An Enquirer.com Special Section	FRIDAY, MAY 14, 1999
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THE AQUARIUM Introduction Going there The murals The music Shop and Eat Beginnings THE EXHIBITS World Rivers Shore Gallery Touch Pool Bizarre & Beautiful Dangerous & Deadly Riverbank 'Gator Bayou Amazon Rain Forest Coral Reef Jellyfish Gallery Kingdom of Penguins Ray Nursery Repopulation Surrounded by Sharks THE STAFF Staff and keepers

'Gator Bayou Duck the dangling moss and peer over the rustic rail at really big alligators Shack with Spanish Moss         Spanish Moss hangs from trees over Gator Bayou, home to the American Alligators. Standing trees join hundreds painted on the walls. A few painted birds soar over the tree tops. The scene, that of a dim wetland Louisiana forest, almost feels humid.         It seems fitting that alligators lurk below.         Peer cautiously over the log railing on the foot bridge, but don't dangle your toes. Alligators can get hungry — and there are five of them.         To be on the safe side, look through one of two clear windows placed in the floor of the bridge.         Tucked in one corner of the display area is a run-down wooden shack with a rusting tin roof. The tenants have departed, chased out by gators in all likelihood.         Now the reptiles use the front porch that doubles as a dock as a dry lounging place. The bridge, which cuts diagonally through the square display, has been crafted to look as though it was made from logs found in the wetlands. About the artwork         Hundreds of trees rise from the water in this depiction of a wild Bayou habitat. The colors are dark and ominous. The water looks eerily still, undisturbed by the alligators inevitably patrolling the wetland waters. Origins         American Alligators live in coastal wetlands from North Carolina to southern Florida. Costs         The two acrylic floor sections, which allow visitors to get a good look at the gators below, cost $20,000. Their dimensions: 7.8 by 7 feet and 7.8 by 8.3 feet. What gators eat         Alligators eat snails, crabs, amphibians, fish, birds, snakes and mammals — including small calves. They are not picky eaters. How big do they get?         American Alligators can reach 19 feet in length. What you won't see         A warm, humid environment is crucial to the health of animals in the Gator Bayou. So while there may be snow outside, inside the bayou it's a toasty 85-95 degrees. The warmth is provided by hot water coils buried under the concrete. These coils continuously circulate hot water keeping the room warm and the animals comfortable. Water here is heated to a constant 70-75 degrees. Exhibit by the numbers         8: foot alligator is Gator Bayou's largest         15-30: pounds of food consumed weekly by the largest gator         3,600: gallons of water         12: gallons of paint used to paint the mural         1,239: trees in the mural         731: pounds is the combined weight of the acrylic floor panels         300: pounds is average weight of a full-grown male gator         19 feet 2 inches: size of largest alligator recorded Stars of the Tank         American Alligators: Alligators provide other aquatic animals and plants with a habitat by digging deep holes in their wetlands.         Alligators used to roam as far north as Maryland, but cooling temperatures have forced them to stay further south. They live in marshlands, swamps, rivers, ponds and lakes. Alligators will not eat if the water temperature around them falls below 68 degrees.         Female alligators build mounds and lay between 20 and 50 eggs. Turtles have been known to lay eggs next to an alligator's to take advantage of the security benefits. The Tristate is Goin' Fishin' Going to the Aquarium Murals bring seascapes to life Music sets the mood for 16 exhibits Shop, eat and watch a movie The making of an aquarium World Rivers Shore Gallery Touch Pool Bizarre & Beautiful Dangerous & Deadly Riverbank 'Gator Bayou Amazon Rain Forest Coral Reef Jellyfish Gallery Kingdom of Penguins Ray Nursery Repopulation Surrounded by Sharks Meet the staff and keepers

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