African Savannah Concept
Purpose: To immerse guests in the habitat, world, and cultural importance of the butterfly through recreations of the environments in which they live.
Background: The conservation of species is best accomplished through habitat preservation. To be successful people must understand the relationship between habitat and the individual organism and the species. For international conservation people should also be familiar with the habitats and geography of the world in order to present compelling conservation arguments.
Immersion types of exhibits that are now commonly found in zoos and aquariums are excellent ways for guests to gain an appreciation and understanding of the habitats and countries in which other animals live. Butterfly conservatories by their very nature are immersion exhibits. However, most conservatories present a stylized, imaginary habitat. Recreations of actual habitats will add an additional educational element and opportunity to the exhibit.
Description: Conservatory:
The conservatory is divided into four habitat and geographical zones: Central American rainforest, Southeast Asian rainforest, African savannah, and Southwestern U.S. desert. Guests follow a one-way path through the conservatory leading them through the various regions and habitats. The path will have a number of pull-out areas throughout the conservatory to allow guests to move off the main path. The pull-out areas will have interactive graphics explaining the animals, habitats, and peoples from the region, ecology, behavior, plant/animal interactions, and conservation. The conservatory will be kept at a fairly constant temperature of around 80°F and 75% relative humidity. Guests will have a printed field guide to identify the butterfly species. Guests will also be able to tour the exhibit with a hand held audio system or PDA/handheld computer to gain additional information about the animals, plants, countries, facility, and the institution. Additionally, there will be at least two staff members at all times within the conservatory to assist guests, observe the exhibit, and answer questions. 2500 to 3000 butterflies of approximately 70 species will be in flight at any one time.
Habitat:
From the rainforests guests enter the African Savannah. The temperature cools and the humidity drops from the rain forest. Hidden air ducts in this area will blow drier air on to the visitor path to give the impression of the drier climate found in these regions. African grasslands are places where people expect to see large mammals, like elephants and giraffes, but it is the butterflies and other insects that keep it running. Plantings will represent grasslands along with large numbers of flowers for nectar sources for butterflies and to create butterfly activity. This area will become a highlight for guests because of the high activity of nectar feeding butterflies. A large artificial, crawl-thru termite mound will be positioned along the path. Guests will be able to touch and explore this common feature of African grasslands. Graphics will illustrate life inside the termite mound and illustrate the importance of termites and ants in ecosystems.
Grasslands are mostly known for the numbers of large mammals living there, the relationship between insects and mammals will be demonstrated with the dung beetle and the tsetse fly. A small exhibit of native dung beetles will highlight their function as recyclers. The interrelationship between vertebrate and invertebrates can also be emphasized by the fact that many of the largest dung beetles are dependent on elephant dung, a declining resource in many areas. Endangered elephant populations means endangered elephant dung beetle populations. The importance of dung beetles to human culture, such as Khepri the sacred dung beetle to the ancient Egyptians, is also discussed.
The Tsetse fly will be illustrated with a graphic panel explaining how this species is responsible for setting aside more land in Africa for parks and reserves than any conservation organization. By transmitting disease to humans and domestic livestock to which wild animals are immune they effectively keep humans and their cattle from occupying areas thus helping save habitats, populations, and species.
A large African buffalo skull lying within the grasslands will illustrate how certain species of moths help to recycle the remains of horned mammals as well as demonstrate how some butterflies feed on animal carcasses for additional nutrition.
From the African savannah guests continue on to the Southwest U.S. desert.
Animal Species: Various species of Butterflies
Leaf-cutter ants
Tarantulas
Stick Insect
Beetles
Scorpions
Millipedes
Hummingbirds
Sunbirds
Honey Creepers
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