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For children

Jungle Experience guide

Learn about the things that you will see when you visit Jungle Experience.

This flower is known as a Moth Orchid because of the shape of its petals. It is growing on an old tree stump. Orchids use the tree to cling onto so that they are higher up than many other plants in the jungle, which grow on the floor. In this way they can get more space and light.

There are also streamer like things that you can see hanging from the tree stumps. These are called air plants. They can get all the moisture and nutrients they need just from the air around them.

The pergola has many different types of tropical climbing plants growing around it. In the jungle there would be big, thick vines and creepers hanging down that animals use to get around the treetops whilst foraging and eating.

We have created a mock water hole with a visiting 'African Antelope' drinking (he is made from plants.) The pool is surrounded with brightly coloured plants. Some are Bromelliads (they have a little water in the top). They live on a gungy soup of dead plant and animal bits, broken down, then absorbed into the Bromeliads.

Near the pond you will see a tree called a cycad. These trees have been around for millions of years. In fact they are so old that they used to be growing on earth at the same time that the dinosaurs used to roam around it, 100 million years ago.

At the Terrapin pool you may see Red Eared Terrapin. They have very sharp teeth so please don't try to touch them! You can usually see them basking, unless you've been too noisy. Then all you will hear is the plop of them jumping back in the water.

In the terrapin pool you will also see large goldfish. Both the terrapins and the fish are given special food so please don't try to give them your crisps or butties!

You will find figs, ginger, pineapples and bananas growing in Butterfly World. The bananas only ripen here in the summer months but sometimes our mouse pinches them before they do ripen.

The brightly coloured butterflies feed on the red and yellow flowers and coloured sponges containing a sugar solution. Their caterpillars eat the leaves of the climbing Passion Flowers and Banana.

Insectivorous plants, like this one, catch and eat insects in various ways. They get all the protein they need from the caught flies. They have common names like "Venus Fly Trap" and "Pitcher Plant".

Small birds called Quail roam around Butterfly World. They seldom fly. They eat spiders which would eat our butterflies.

This spectacular plant is called the "Bird of Paradise", because the large orange flowers look like birds.

Tropical Water Lilies live in warm water. Ponds in the jungle would be warm due to the sun and climate. However, we heat ours up so that it is as warm as a bath you might have.

Our lilies need 15 hours of sunlight a day, which they wouldn't get in rainy old Halifax, so we have to trick the flowers by hanging this special lamp over them, which gives out rays like those of the sun.

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