This review is based on my visit in April 2013.
Dallas World Aquarium is located in downtown Dallas, Texas. Its name is rather misleading however; while it is certainly in Dallas, its collection is by far dominated by Central and South American species rather than a fair representation of those from around the globe, and terrestrial exhibits outnumber aquatic exhibits by 2 to 1 rather than showcasing the watery wonderland of a typical aquarium! This results in a facility that straddles the definition of a zoo or aquarium, and its nearly-entirely indoor location and nearly-singular geographic focus make it one of the more unique zoos in North America. In many ways, it reminds the visitor of some of the larger rainforest buildings in zoos such as Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, Bronx Zoo, or Minnesota Zoo. However, its collection of species from one region of the world far exceeds any of those examples, and the concentration of species in a building occupying one city block is more intense than any of them. This facility probably has more animals per square foot than any other I have visited; by my count, there are 121 exhibits. This makes for exciting viewing with very few lulls in the action but the downside is that many of the exhibits are small. I suspect that many of them only meet the minimum AZA guidelines for the species featured, as if the designers had just finished working on Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo’s notoriously tiny exhibits in the Desert Dome or Lied Jungle. This facility is a contemporary of those, having been opened in phases from 1992-2004, and the details of the exhibits are similarly fine. Despite the small-sized exhibits, it is no slouch in the design department and features an immersive and convincing slice of the rainforest set in a modern architectural framework. The multiple adjacencies and complexities of many of the enclosures and the difficulty in ascertaining their extents is fun to observe; for example, some parts of the large volume of the main spaces are subdivided by thin wire mesh that from afar makes it look like more of the monkeys and birds share the same space than they actually do. Species combinations in some of the exhibits are rather astounding with mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish displayed together in one extreme example. The rarity of the collection is truly the star of the show, with many Central and South American species that are found in few (if any) North American collections. Hey, look up there! Red howler monkeys! And over there...an ornate hawk eagle, why doesnt it make a meal of that nearby purple honeycreeper that just whizzed past my head? (They are actually separated, I think!) Did you hear that red-handed tamarin chirp when the Antillean manatee surfaced from the pond near it? Or the crimson-rumped toucanet practically land on the pair of three-toed sloths? This fantastic assemblage is not only an asset to the zoo community as a whole but also to the region in particular; the nearby Dallas Zoo has a dearth of South American species and no dedicated exhibit complex focusing on them, so this separate facility (not operated by the Dallas Zoological Society) fills the void. By my count, the collection on display consists of 22 mammal species, about 120 bird species, about 30 reptile species, about 20 amphibian species, at least 80 fish species (probably at least 40 more but I did not note every species in the main aquarium section), and at least 24 various invertebrate species (again, I did not note every species in the main aquarium section). To find identification of all the species, the signage is uniformly consistent throughout the facility and is almost entirely in the form of small touchscreen monitors imbedded in the walls and rockwork adjacent to each exhibit. Rather than automatically cycling through the species, a main menu of the enclosure is usually viewed first, with submenus depending on the number of species in an exhibit; touching each common species name leads to a screen dedicated with the scientific name and photograph of the species, and further screens of information about the species or natural habitat can often be accessed too. Collectively, the entire text of all the screens combined would make a lengthy (and well-written) book, and demonstrates the responsible educational mission of the facility. One advantage to the use of touchscreens is the lack of competing visual clutter on the periphery of the exhibits; another is the relevancy of the identifications, which in theory can be updated quickly (and appear to be here). Another source of information about the facility is the 16-page glossy printed guidebook given to every visitor at the ticket booth; inside it has maps of each section of the facility surrounded by many small pictures of some of the inhabitants of each section. The guidebook cannot be updated as quickly as the touchscreens and is not a complete listing of all the species, but it appears to be fairly accurate. In my review, I will use the touchscreen identifications primarily, except where I note that I have used the guidebook. I will not use the current website, which may have updated species, since that will not be an accurate reflection of my visit from 8 months ago!
