The Dino-Myte Exhibit is Totally Next Level
Reach New Heights at the Living Desert Zoo
A little over a year ago, the Living Desert Zoo, located in the beautiful Palm Desert, introduced a brand new show that has wowed visitors ever since its January debut. The name of the game is Zoorasic Park and it features amazing animatronic dinosaurs that come to life during the 25-minute performance. The show is family friendly, interactive and even includes some activities that get the audience involved. After watching, and possibly being a part of the show, you’ll have a whole new take on dinosaurs, their lifestyle and how different life would be for all of us if they were still around. We dug in to find out the ins and outs of this amazing experience.
Let’s start by taking a look at the Living Desert Zoo, which has been around since 1970 and was built out of a love for the desert and with hopes of preservation in mind. Over the years their goal has been to run a place that believes in preserving the natural beauty of the desert and sharing it with all who wish to visit.
The park now consists of 1, 200 acres of land, with 1, 000 of them being left in their natural state. Instead of re-arranging nature, the board in charge of this wonderful place has created different trails and nature walks that lead you right through all of its beauty without disturbing the natural, unique order of things. Some of the features you will find and see on your visit include a walk-through aviary where you can discover the birds who live there and a desert oasis featuring a pupfish pond, plant nurseries, desert gardens, tons of carved out trails and more.
Aside from preserving the natural elements of the desert, the Living Desert has expanded and grown over the years with new elements like camel rides, the butterfly pavilion and even building their own veterinary hospital. All of these have contributed to the success and vision of what this place is meant to be, and Zoorasic Park is no different.
The people at the Living Desert didn’t hold back when putting together this show, and for a minute, the dinosaurs will have you questioning whether or not you are back in prehistoric times. These creatures were brought to life by the creative minds of the Chiodo Brothers, who have been wowing Hollywood with their amazing work for years. These brothers are a group of special effects artists who hail from the Bronx but have Hollywood in their blood. Some of their work can be found in the classics that we all know and love such as Gremlins, Elf and Dinner For Shmucks. If you have seen any of their work, then it is easy to imagine how amazing and life-like these dinosaurs truly are.
Access to this unique show comes included in the price of admission and you can catch one of two shows every day at either 10:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., or 2:30 p.m. The show’s goal is to get people to “rethink extinct” as they describe it, and open their eyes to the world of dinosaurs that, until now, we have only enjoyed in movies, stories, books and other fictional tools. After the show children get a chance to play archaeologist for a day by digging up fossils and will also have a chance for a photo with their favorite dinos. Don’t miss your chance to discover why this exhibit and the Living Desert Zoo are so special and unlike anything else around!
Cast of Characters: Dinosaurs at Living Desert include Brutus, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Penny, a Parasaurolophus and a baby Triceratops who goes by the name of Trixie.
Bringing the Dinosaurs to Life: The special effects artists behind the show are the Chiodo Brothers, who have been wowing Hollywood with their amazing work for years with classics like Gremlins, Elf and Dinner For Shmucks.
The Living Desert Zoo
47900 Portola Avenue
Palm Desert, CA 92260
760.346.5694 | www.livingdesert.org
We’re Wild About Zoorassic.
