardens

Categories: General, Snakes, Reptiles

Hello all animal and plant lovers/nerds!


All of the staff and animals here at Reptile Gardens are just now settling down for, what appears to be, a chilly winter season. Everything is starting to shift gears from our busy fall schedule to an all ready chock full winter list of chores and updates!



boa Soaking up some sun in the dome.


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Bird Brains: Training Birds and Birds of Prey

Categories: General

Have you ever had someone call you a bird brain? Usually that means that they are saying you're not too smart. Yet, sometimes we use an owl as a symbol for being wise. Mixed signals, right? I think this is a pretty good example of exactly how little we know about what birds are thinking.


Unfortunately, birds can't tell us what they are thinking, so we can't be 100% certain about how they feel and what they want. However, that does make working with animals more fun. Gotta love a challenge! Instead of listening to them tell us what they think, we have to learn to pick up on their subtle hints.




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Do They Mate For Life?

When our parrots and owls are on their walks through the park, curious Guests often ask "Do they mate for life?" I always say "Well... sort of." There is rarely enough time to delve into the sordid details of avian love, but with Valentine's Day approaching, I thought I'd give it a try!

Pigeon

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The REAL "Story of an Eagle"

Categories: General
This bizarre story has resurfaced on Facebook recently but it has been around for at least 8 years. In keeping with our policy of debunking totally incorrect animal photos and stories we offer you the truth about eagles. The original text of this recurring post is in quotes. Our factual responsesto each partare below them in bold.


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Reptile Gardens Opening Day

With the arrival of spring, Reptile Gardens is once again preparing to open their doors for the new season. Opening day will be Saturday, March 14, 2014 at 9AM. It will be their 78th year welcoming visitors from all over the world.

Impala Lily


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Reptile Gardens in the Winter

Categories: General
The days are getting shorter and the weather is getting cooler. Fall is definitely in the air at Reptile Gardens. We will be closing for the year 2014 on November 30, so stop by to see us again soon before we close our doors for the winter. Which raises the question: What does happen at Reptile Gardens in the winter?


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Flower photography tips

Categories: General
When photographing flowers, it is easy to be distracted by their overall general natural beauty and hard to overcome the urge to just start snapping frame after frame without much rhyme or reason. While some shots can produce lovely results, try the following tips to hone in on each flowers unique characteristics, and produce some images that pay tribute to a flowers stunning individuality.


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A Black Hills fall vacation may be just what you need

Categories: General
As the sun slowly sets on summer, it is easy to think of the long, cold winter ahead. However, there is still plenty of time to take in the lovely season that is autumn for a quick Black Hills fall vacation.


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Reptile Gardens is Open in 2014

Categories: General
With the arrival of spring, Reptile Gardens is once again preparing to open their doors for the new season. Opening day will be Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 9AM. It will be their 77th year welcoming visitors from all over the world. New at Reptile Gardens for 2014 is their latest claim to fame. Reptile Gardens has been officially designated the World's Largest Reptile Collection by the Guinness Book of World Records. In addition to the amazing reptile and amphibian collection, their botanical gardens continue to get more beautiful each year.


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Searching for a unique holiday gift? Search no farther than Reptile Gardens!

Categories: General
As the holidays approach, many people begin the quest for gifts that are memorable and out of the ordinary. Add to the season the busy shopping malls and outrageous prices, things can quickly become stressful. Do not despair ... unique holiday gifts for everyone on your list can be found at Reptile Gardens!

The summer season has come to an end; however, Reptile Gardens is open through the month of November from 9 am — 3 pm daily. And as an added bonus, all items in the gift shop are 20% off! Escape the cold bite of the chilly air and visit the Sky Dome where it is always warm and tropical. Not interested in seeing our reptile friends and botanical gardens? No problem, visit the gift shop for free!


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Conservation is For the Birds — No, Really

Categories: General
Ever year, Reptile Gardens, located in Rapid City, South Dakota welcomes thousands of visitors. Some of the highlights of this unique attraction include the alligator, snake and bird shows. These shows are meant to educate, entertain, and inspire. One show in particular also helps to support biodiversity. By definition, biodiversity is the variety of life on earth including all plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms.


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The Rich History of New Guinea Tribal Artifacts

Categories: General
The tradition of tribal arts and crafts is well-rooted in New Guinea, stemming back thousands of years to well before European explorers first sighted the island in the 1500's. Many people wrongfully assume that it is located in Africa — which is forgivable since there is a nation in Africa called Guinea. New Guinea is, in fact, the second largest island in the world and is located northeast of Australia.


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Orchids — Nature's Eye Candy

Categories: General
When you think of orchids in nature, what conjures in your mind - lush rainforests, exotic locations, and wedding boutonnieres? There are over 20,000 different kinds of orchids, not including countless thousands of hybrid varieties. Orchids live in on every continent of the world except Antarctica. This diverse and surprisingly hardy flowering plant comes in many shapes and sizes. We even have native orchids here in South Dakota. The flower of each variety has a unique and delicate character that is fascinating to the eye. Read on to discover just a few of the most common types of orchids.


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Gator Watch in Akron, Ohio!

Categories: General
If you happen to be at the All-American Soapbox Derby in Akron, Ohio the weekend of July 20 and 21, 2013, you may recognize something very familiar.

Ally Claar, age 11, will be competing with the best of the best soapbox racers in her Reptile Gardens inspired entry, the Ally-Gator. Ally qualified to go to the All-American with her race time in the Pikes Peak Soap Box Derby in June.


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Enjoy an Exotic Jungle Adventure on Mother's Day at Reptile Gardens

Categories: General
Mother's Day is nearly upon us once again, and many children and parents are considering what to do to honor this special lady in their lives. On May 12, Mother's Day, we will be giving all moms free admission with the donation of two cans of food for the KOTA Care and Share Food Drive.


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Family attractions in the Black Hills of South Dakota

Categories: General
The Black Hills is a mountain range located in the south-western portion of South Dakota. It is the home of Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial, which is the largest mountain carving in progress in the world. Visitors to the area will see the fossil beds at Badlands National Park or get a close look at a bald eagle at Reptile Gardens. Custer State Park offers a glimpse into how the pioneers saw the west. Rapid City offers a walking tour of presidents, a wide range of hotels and restaurants, and the largest indoor water park in South Dakota. There is even one of the most diverse reptile zoos in the country.


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Start planning your Black Hills vacation

Categories: General
As the sunshine warms the ground, the days get longer, and the trees begin to bud, it is undeniable that summer is just around the corner. Many are inspired by the warm weather and begin planning ahead for their summer Black Hills vacation.

A time of relaxation and excitement, summer vacations are the one time of year when people of all ages are allowed to enjoy an endless array of activities and escape the worries that come with their everyday routine. With age out of the question, let Reptile Gardens in Rapid City, SD be one of your destinations for this summers Black Hills vacation.


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Reptile Gardens announces final week of the season specials

Categories: General
As the tourism season draws to a close in the Black Hills, Reptile Gardens has announced special admission the week of November 26 through December 2, 2012.


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