The aquarium is located in the West End area of downtown, which has many mid-rise brick buildings: some of which are historic warehouses repurposed to be restaurants and lofts, while others are newly-built to echo the neighborhood character. The building complex that houses the facility is composed of several connected parts. Two historic brick warehouses built in 1924 and 1929 for various industries were demolished except for their facades; rising above the facades are modern exteriors of tall opaque glass panels that enclose the large visitor building. An enclosed bridge with exhibit space connects the visitor building to a smaller off-exhibit building that houses the aquarium administration across a small downtown alley as well as off-exhibit animals, and that building is composed of a similar arrangement of an historic brick façade with a modern curved metal-and-glass addition rising above it. The visitor building has two entrances; one is on one side of the building facing a surface parking lot and is primarily for school group entry, while the other on the opposite side of the building is for most visitors and faces a small downtown street. My description of the facility will be arranged in one possible route, although a variety of touring routes are possible due to the complex layout of the interior. My route will be in this order: Exterior exhibits, then upper lobby and Café Maya, then Orinoco Rainforest, then Aquarium, then Mundo Maya. Rather than a blow-by-blow description of every exhibit, I will start with a general description of each section followed by a list of the exhibits and their occupants for each section (and some notes occasionally).
EXTERIOR EXHIBITS: (21 exhibits?)
Near the Education Entrance is a porch sheltered by the overhang of the building, and it has the facility’s only exhibit that is accessible to non-paying passersby. It is a medium-sized aquatic tank with an open top and curved glass viewing panel. It is set in an assembly of simulated rockwork with a waterfall behind it. Since the public sidewalk adjoins it, I am not sure how it is kept safe during non-operating hours…perhaps a large rolldown door descends from the building overhang? It contains:
Lake Malawi cichlids
The main visitor entrance is composed of an ascending path that is entirely sheltered by an overhang of the building. The path switchbacks through a lushly planted route that has several animal exhibits along the way before reaching a landing with the ticket booth and building entry and a view down into the outdoor courtyard with more animal exhibits described later. If a non-paying passerby walked on this path up to the ticket booth, then these exhibits would also be free. The exhibits are enclosed by an attractive combination of three materials: simulated rockwork, curved glass viewing panels, and curved walls of vertical bamboo poles spaced far enough apart to allow outside air and views into the exhibits but not so far apart to allow escape. The ticket booth is enclosed by a similar large curved glass panel, and the overall effect is tastefully modern. Unfotunately the exhibits are far too small for many of the residents. The exhibits in this section do not correspond with the main geographic focus of the facility, and are mostly Australasian, dubbed ‘Borneo’. The first exhibit encountered on the path was being constructed or reconstructed; it overhangs the street below, and may possibly be viewed from there as well assuming it is now finished. The other exhibits contain:
Raggiana bird-of-paradise, Green-naped pheasant pigeon
Pesquet’s parrot, Victoria crowned pigeon
Bali mynah, Jambu fruit dove, Luzon bleeding-heart dove
Rhinoceros hornbill
Argus pheasant, Moluccan cockatoo
Asian arowana? (the book says it is there and shows a pond, but I may have passed right by it without seeing it)
Matschie’s tree kangaroo
Palm Cockatoo, Victoria crowned pigeon
Shoebill Stork, Unsigned ( I spotted Great blue turaco, Blue-bellied roller, African green pigeon, and the book says Fischer’s turaco) (this aviary is much larger than the others and is a round shape that overhangs the outdoor courtyard described later)
Fairy penguin (this is a long thin open-air aquatic habitat with rocks emerging from the water. It is viewed from the lobby entrance and is perched on an overhang with views down to the outdoor courtyard described later.)
The outdoor courtyard is on one side of the building, located at street level, and separated from the sidewalk by a brick wall, so it can only be entered after paying admission. It is reached by going downstairs from the lobby and walking through a small section of the Aquarium, so describing it now is a bit of a break from my route. However, it is viewed from the entry path and lobby so it makes sense to do so. The exterior of the building and its multi-story lobby that views the courtyard is very modern, with curved steel panels and curved glass panels, including the fairy penguin exhibit perched on the second story. The courtyard is shaded by some large thin-canopied trees and lushly planted with small palms and bird of paradise. It has two sections: Madagascar and Cape of Good Hope. Since these have an African focus, it is fitting that the large aviary described previously with the shoebill stork and other African birds overhangs the courtyard. In fact, the Madagascar section is in a cave beneath the aviary. The Cape of Good Hope section occupies the open-air part of the courtyard.
