For almost 10 years, the employees of the Tula
Exotarium participate in the long-term international expeditions to explore
fauna in Vietnam. Captivated by its unique and infinite beauty, they share
their views, observations and emotions with visitors of the Darwin museum.
According to ancient legends, the Vietnamese
are descendants of the Dragon and Fairy. Their children founded a beautiful country
which became a pearl of the South-East Asia, Vietnam. This land is known for
its endless rice fields, amazing beaches along the coastline, hospitality of
people and their exceptional love of green tea.
The Tula Exotarium shares a piece of this
wonderful country for a reason. During scientific expeditions to Vietnam, the
specialists discovered and described new species of animals as well as a snake
that was thought of as extinct before, rhinoceros ratsnakes. This species was
taken to Tula and the offspring enriched the collections of not only Russian
but also foreign zoos. This snake became the symbol of the Tula Exotarium.
The expeditions often last over a month, so
the members often have enough time to immerse themselves into traditional daily
life and customs of the country. The exhibition features everything that seemed
interesting and exciting to the researches, from clothes, art works and
decorations to photos of amazing landscapes and representatives of various
ethnic groups in Vietnam, all illustrated by tales from the expeditions.