Giant tortoise head in South El Paso. Why is it there?
El Paso is now home to a giant tortoise head! And it’s all because voters said they wanted to improve the quality of living in the Sun City.
The El Paso Zoo is hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Reptile House Thursday. City Rep. Peter Svarzbein had the honor of using the giant scissors. At his side were City Rep. Lily Limon and former El Paso City Representative Eddie Holguin.
“We have a giant tortoise head here in El Paso…. It’s a beautiful building,” Rep. Svarzbein said. “It has a really great exhibit that brings something and not yet seen here in El Paso”
The existing Reptile House got a complete overhaul. It’s now the world’s largest Texas tortoise shaped building. Inside you’ll find four new exhibits, a presentation area and an outdoor pond highlighting the Zoo’s turtle collection. You’ll also get a better view of the reptiles who already called the Zoo home thanks to the anti-flare glass that was just installed.”
This massive upgrade for the reptiles at El Paso’s Zoo was approved by voters as part of the 2012 Quality of Life Bond program. $50 million was set aside to complete the zoo’s aster plan. That included the framework for moving the Zoo forward.
So is the building shaped like a giant tortoise head? Steve Marshall, Director of the El Paso Zoo has the answer. “The original concept was Texas tortoise,” Marshall said. “So phase two brought us more exhibits, a turtle pond, presentation area and of course the head and feet of that Texas tortoise.”
“Our zoo is truly a treasure of the southwest,” City Rep. Svarzbein said. “It’s a really beautiful zoo with a lot of great exhibits for generations of El Pasoans.”
In celebration of the opening of the Reptile House, the Zoo is hosting Reptilia, a celebration of snakes, lizards and more. Reptilia is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday June 4 and 5 at the Zoo. The event includes unique reptile spotlight presentations, reptile encounters, edible bug eating, access to UTEP’s Emerald Abyss exhibit and special themed activities.