Madagascar:
Due to cold morning temperatures on my visit, metal rolldown doors blocked access to the cave where these exhibits are located. They are not year-round exhibits anyway, so I may have been seeing them at the start of the Spring and Summer seasons when they are normally open. Temporary heat lamps were set up on tripods in front of the exhibits. It appeared that there were 9 exhibits, all small terrariums of various sizes set in the simulated rockwork cave walls. The book lists several species, including Panther chameleon, Leaf-tailed gecko, Painted mantella frog, and Radiated tortoise, but that is not a comprehensive list.
Cape of Good Hope:
Eastern yellow-bellied hornbill, Rock hyrax (in a mesh-fronted cave of simulated rockwork)
Black-footed penguin (in a pool with rocky islands, surrounded by the visitor walkway)
UPPER LOBBY AND CAFÉ MAYA: (1 Exhibit)
Back inside, the modern lobby continues past the entrance and the fairy penguin exhibit described previously to a gift shop, and a set of curved stairs leads up to the upper lobby. Several features are accessed from the upper lobby: the Orinoco Rainforest exhibit complex described later, the nice modern table service restaurant called Café Maya with its expansive curved glass windows viewing down into the Mundo Maya exhibit complex described later, and doors to a small outdoor dining terrace above the outdoor courtyard. Both the lobby and the terrace have viewing windows into a small glass-enclosed exhibit that contains:
Blue and gold macaw
ORINOCO RAINFOREST: (40 Exhibits?)
This is one of the two major exhibit complexes that are the main reason for making this a noteworthy facility, and all the exhibits contain Central and South American species. The complex occupies a bright massive room, contained by soaring modern opaque glass panels on three sides and the ceiling; the fourth side is contained by mesh and separates this complex from the similar space that adjoins it that contains the Mundo Maya exhibit complex described later. The interior is a lushly planted landscape punctuated by tall trees, rocky outcrops, a massive waterfall, and a large river (actually a lake in form). The exhibits within are contained in a wide variety of spaces and contain a wide variety of animal types and adjacencies. Some are tiny terrariums set in rock walls, while others are tall volumes contained within netting that subdivide parts of the main space. In general, most of the exhibits are well-detailed and surrounded by fairly convincing rockwork, but many are too small. The major exceptions to the size issue are the main space itself and the River; the main space contains free-flight birds that are free to visit several of the open-topped exhibits within it. In effect, these birds can fly in or land in exhibits that contain smaller spaces, which include the River with its Antillean manatee, large fish, and pinioned waterfowl; Monkey Island with its monkeys; Sloth Forest with its three-toed sloths; Lobo del Rio with its giant otters; a red-footed tortoise exhibit; a dwarf caiman exhibit; Crocodile Cove with its Orinoco crocodile and fish; Flooded Forest with more fish and turtles; and a bigtooth river stingray exhibit. The River is a roomy habitat as well, and one of two large aquatic tanks that are far more impressive than the others, including those in the Aquarium section of the facility. The visitor route meanders through Orinoco Rainforest on three levels, crossing over itself (including some upper level rustic boardwalks) as it ascends or descends along the route, depending which way a visitor is traveling. I will describe the complex along a route beginning from the upper lobby of the building as it enters the third level, called Canopy. It eventually descends down to the second level, called Understory, which is the ground level. Then stairs lead down to a smaller first level in a cave for underwater viewing of the River, and this level is called Aquatic. Some of the exhibits have names, so I will use those where appropriate.
CANOPY LEVEL:
Free flight birds that are contained in the main space:
(the book says Guira cuckoo, Pompadour cotinga, Green oropendola, Crested oropendola, Scarlet ibis, Mot-mot, Curl-crested jay, Troupial) (I also saw Crimson-rumped toucanet)
Jungle Jewels: this mid-sized aviary is set in rockwork and viewed through a large curved glass panel; it is thickly planted with many small bromeliads and is abuzz with the nervous energy of small birds.
