Zoo Name: | Serpent Safari |
Location: | Gurnee, Illinois, United States |
Date Opened: | 1999 |
Date Closed: | 2013 |
Serpent Safari was a reptile zoo located inside the Gurnee Mills Mall in Gurnee, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The zoo advertised itself as "America's Finest Reptile Zoo". The zoo housed some rare specimens, including the world's heaviest snake (over 375 lbs. as of February 2010), an albino alligator, and an alligator snapping turtle estimated at a 150 years old. A gift shop offered pets, a photo area where guests could get their photos taken with a large python or boa, and a reptile zoo with guided tours.
A female Burmese Python named "Baby" that lived 27 years at the Serpent Safari was confirmed by Guinness World Records as the heaviest living snake in captivity, weighing 183kg (403lb). After death, her actual length was determined to be 5.74 m (18 ft 10 in) which is the maximum length record for this species so far.[1]