SAN ANTONIO — There's a new resident at San Antonio Zoo soaking up the limelight. Well, maybe in this case, it's a powerful heat lamp.
We're talking about the newest resident of the zoo's Reptile House – the Grand Cayman blue iguana.
San Antonio Zoo shared the big news on Facebook. In a post, the zoo said it's extremely fortunate to have the new reptile among its population.
"This species was actually one of the most endangered animals in the world at one point, with only 12 remaining in the original population. But, thanks to conservation organizations like zoos, they were brought back from the brink of extinction," the post said.
It's unknown if the blue iguana will get a name like his or her fellow hippopotamus, Timothy, who has a huge following on social media.
San Antonio Zoo, which is located on 35 acres in Brackenridge Park, has a collection of more than 3,500 animals representing 750 species. Each year, more than one million people visit the zoo.
In September, the zoo reintroduced a diesel-style engine to the fleet of its three trains. It was funded entirely by donations and is running on fuel donated by Valero.
In the summer of 2019, Kiddie Park – dubbed 'America's oldest children's amusement park' – moved to San Antonio Zoo. The San Antonio icon, which had opened its doors nearby in 1925 on Broadway, had been dealing with cramped quarters due to increased development and a lack of nearby parking, its owners said.
Visitors do not have to pay for zoo admission to get into Kiddie Park.