TAKING A WALK
EXPLORING THE STORY OF REPTILAND – AN A.Z.A. ACCREDITED ZOO RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD By Jenn Puckett Photos Courtesy of Reptiland on theWild Side
Clyde Peeling has been educating about the public about scalier side of the animal kingdom since 1964 when he opened a one of kind experience in Allenwood, PA. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Clyde and his son Elliot about the history and future of the zoo. My first question was “Why reptiles?” Clyde laughed and said it was a combination of a few things, including a boyhood interest and understanding that if he was going to start a zoo in Allenwood, it needed to specialize. “I knew we were never going to be the Bronx Zoo,” said Clyde. From scaly to feathery, the zoo provides a little bit of something for everyone. Over the years, Reptiland has expanded and changed immensely. While it began as basically a roadside zoo, Reptiland got an A.Z.A. (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) accreditation in 1986 and has kept it ever since. Clyde says the A.Z.A. inspects all accredited zoos every five years to confirm that best practices are being followed, including animal welfare, conservation efforts, education outreach and more. These intense inspections can last for multiple days. His dedication to teaching is not limited to the guests that walk through the door. He’s appeared on numerous television shows including The Tonight Show and Regis and Kathy Lee. When asked about these experiences, he
explained they might get a phone call on Monday or Tuesday to be in California by Friday as there was a spot open. This left a lot of last-minute arrangements to be made, but he always did his best to accommodate.
Clyde appears on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
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