DEPARTMENT OF HERPETOLOGY AND ARACHNOLOGY
Matthew D. Yuyek
Curator
1995 to Present

Established in 1995, the diverse collection of reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids at the AVILON MONTALBAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK (AMZP) is under the management of the DEPARTMENT OF HERPETOLOGY AND ARACHNOLOGY (DOHA). The ten-year old the structure of the facility remains unchanged, though modifications had been done several times in order to meet the standards and requirements of the animals in captivity, as well as the viewing comfort of zoo visitors.

The collection at the AMZP-DOHA started in 1995 with an initial of 50 species of reptiles, 4 species of amphibians, and 2 species of arachnids, wherein 75% of the snakes are of the venomous variety, such as the North American rattlesnakes, African spitting cobras, old world vipers and arboreal pit vipers. Apart from these, many species of non-venomous reptiles also make up the collection, such as pythons, boas, crocodiles, basilisks, monitors, semi-aquatic turtles, tegus, geckos, and arachnids: tarantulas and scorpions.

By 2006 the collection had grown to over 200 species of reptiles, 15 species of amphibians and 40 species of arachnids kept at the AMZP-DOHA HERPETARIUM making it one of the biggest collections in the country to date. Captive breeding of endangered species is also a primary concern of AMZP-DOHA. In 2004, AMZP-DOHA was instrumental in achieving the worldwide success in breeding and rearing of the Grays Monitor (Varanus olivaceus) --- a large frugivorouslizard locally as Butaan and found only in the Bicol Peninsula, Catanduanes Island, Polillo Island, and the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges. Grasya, the first living captive-bred GrayÕs Monitor in the world was featured on a documentary film entitled Butaan: The Lost Dragon; this program was aired on cable television in the first quarter of 2006, two years after the captive breeding success. Another species to be given a priority
for captive breeding is the Philippine Forest Turtle (Seibenrockiella leytensis), the only semi-aquatic turtle species endemic to Palawan Island, Philippines.

Upon entry to the AMZP-DOHA HERPETARIUM one notices immediately the proliferation of informative exhibit signage containing the natural history and behavior of reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids --- a group of creatures often little-known and thus, misunderstood and unappreciated.

In the works is an INSECT WORLD EXHIBIT that will in the future provide visitors an even more intimate and interesting encounter with those six-legged creatures --- the bugs, the creepy crawlers and flyers --- the INSECTS.