Starting in May, visitors to Guangzhou Zoo will be able to enjoy close contact with butterflies rather than simply observe them from behind a glass window.
As part of the zoo's comprehensive exhibition hall of invertebrates, a 2,000-square-meter butterfly pavilion, expected to be Asia's largest, will be set up.
More than 1,000 rare specimens from across the globe will be on display. Another 1,000 butterflies of dozens of varieties will find a new home there, and the number is expected to climb to between 5,000 and 6,000 by this summer, the prime season for the species.
The butterflies will be mainly from the southern island province of Hainan.
Special air conditions in the hall will enable tourists to observe the butterflies during the winter.
Sources with the zoo said they will use nylon rather than glass to ensure good ventilation. An artificial landscape including a 3- meter waterfall will be built and nectar-producing plants will be planted in the hall.
(eastday.com March 21, 2003)
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