Celebrate our reptiles this weekend!

Get up close and personal with lizards and pythons – some of the wild’s most misunderstood and yet amazing creatures - this weekend in celebration of Reptile Awareness Day.

Visitors to WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo can get up close and personal with lizards and pythons – some of the wild’s most misunderstood and yet amazing creatures - this weekend in celebration of Reptile Awareness Day.

Over two days - Saturday 24 October and Sunday 25 October - the zoo will take some of its reptile friends out of their habitats for one-hour meet and greet sessions during which guests can enjoy up-close encounters with these incredible creatures.

Guests can get photos next to a lizard or snap selfies beside a python. They can take home a few fun facts about the scaly creatures and Zookeepers will also be on hand to debunk any common misconceptions about these reptiles.

“How often do you get to safely come face-to-face with a beautiful and powerful python? It’s certainly not every day,” said Stephanie Adams, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo Guest Experience Manager.

“We are looking forward to giving our visitors the chance to make extraordinary memories with our resident reptiles in a safe environment this Reptile Awareness Day.”

Meet and greets with reptiles will take place on Saturday and Sunday between 10:30-11:30am, 12:30-1:30pm and 2:30-3:30pm. ZooKeepers will handle all animals during the allocated periods.

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Did you know? Fun facts lizards and pythons!

1. Did you know that pythons can sense infrared thermal radiation? Most pythons have heat sensing pits near their nostrils (change to ‘along their jaw’) which allow them to ‘see’ infrared! Often referred to as a ‘Pit Organ’, it allows them to detect radiant heat wavelengths between 5 and 30 micrometres.
2. Do you know why snakes have forked tongues? The next time a snake hisses its split tongue in your direction, know that they are actually sniffing you out! Forked tongues allow snakes to smell in two directions at a time and whichever side picks up a stronger scene, is the direction they will follow.
3. Did you know that the largest reptile is almost twice the height as a giraffe?! Reptiles range in size from as small as the size of your palm to over 10 metres long!
4. Ever wondered about the shedding process? It’s common knowledge that all reptiles shed their skin but did you know that the way they do it differs. While snakes shed their skin in one big piece, lizards and other reptiles shed as they grow (change to shed in smaller pieces).
5. Did you know that the birthing process varies among reptiles? Some reptiles lay eggs while others deliver like humans and (remove it is live birth but it is still different to humans) give birth to live young.