Oasis hummingbird, Long-tailed sylph hummingbird, Golden-collared manakin, White-ruffed manakin, Lance-tailed manakin, Blue-crowned manakin, Golden-headed manakin, Speckled tanager, Silver-throated tanager, Paradise tanager, Little tinamou, Golden-browed chlorophonia, Wattled jacana
Jungle Junction: also viewed through large curved glass panels set in rockwork similar to Jungle Jewels, this larger exhibit has a ground area that is too small for the giant anteaters within, but a much larger tall aviary that allows plenty of space for the birds. The upper aviary space stretches beyond its ground borders to encompass the upper reaches of part of the main room that cannot be reached by visitors, so views of some of the birds are distant. This is a good example of how the extent of some of the exhibits is difficult to ascertain. It is an incredible exhibit for watching 6 species of toucans together!
Giant anteater, Toco toucan, Keel-billed toucan, Swainson’s toucan, Crimson-rumped toucanet, Collared aracari, Pale-mandibled aracari, Giant wood rail, Yellow-crowned night heron, Boat billed heron, Helmeted curassow
Small rockwork and mesh exhibit perched above Lobo del Rio (described later):
Pied Tamarin
Monkey Island: a small groundplane surrounded by the River exhibit, it is viewed from the Canopy level as well as from the Understory level later. It is not a large space, but a tall palm provides great vertical height that the red-handed tamarins were enjoying when I visited.
White-faced saki, Red-handed tamarin
Small rockwork and mesh exhibit:
Pygmy marmoset
Toucan Encounter: this small mesh-enclosed space within a little rustic wood pavilion is not a permanent home for birds, but young toucans are brought here when a docent or keeper is present for visitors to hand-feed through a tiny acrylic window. The monitor listed these possible species:
Toco toucan, Emerald toucanet, Crimson-rumped toucanet, Guianan toucanet, Green aracari, Curl-crested aracari, Pale-mandibled aracari
River’s Edge: this small rockwork and mesh exhibit is viewed from the Canopy level as well as the Understory level. The lower part of it is a cave-like area with an underwater viewing window of a pond for the snake and fish.
Emperor tamarin, Ariel toucan, Plate-billed mountain toucan, Emerald toucanet, Saffron toucanet, Fiery-billed aracari, Green anaconda, Discus, Cardinal tetra
Sloth Forest: beneath a rustic wood-framed pavilion whose timbers are covered with bromeliads, a small metal framework strung with ropes provides a small space for the sloths surrounded by the visitor path, who are nearly within visitors’ reach.
Three-toed sloth
Howler Heights: one corner of the main room has a small counter-service eatery called Jungle Café; the space above its low roof is netted and contains a single tall simulated tree trunk for monkeys. It is difficult to see up into the exhibit and its corner location, surrounded by the bright backlighting of the tall glass panel walls, makes viewing very poor for this rarely-kept species:
Red howler monkey
Toucan Heights: a tall mesh enclosed space against a rock wall, with several bare trees that the monkeys enjoy. A window of the Jungle Café views this exhibit.
Bearded saki, Red-breasted toucan
UNDERSTORY LEVEL:
Lobo Del Rio: a curved glass viewing panel allows both above and underwater viewing into a shallow pond with small waterfall for the otters, in a cave-like setting of rockwork. The pied tamarin exhibit described previously is perched above the exhibit to one side. Unseen by many visitors is a lower yard for the otters on the backside that is contained by glass panels and is on the edge of the large River exhibit.
Giant otter
Andean Heights: this tall netted exhibit in a far corner of the main room is difficult to view, let alone to determine its extent.
Andean cock-of-the-rock (the book says Capuchinbird too)
Mid-sized terrarium set in rockwork:
Caiman Lizard
Small yard:
Red-footed Tortoise
Small rockwork and mesh exhibit: this one is set right up against the glass wall so that backlighting and an overly-architectural form compose the background.
