A closer look
The Carruth Natural Encounters building is set to close its doors March 23 after animal care and zoo engineering teams determined the building’s aging infrastructure no longer meets the needs of the housed animals, zoo officials announced in a Feb. 9 news release.
The building was initially built as the Small Mammal House in 1962 and was later renovated into the natural encounters exhibit in 2004, according to the release.
According to the zoo’s website, the indoor exhibit houses several animals, including:
- Moon jellyfish
- Naked mole rats
- Asian small-clawed otters
- Red-bellied piranhas
- White-faced Saki monkeys
Notable quote
“While this decision wasn’t easy, it reflects our commitment to providing the best care for our animals and creating exceptional experiences for our visitors,” zoo officials said in the release. “We’re also looking ahead to exciting opportunities to reimagine how we engage our community in the future.”
What’s next?
The outdoor meerkat exhibit connected to the building will remain open, while other animals housed in the exhibit will be relocated to other areas of the zoo—including Cheetah, the zoo’s female Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth—or rehomed to other institutions for specialized care, according to the release.
Houston Zoo officials have not yet announced future plans for the encounter building, Jackie Wallace, assistant vice present of communications and public affairs for the Houston Zoo, said in an email.
