Rainforest Realm - an exciting new exhibition!
Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm is delighted to reveal the exiting new project it has been working on for the last couple of years.
‘Rainforest Realm’ is a unique exhibition featuring a Spectacled Caiman and other animals that originate from the rainforests of Central America!
The magnificent male Caiman would normally live in and around ‘cenotes’, natural sinkholes formed by the collapse of limestone that fill up with ground water. Caimans are oportunist hunters, feeding on a variety of prey including crabs, fish, small mammals and invertebrates. Also planned to be on display in ‘Rainforest Realm’ will be an Emerald Tree Boa Snake, 10 endangered Orange Blackfoot Dart Frogs, a trio of Basilisk Lizards, 2 Baby Yellow Spotted Amazon River Turtles and a Oustalets Chameleon from Madagascar.
At the heart of the exhibition is a replicated ‘cenote’, complete with a water cascade and a deep and shallow pool. The ancient Maya sourced water from the cenotes which were respected as sacred places, symbolic of both life and death. The creatures found in and around a cenote include frogs, iguanas, and crocodiles.
38 years ago, the owner of Stratford Butterfly Farm, Clive Farrell, had a dream to create an attraction that would introduce visitors to the wonderment of butterflies. The Butterfly Farm opened to the public in 1985 and has since welcomed over 4 million visitors. In 1991 Clive, and his partner Ray Harberd, created the Fallen Stones Butterfly Farm in Southern Belize, named after the nearby site of ancient Maya ruins, Lubaantun - the place of the fallen stones. This connection between the Maya and Stratford Butterfly Farm is the inspiration behind the new exhibition ‘Rainforest Realm’.
Work started on an exciting, brand new exhibition in January 2022.
After over a year of rebuilding 'Rainforest Realm' is almost ready to launch, so watch this space!
Minibeast Metropolis is open with slightly restricted access and minimum disruption whilst we tweak the final stages of the project.
What do we do with all this space!
A new exhibition is rising from the rubble of the old exhibition!
Out with the old!
Beginnings of an interior wall!
Interior wall going up!
New exhibition starting to take shape.
New flooring has been laid and the basic structure of the new exhibition has been created.
Making good progress
The steel framework to support a large glass viewing window has been installed and brickwork that forms the new design of the exhibition is complete and rendered.
Starting to render
Phase 3 Rendering
Rendering complete!
The pool area has a waterproof fibre glass lining that was applied by a specialist company.
Fibre glass coating applied to the pool area.
Waterproofing looking good!
A dome viewing area was cut out and the surrounding area rendered then rock themed.
Viewing dome cut out
Viewing dome cut out and rendered
A team of contractors rockscaped the larger area of the exhibition space. The rockscaping of the three smaller displays has been created by team butterfly.
A new connecting pathway between the original Minibeast Metropolis and Rainforest Realm was laid and strengthened glass in the viewing areas fitted.
Metal framework
Mesh applied to frame work
Concrete spraying onto the frame work!
A water pump and filtration system has been installed to ensure high water quality and maintain the temperature of the water.
The final stages of the project are coming together and bringing Rainforest Realm to life. All we need now are some amazing creatures to live there!
Water pump and filtration