Golden lion tamarin, Plate-billed mountain toucan, White winged trumpeter
7 terrariums of various sizes, set in rockwork:
Yellow-banded poison dart frog, Waxy monkey tree frog (might be separate?)
Brown basalisk, Emerald tree boa
Double yellow-headed Amazon parrot
Ornate horned frog
Amazon milky frog
Curly hair tarantula
Goliath bird-eating spider
Dark cave viewed through a glass panel:
Vampire Bat
Tiny open-top exhibit contained in a round glass cylinder: much too small for this species!
Dwarf caiman
Crocodile Cove: this is a well-detailed naturalistic open-topped exhibit, with above and underwater viewing through a long tall curved glass panel. Unfortunately, the water level is too low. However, it is also viewed from an upper bridge, which gives a good view of the sandy cave where the massive inhabitant can haul out.
Orinoco crocodile, Pacu (the book says unspecified Piranha too)
Flooded Forest: this is a smaller waterway separated from Crocodile Cove by a glass panel so that it appears the two are one. Visitors can lean over a low rock containment wall to get close to the inhabitants.
Silver arowana, Red devil cichlid, Yellow-spotted Amazon river turtle
Small terrarium set in rockwork:
Ornate horned frog
2 small aquariums set in rockwork:
Caecilian
Electric eel
2 mid-sized terrariums set in rockwork:
Hawk-headed parrot
Prong-billed barbet
Small rockwork and mesh aviary:
Blue-billed curassow (I also saw Many-banded aracari)
Small curved glass open-topped aquarium:
Bigtooth river stingray
The Waterfall: the surface viewing area of the River is called the Waterfall since it is near the splashing of the tall water feature that plummets from above. A railing in this cave-like viewing area affords views of the many waterfowl in the River, who have a thin land area along its edges as well as a shallow cave for feeding, and can also inhabit Monkey Island in the center. I am not sure how many of the species listed here are pinioned, so in theory some may be free flight in the main space as well.
Scarlet ibis (definitely free flight), Roseate spoonbill, Black-necked swan, Orinoco goose, White-faced whistling duck, Sharp-winged teal, Ringed teal, White-cheeked pintail, Rosy-billed pochard, Southern pochard
2 mid-sized terrariums set in rockwork:
Lettered aracari, Burrowing owl
Peruvian night-owl monkey, Cotton-top tamarin, Hoffman’s two-toed sloth
Cave-like rockwork and mesh enclosure: this is a nearly two-story shallow space that can be viewed from the Understory level, or from below at the Aquatic level since it is open to the starirway that leads down.
Hoffman’s two-toed sloth, Red-billed curassow
AQUATIC LEVEL:
2 small terrariums set in rockwork:
Unidentified (the book says Pipa-pipa)
Regina poison dart frog, Green and black poison dart frog, Azureus poison dart frog, Dyeing poison dart frog
The River: the underwater viewing area of the large aquatic exhibit in Orinoco Rainforest is an impressive long curved viewing window set in a dark cave-like room for visitors. The roomy water habitat is contained within rocky walls including those of Monkey Island. It is detailed with scattered rocks and sandy bottoms on several levels, and punctuated by some simulated flooded forest tree trunks and deadfalls. It is one of the highlights of the facility and its large and numerous fish specimens are impressive; but the showstopper is the only Antillean manatee in the United States, who is a joy to watch swimming around the island.
Antillean manatee, Arrau side-necked turtle, Arapaima, Pacu, Red-tailed catfish, Fork-snouted catfish, Shovel-nosed catfish, Black-banded leporinus, Polka-dot stingray
A doorway leads from the underwater viewing area of the River into the Aquarium described next.
