Photo courtesy Monmouth County Park System
MIDDLETOWN – After more than a year of extensive renovations, the Reptile House in Huber Woods Park reopened its doors for visitors Monday, Dec. 9.
The Reptile House has been renovated with fresh interior and exterior features, replacing what was formerly a cramped and outdated design.
Inside, visitors now experience an open floor plan with newer and larger live animal exhibits reproduced with environmental themes to mirror natural habitats, as well as expanded work areas and better circulation for guests.
“We are pleased to be able to open an enlarged and much improved Reptile House to the public. Within a historic building, visitors will see an all new and modern display area with custom-made habitats for the reptiles and amphibians,” said Gail L. Hunton, supervising historic preservation specialist with the Monmouth County Park System.
The Reptile House is home to a variety of reptiles and amphibians for guests to visit and learn about. That includes a natural corn snake, northern pine snake, eastern king snake, northern diamondback terrapins, spotted turtles, Fowler’s toads, gray tree frogs and more, the park system stated.
“We’re extremely ecstatic to reopen and welcome visitors. The space looks so different and works well for visitors to come see our inhabitants,” said Sam Skinner, senior park naturalist, in a press release. “If our critters could talk, they’d say how nice it is to be in a more natural environment.” During the renovations, animals were housed in a safe place within Huber Woods Park.
The park system called the new animal habitats “one of the best features of the renovation.” A firm that specializes in animal habi- tats completed the installation. They now feature environmental controls, lighting and scenery. The habitats are accompanied by “lively graphics and signs” with detailed information about the animals and their environments. “Colorful wall graphics and information about the species on display enliven the space,” said Hunton.
According to the Monmouth County Park System, the Reptile House was originally built in 1927 as a garage for the Hands Huber House, now Huber Woods’ Environmental Center. It has housed reptiles since the 1990s and is a popular site in the park.
The reptile house is located at 25 Brown’s Dock Road in Middletown Township. Winter visitation hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. During warmer months weekend hours are extended to 5 p.m. “No matter what time of year, visitors should also be sure to stop into the Huber Woods Environmental Center and explore its exhibits and displays. These facilities are just two of the many ways the Park System encourages visitors to connect to the natural world around them,” according to the park system.
For more information, visit monmouthcountyparks.com.
