Living Desert Zoo & Gardens

The Living Desert was started in 1970 and continues to expand it’s displays of ten different desert ecosystems.  In addition to it’s many displays of American desert flora and fauna, East Africa and Madagascar are also represented.  In the Eagle Canyon exhibit, one can see a golden eagle, several types of cats including a mountain lion, and wolves.  Although there are many aviaries, all the walk-through ones were closed to avoid the spread of Newcastle’s disease.  The most recent additions are 3 giraffes and several ostriches. 

Near the entrance area is a model garden railway (LGB or G-gauge).  The display features the Grand Canyon with the El Tovar Hotel and the Watchtower, the longest model train trestle in the world with emergency personnel attending to victims of a train derailment, a mining town, and several other vignettes from around the world.  The detail in the display is phenomenal as exemplified by the Burma Shave signs.

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