AQUARIUM: (19 Exhibits)
The section that sounds as if it should be the main attraction is in fact a rather minor footnote to the facility, although there are some more impressive aquarium tanks in the two larger exhibit complexes of Orinoco Rainforest and Mundo Maya. The Aquarium section is contained in a large room at street level in a corner of the building with windows looking out to the street behind an historic brick façade. In one corner is a small café called Eighteen-O-One Restaurant, named after the street address; another corner has a small bookstore. The exhibit room has a series of nearly identical medium-sized wall tanks set within stucco walls that have large recessed stucco text announcing the geographic region of each exhibit above them. Some have a smaller tank to feature a few specific species from the same geographic area next to them. It is a rather plain presentation, devoid of unique features, except for the last two exhibits that are a bit larger and have multiple viewing windows and are set in slate-covered walls. The interior detailing of the exhibits is spotty, with about half having adequate detailing while the other half are disappointingly minimal. Each exhibit has a standard touchscreen to the side; I ran out of time to note all the species however, so I will just list the tanks by geographic theme followed by notes of a few species I observed or were mentioned in the book:
Fiji (the book mentions Spinefoot foxface, Clownfish, Staghorn coral, Brain coral)
New Guinea (the book mentions Butterflyfish, Clownfish, Shrimpfish)
New Guinea small tank: Ribbon seadragon, Longnose butterflyfish
British Columbia (the book mentions Giant Pacific octopus (doubtful, I didn’t see it), and unidentified sea anemones, sea stars, sea cucumbers, and urchins)
British Columbia small tank: Sailfin sculpin
Sri Lanka: Button polyps (the book mentions Scorpionfish)
Solomon Islands (the book mentions Clams, Soft leather corals)
Solomon Islands small tank
Lord Howe Island (the book mentions Spectacled angelfish, Bumphead wrasse)
Southern Australia (the book mentions Weedy seadragon, Leafy seadragon)
Southern Australia small tank
Palau: Flashlightfish (in a dark unlit tank to showcase their bioluminescence)
Palau small tank: Moon jelly
Indonesia (the book mentions Banggai cardinalfish, Mandarin dragonet, stony corals like Acropora, Cynarina, Montipora)
Indonesia small tank
Japan: Splendid garden eel
Continental Shelf (this larger exhibit is filled with tropical fish and has a short walk-through tunnel and two bubble windows looking into it)
Denizens of the Deep: Japanese spider crab, Longspine snipefish, Yellowhead hulafish (this larger exhibit is the only one with any kind of impressively-sized inhabitants in the Aquarium section!)
A nearby large multi-purpose room near the Education Entrance is set up as a casual theater that plays looping nature videos on a small screen and has several rows of seats that can be moved, and there is one medium-sized wall tank nearby that contains:
Unsigned fish (I saw some kind of archerfish)
MUNDO MAYA: (40 Exhibits?)
This is the second of the two major exhibit complexes that compose the majority of the facility; this one is the newest part, opened in 2004, and is not quite as fine as Orinoco Rainforest but is still a delight. It occupies a similar size and style of space as the adjoining complex described previously, with a similar approach to exhibitry. Its focus is animals of Central America. It features a much larger underground section than Orinoco Rainforest, a large aquatic exhibit called Cenote in the center of the large main space, and a massive free flight volume in a simulated rainforest. Just as in the other major complex, the free flight birds here can visit several of the open-topped exhibits within it. In effect, these birds can fly in or land in exhibits that contain smaller spaces, which include an exhibit for Morelet’s crocodiles and turtles; an exhibit for tortoises; Caribbean Creatures, an aquarium with tropical fish; Cenote, the large habitat for sharks; a Caribbean flamingo yard; and a yard for Jabiru stork. The visitor path is arranged in a circuitous route on an upper level open to the rainforest and tall light-filled ceiling, leading down to a lower level that is mostly a dim passageway lined with simulated buff-colored rockwork and rough stone masonry walls and floors. A short passageway leads from the Aquarium to the beginning of the lower level, so my description will follow the route from the lower to the upper level.
LOWER LEVEL:
5 small terrariums set in stone masonry walls:
Panamanian golden frog
Bark scorpion
Helmeted basilisk, Hour glass tree frog (I saw Mexican leaf frog)
Helmeted basilisk
Unsigned
River Delta: this floor-to-ceiling small cylindrical tank is filled with water halfway, with a small rocky outcrop sticking above the water surface on one side. This exhibit and the adjacent one described next were the former home of the yapok, but this one now contains:
Red-eared slider, Jack Dempsey cichlid, Jaguar cichlid (book says Mexican leaf frog too)
Small terrarium set in stone masonry wall: this was formerly the den of the yapok.
