Reptile Gardens
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Reptile Gardens is an
animal park ''Animal Park'' is a BBC television documentary series about the lives of keepers and animals at Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire, England. The show is presented by Kate Humble, Ben Fogle and Megan McCubbin, with appearances by members of Longle ...
located in south of
Rapid City, South Dakota Rapid City ( lkt, link=no, Mni Lúzahaŋ Otȟúŋwahe; "Swift Water City") is the second most populous city in South Dakota and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed, it is in western So ...
, on the road to
Mount Rushmore Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a national memorial centered on a colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore (Lakota: ''Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe'', or Six Grandfathers) in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakota ...
National Memorial. The park is open from the first Saturday of March through November 30 each year. Reptile Gardens was cited in the 2014 Guinness Book of World Records for being the world's largest
reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates (lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalians ( ...
zoo. It was re-certified in the
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
edition.


History

This South Dakota attraction was founded by 21-year-old reptile enthusiast Earl Brock and officially opened on June 3, 1937. Allegedly intrigued by the fear and interest people expressed when faced with a snake, Brock set up a small display of snakes and began charging admission. After some initial success, Reptile Gardens went through difficult times in the 1940s while Brock was serving with the Army in Europe. Regaining momentum after World War II, the 1950s saw an increase in visitation to the
Black Hills The Black Hills ( lkt, Ȟe Sápa; chy, Moʼȯhta-voʼhonáaeva; hid, awaxaawi shiibisha) is an isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, United States. Black Elk P ...
. Due to the widening and relocation of Highway 16, a new location and major expansions, including the Sky Dome, were completed in 1965. Although Earl died in 1993, Reptile Gardens remains a family-owned-and-operated business that houses more species of reptiles than any other zoo or park in the world.


Sky Dome

The Sky Dome is an indoor jungle that opened in 1965 as a new addition to Reptile Gardens. In 1976 the Sky Dome was rebuilt after a fire that destroyed everything except the Ponderosa Pine skeleton, which stands as the centerpiece of the Safari Room on the main level. The new Sky Dome was opened in 1977.


Exhibits

Reptile Gardens provides a number of exhibits, including but not limited to: *Prairie Dog Town *Snake Program *Bird Program *Alligator/Crocodile Show *Bald Eagle Exhibit *Sky Dome *Safari Room *Komodo Dragon *Tortuga Falls Meditative Garden *Living Wall *Giant Tortoise Yard


Conservation/Conservation Green Committee

Reptile Gardens donates to various environmental conservation organizations, including the Charles Darwin Center in the Galapagos Islands. Money donated to these organizations helps to protect natural wildlife.


Educational

During the summer, Reptile Gardens offers educational and interactive animal shows, such as a bird program, an alligator/crocodile show, and a snake program. During performances, the animal keepers discuss safety techniques, facts, and conservation efforts to aid in species survival.


Awards

Reptile Gardens has received a number of local, state, regional, and national awards in recent decades. Some of these awards include: *USA Today Readers Choice Award, Best Attraction in South Dakota - 2017 *Heritage Award, Prairie Family Business Assn. - 2017 *SBA Family-Owned Business of the Year for South Dakota - 2010 *Prairie Family Business Assn. Family Business of the Year – 2009 *Tom Didier Excellence in Family Business Award – 2008 *''USA Today'' Top 10 Roadside Attractions In The Country – 2001 *South Dakota Governors Service Award for Outstanding Commitment to Hospitality and Education in the Visitor Industry – 2003-2011 *Midwest Travel Writers Association Gemmy Award – 1995 *George S. Mickelson Award for Great Service to South Dakota Visitors - 1994 *AAA GEM Designation Attraction Founder Earl Brock received the Ben Black Elk Award for lifetime achievement in promoting South Dakota tourism in 1982. His son, John Brock, Public Relations Director, received the same award in 2015.


See also

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References

{{authority control Buildings and structures in Rapid City, South Dakota Zoos in South Dakota Tourist attractions in Rapid City, South Dakota 1937 establishments in South Dakota Zoos established in 1937