We made a visit to this exhibit on a very hot day in early June. A quick note: The exhibit isn't completely finished. The construction is still going on and not all the animals are in their new homes (no zebras yet). If you visit the area, you'll see what a huge undertaking this was and can understand how it is still a work in progress. That being said, most of the exhibit is done and it is amazing!
You can walk, ride the train, tram or air-tram through the exhibit and see the habitats of all the animals. It is HUGE. When we first arrived at the elephant area, we asked a zookeeper where the elephants were and she said, "Down by the lagoon." So we walked and we walked and we walked. The elephants have a lot of space to roam but you can still experience them close-up. We were lucky to see a mama and her baby keeping cool in a mud puddle!
What other animals are at "African Grasslands?" On our visit, the giraffes were out mingling among the trees and the lions were sleeping (smart cats!). Several other animals are due to be added to the area soon.
At the end of the exhibit, near the lions, is a very engaging spot where kids can pretend to drive a jeep or fly a helicopter. This isn't your average pretend driving of a jeep (it is Henry Doorly, of course). The engines roar to life on the machines making the eyes of the kids light up!
It is not a one-hour type of visit. You can spend a lot of time and will spend a lot of time walking so be prepared. Bring strollers, wagons and carriers if you have little ones. Overall, we had a great morning and I'm so looking forward to going back and seeing the progress made as the summer goes on.
