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The National Amphibian Conservation Center (NACC), provides a unique environment for the celebration of an often over-looked group of animals. This facility features dozens of fascinating amphibians on exhibit and highlights the critical role these creatures play in the environment. The NACC bring special focus to the worldwide decline of amphibian populations.
Opened to the public in June of 2000, the facility currently houses around 45 species of amphibians and upwards of 750 individuals. The exhibit area encompasses several distinct areas, including:
- the Entry Corridor ("What is an Amphibian?", "Evolution", and "Metamorphosis") and its 24-foot long flowing wall of water
- the Orientation Theater, which shows a 12-minute film by Academy-award-winning producer Sue Marx and doubles as a classroom for 35 students
- the Ecosystem Gallery, with its 22-foot long underwater-viewing stream tank with tadpoles
- the Conservation Gallery, with an 18-foot long cut-away stream for Japanese giant salamanders and an 8-foot long tank for hellbenders
- the Kids' Cave, which highlights troglobitic salamanders
- the Diversity Gallery, which explores the variations in anuran size, shape, and color
- the Michigan Gallery, showcasing our backyard native amphibians
One of the main attractions is an expansive Immersion Gallery where visitors can stroll through a recreated ecosystem with free-ranging amphibians. This gallery is designed to be changeable to different and exciting ecosystems. The inaugural immersion experience simulates the a neotropical rainforest including animals such as 3 species of dart-poison frogs, red-eyed tree frogs, marsupial frogs, and South American red-footed tortoises. Visitors have to watch out for the surprise rainfall, wind, fog, thunder and lightning as they travel through this rainforest.
Click here for IPIX Virtual Tour of the National Amphibian Conservation
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