Unsigned (turtle species)
Los Petenes: the visitor path surrounds this dark small room-sized exhibit, contained with curving glass on one side and harp wire on the other.
Desert cottontail, Montezuma quail, Burrowing owl
Mid-sized open-topped aquarium set in rockwork:
Blind cavefish
Tiny round aquarium set above blind cavefish:
Unsigned (shrimp species)
Small cave-like aviary set in rockwork with harp wire front: this one is perched above and behind the blind cavefish aquarium.
Eastern screech owl
Small aquarium set in dark cave:
Spotted moray eel, Ocellated moray eel, Longspine squirrelfish
Thin open-topped aquarium: this unique exhibit caps a low curved masonry wall with a thin long habitat that is about 1 foot deep and contained with a low glass panel along its front. Behind it rises a large rock wall that has a thin trickle of water seeping down its surface from the upper level above, and a thin opening in the ceiling revealing a sliver of the rainforest and light.
Axolotl
Cenote: this large simulation of a Yucatan peninsula sinkhole is the other of the two impressive aquarium exhibits in the facility, and is the home of its sharks. While a true cenote is usually freshwater (with possible saline mixing further in the depths for those that are connected to the coast), they have taken liberties with the species contained within. Its shape is a large deep round tank with fairly smooth and nearly vertical walls; there is little detail inside but the depths are rather dim so that the extent of the tank is not immediately apparent. It does not rank highly with other shark exhibits of its size, but its saving grace is the fantastic view upwards when visitors walk through the single long underwater tunnel that is its only underwater viewing oppurtunity. From the tunnel, looking up reveals the towering rainforest and light streaming in from the tall glass ceiling of the upper level. Most large shark exhibits with underwater tunnels are located in dimly-lit buildings so that the dark industrial interiors that contain them cannot be seen, while this one effectively embraces its larger setting. The exhibit is also viewed later above its surface from the upper level walkway and it is a thrill to see sharks swimming in a rainforest clearing with birds streaking past them.
Blacknose shark, Brown shark, Bonnethead shark, Goliath grouper, Freshwater sawfish, Southern stingray, Spotted eagle ray
Floor-to-ceiling cylindrical aquarium:
Clarion angelfish, Flame cardinalfish, Longspine urchin
Small terrarium set in stone masonry wall:
Marine toad
Conch: this is a mid-sized open-topped aquarium, set in a cave with an opening on one side to the upper level. Its species list sounds more interesting than it actually is, perhaps there are only a few of each species.
Grey angelfish, Blue angelfish, Jewel damsel, Sargeant major damsel, Reef butterflyfish, Halichoeres bivittatus, Royal gramma, Neon yellow head wrasse, Beau Gregory damsel, Bluehead wrasse, Blue tang, Clown wrasse, Spanish hogfish, Cherub angelfish, Harlequin bass, Pencil urchin
3 small aquariums set in stone masonry wall:
Lined seahorse, Tropical flounder, Banded coral shrimp
Dwarf seahorse
Pencil urchin, Rock urchin, Pincushion urchin
4 mid-sized terrariums set in stone masonry wall:
Conehead lizard, Blue spiny lizard
Fer-de-lance
Eyelash viper
Beaded lizard, Middle-American rattlesnake (the two are actually separated by a fairly well-disguised glass panel)
Aviary: this thin long cave-like exhibit is mostly contained with rockwork and stone masonry walls, as well as harp wire and a curved glass window.
Barred owl
House of Zotz: a bat cave, it was under renovation when I visited but appeared to be a long thin cave viewed from a large window set in a stone masonry wall.
Short-tailed leaf-nosed bat
Small terrarium set in stone masonry wall:
Red-eyed tree frog
Small open-topped aquatic yard:
Morelet’s crocodile, Mexican musk turtle
Small pond:
Unsigned fish (gar?)
Small yard: this exhibit is basically a pit next to the stone walkway that is a step down from it. It is rather shocking that a child could slip under the single rail and play with the tortoises inside…talk about trusting your visitors!
