Arizona’s first major aquarium getting BIGGER

LITCHFIELD PARK, AZ - The Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium is building a new addition to the park just over a year and half after its grand opening.

According to Wildlife spokesman Grey Stafford, the park is working on a fourth aquarium exhibit building expected to open in mid-2011.

The new building’s main attraction will be an Amazon River Monsters exhibit that will include arowana, large arapaima and various other South American fresh water giants, according to Stafford. The display will also have the “vampire fish”, payara, which has 6-inch fangs.

Other attractions in the new building will include a marine turtle exhibit, in which six of the seven different species are endangered due to habitat loss and pollution, Stafford said.

Another feature of the new building will be an indoor-outdoor pool that will be home to a permanent small-clawed otter exhibit. This pool will also have an underwater viewing section for visitors, according to Stafford.

The zoo and aquarium is located at 16501 W. Northern Ave., half a mile west of State Route 303. They are open 365 days a year from 9am to 6pm.

For more information call (623) 935-WILD (9453) or visit the park website .