Summer Special Exhibit: Dino Don’s Dragon Kingdom

May 28-Sept. 30, 2022

Sponsored by

Transport yourself to a land of mythical creatures with a history that goes back centuries. Dino Don’s Dragon Kingdom, sponsored by Sendik’s Food Market, is an outdoor adventure inside the Zoo filled with more than 15 animatronic creatures found in cultures throughout the world. These dragons range in size from 10 to 40 feet! Walk through the wooded paths and marvel at their features that can be compared to animals right inside the Zoo.

Tickets are $3 a person. Zoo Pass members can use their electronic coupons for entry.

Here are a few of the dragons that will be on display:

• Bornean dragon: Linked to the Borneo earless monitor lizard, a myth about dragons stealing and consuming Bornean villagers evolved. The display at the Zoo will feature the dragon and a nest with babies that look like a Borneo earless monitor lizard.
• Bunyip: The myth of the darkly colored creature with a booming roar that lives in deep pools or streams originated in Australia. The story describes a warrior who captured a baby bunyip. The dragon’s mother retaliated by causing a flood to wash over the tribe, transforming them into the world’s first black swans.
• Basilisk: The Basilisk myth originated in Europe. This dragon is considered the “King of Serpents” and is famous for its ability to turn any living creature into stone with a single glance.
• Ice dragon: The Arctic Dragon starts its life as a snake, only turning into a dragon with age. It is a master of weather and water.
• Friendly dragon: Kenneth Grahame’s classic tale The Reluctant Dragon, is believed to be the first well-documented portrayal of a friendly western-style dragon. Before that, dragons were typically viewed as vicious or evil.

See the Zoo’s website for more information.