Unsigned tortoise
Mid-sized terrarium set in rockwork:
Boa constrictor
UPPER LEVEL:
Free Flight: as the path ascends into the large light-filled rainforest of the upper level, many of the free flight birds can be seen.
(The book says Wattled jacana, Purple-throated fruitcrow, Burnished-buff tanager, Blue dacnis, Bay-headed tanager, Silver-throated tanager, Green-throated Carib hummingbird, Broad-billed hummingbird, Black-chinned hummingbird, Costas hummingbird, Violet-crowned hummingbird, Green mango hummingbird, Emerald hummingbird, Tawny-capped euphonia, Chestnut-bellied euphonia, Purple honeycreeper, Red-legged honeycreeper) (I am not sure of containment, because it looked like there were several areas that were netted off from the main space, but the book also says there are Tropical woodpecker, Scarlet macaw, Ornate hawk eagle (I saw this one), Guiana crested eagle, Black hawk eagle)
Caribbean Creatures: this large round open-topped aquarium is on the edge of the Cenote exhibit at a higher elevation and is rather shallow and full of activity.
Hawksbill sea turtle, French angelfish, Lookdown, Blue chromis, Blue parrotfish, Blue tang, Queen angelfish, Porkfish, French grunt, Rooster hogfish, Hallichoeres bivittatus, Cuban hogfish, Spadefish, Princess parrotfish, Spanish hogfish
Birds of El Triunfo: a small temple-like edifice occupies one side of the exhibit complex’s room and there are several windows that look into this large exhibit’s space. The exhibit actually occupies the enclosed bridge that connects the main building to the administration building across the alley, but none of that is apparent here. The exhibit was completed a few years ago as an addition to Mundo Maya. Inside is a light-filled tall space with several large trees and a combination of lush planting and cleared groundplane. It contains:
Harpy eagle
Temple of the Jaguar: inside the temple mentioned above is also this glass-enclosed square room furnished with a large simulated tree trunk and deadfalls and bromeliads. The visitor path surrounds it on three sides, while the fourth looks out into the rainforest. It affords good close views of the jaguar when it is inside, but it can also choose to go to an off-exhibit upper level; if it is there, a monitor on the wall displays what a camera is capturing of its ‘rooftop patio’. This is a poor exhibit that does not belong here.
Jaguar
Selva Maya: a mid-sized aviary that is more architecture than exhibit, it is located against the glass-paneled wall of the room and appears to have the emergency exit walkway of the Café Maya restaurant run right through it!
Red-rumped agouti, Spectacled owl, Ocellated turkey
Small yard on the edge of the Cenote: this picturesque setting of shallow pools offers a view of the colorful inhabitants with the sharks of the Cenote swimming just beyond.
Caribbean Flamingo
Small yard on the edge of the Cenote:
Jabiru stork
CONCLUSION:
Dallas World Aquarium is certainly worth visiting for fans of Central and South American species, and it is an attractive facility despite the small size of many of its exhibits. I think it would be great if the adjoining surface parking lot could be made into an expansion – perhaps outdoors – for larger animals such as the jaguar and giant anteater already in residence as well as species that the nearby Dallas Zoo lacks: tapir, capybara, mara, rhea, guanaco, maned wolf, and Andean bear. Since it is the Dallas World Aquarium, why not dream big? Knowing them, they could probably get brocket deer and pampas deer and Amazon river dolphin! Although the aquarium elements of the facility are mostly unimpressive, those who live in Dallas/Fort Worth have other options: both the Grapevine SEALIFE Aquarium and the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park are in the same metro area and offer different experiences, so that collectively the area has a strong aquatic collection. I rank the aquarium parts of the facility at number 33 of the 48 aquarium facilities I have visited; I rank the zoo parts of the facility at number 39 of the 60 zoo facilities I have visited. In my list of top 15 bird exhibits, the free flight area of the main room of Orinoco Rainforest is number 10. In my list of top 15 aquatic mammal exhibits, the Antillean manatee habitat called the River in Orinoco Rainforest is number 15. At $20.95 general adult admission, it is only overpriced by about $1. I have posted pictures in the gallery.