The concept of the new exhibition is to show visitors more of what can be discovered in the rainforests of South and Central America without having to leave the UK. The landscape, the plantscape, the creatures that live there and links to the ancient rainforest civilisation that is already a prominent feature within the butterfly farm, the Maya.

In 1991 Clive Farrell, owner of Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm, and his business 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’, which features animals that originate from the rainforests of Central America.

On display in the Realm are eight endangered Blackfoot Dart Frogs, and a duo of Basilisk Lizards, alongside new arrivals a pair of Sumatrun Pit Vipers, Vampire Crabs and a Rhinoceros Rat Snake!

At the heart of the new exhibition is a replicated ‘cenote’, complete with a water cascade, basking area and a deep and a shallow pool.

A cenote is a stunning natural sinkhole formed by the collapse of limestone that exposes and fills up with ground water. Cenote is derived from the Mayan word Dz’onot, which means cavern of water or well.

The ancient Maya sourced water from the cenotes which were respected as sacred places, symbolic of both life and death. The creatures you may typically find in and around a cenote are butterfllies, frogs, iguana’s and crocodiles!

On display within the cenote is a magnificent male Spectacled Caiman. 

Caiman crocodilu

The spectacled caiman belongs to the alligator family, Alligatoridae. It inhabits slow moving bodies of water in lowland regions of Central and South America.

Caiman are opportunist hunters, feeding on a variety of prey including crabs, fish, small mammals and invertebrates.

Males can grow to be up to 2.5m and are both heavier and longer than females; which grow to 2m.

Caiman populations are stable in the wild but they are hunted for their leather and meat. New regulations help prevent exploitation.

Conservation status - LC Least Concern

Phyllobates terribilis

Black foot poison dart frogs are found in a small patch of rainforest on the west coast of Columbia.

They are the worlds most toxic land vertebrate and can produce enough toxins through their skin to kill 10 adult humans.

However, captive populations of dart frogs are considered non-toxic as the compounds necessary to produce their toxins are derived from specific insects in their wild diet.

Wild populations of these dart frogs are in decline due to deforestation and agriculture.

Conservation status - EN Endangered 

Basiliscus plumifrons

Green basilisks are native to the rainforest and wetland regions of Central America.

Green basilisks are arboreal, spending a lot of their time in trees above water. When threatened they are able to run across rivers and ponds with great speed, earning them the name Jesus Christ lizards.

Males have crests along the head, back and tail which is used to impress females.

Their diet cosists mainly of insects but they will also eat some vegetation.

Conservation status - LC Least Concern