T-Rex, Utahraptor, triceratops, amargasaurus and all the other dinosaurs will become extinct after an exhibit closes Sunday at Hogle Zoo.
That's the last day for visitors to see "Zoorassic Jungle," which features 16 lifelike, robotic dinosaurs in an exhibit that opened earlier this year.Nearly 200,000 visitors to the zoo have taken advantage of the opportunity to come face to face with the Mesozoic-era monsters, eight of which are new to the exhibit. Four have never been shown in any exhibit designed by Dinamation International Corp., which four years ago sponsored "Dinosaurs Alive!" at the zoo.
For children or others who are caught up in dinosaurs, the exhibit at Hogle Zoo is fascinating.
Each of the creatures move, growl or even spit water at unsuspecting visitors, who walk through a 8,700-square-foot tree-, shrub- and plant-laden enclosure. A likeness of T-Rex, a dominant predator of the Mesozoic period, is 24 feet high and 50 feet long. One of the new dinosaurs with which visitors may come nearly face to face is baryonyx, the "fisher king" and one of the early creatures of the Cretaceous era. The animal spits water and a fish hangs from its mouth.
The eyes of torosaurus, which had the largest head of any known land animal, look real. The dinosaur is about the size of a large school bus.
"Can you imagine the terror if these dinosaurs were really alive?" said Dale Colvin, West Jordan, who visited the exhibit Friday along with his wife, Janet, and their sons, Brandt, 11, and Taylor, 7.
The exhibit is "cool," said Brandt, who Friday paid his second visit to the display, made to resemble a jungle. Earlier, the boy viewed the animated dinosaurs with his Scout troop.
"They're scary. They roar," was the way Taylor described the dinosaurs, but the boy didn't appear very scared.
The huge dilophosaurus, is similar to one of the dinosaurs used in the movie, "Jurassic Park," said zoo marketing director Andrew Wallace. Wallace said a number of Salt Lake area and other businesses were sponsors for the exhibit. The dinosaurs are constructed in intricate detail. Zoo personnel designed much of the environmental landscaping, which includes a circulating stream, for the exhibit.
Outside, the display and a gift shop, Cerisa Harmon, Salt Lake City, was watching her children, Tayla, 4, and Dallan, 2, create a dinosaur paper impression at the "Rub-A-Dino" station.
Harmon said her son was frightened during an initial visit with his father, Lance. But she said her son seemed to enjoy himself on Friday.
Visitors may unearth dinosaur skeletons in the "Dig-A-Fossil" exhibit, pick up an activity book or test their knowledge of this bygone era.