The world famous reptile zoo will officially open their doors on Saturday, Mar. 31—one day earlier than usual to accommodate for the weekend.

From the opening day until May 28, Reptile Gardens will observe spring hours which are everyday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission is lower during this time. When a guest pays the first-time admission fee they are entitled to visit the park for the rest of the season for free. That makes now the perfect time for visitors who plan on visiting the Gardens often this summer to pick up their summer passes.

Reptile Garden’s CEO, Joe Maierhauser, says they have been working hard to get everything cleaned, repainted and looking good for the opening weekend. He says there are several attractions this season that no one has ever before seen or experienced.

“The orchid exhibit will be changed and even more spectacular,” Maierhauser said. “The desert area located inside the Sky Dome was completely renovated. New exotic palm trees and other tropical plants will be added.”

A brand new outdoor exhibit for Maniac, Reptile Gardens’ showcase saltwater crocodile, will be finished by the time conditions are warm enough to let him outside.

Another thing to look forward to this season will be the completion of Methuselah’s playground and the bronze statue to be erected in honor of the beloved giant tortoise.

“Since Methuselah was all about kids for all the years he was here, we decided to make his memorial a fun kids area,” Maierhauser said.

The life-sized, life-cast statue of Methuselah is currently being built and will be unveiled on the anniversary of his death, July 10.

This season will be a very exciting one with attendance expected to match or exceed that of last years. With all the new things to see and do, returning visitors should have plenty of reasons to come back for another memorable trip.

Reptile Gardens’ spring season begins April 1 is a post from: Scales & Tales

Known for their world class collection of reptiles, bugs and amphibians, Reptile Gardens is also a great place to gain experience and launch your career in zoology or veterinary science.

“If you want a career in the zoo world, Reptile Gardens is a good place to start,” said Reptile Gardens’ CEO, Joe Maierhauser.

Maierhauser said they have had several past employees go on to land wonderful jobs in related industries. For example, one former employee went on to work with a famous zoologist at the Lincoln Park zoo in Chicago before eventually landing a job as curator of reptiles at Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo.

Not all past employees went into zoology careers. One former alligator wrester later went on to become a federal judge.

“You really don’t need to be in a certain career field or have a particular major in school to work here,” Maierhauser said. “We are looking for friendly, gregarious people.”

He jokingly admits that putting the job title “Alligator Wrestler” on your resume will at the very least get you an interview for any job.

The summer season runs from May 27 through Sept. 5. All job openings will be filled long before the summer season starts so turn in your application and resume promptly for a chance to work with the brightest and best animal staff in the Black Hills.

To enquire about available positions call the Reptile Gardens office Mon-Friday at 605-342-5873 or visit the employment page on our website.

Reptile Gardens looks to hire new summer employees is a post from: Scales & Tales

Maude Brockelsby, wife of Reptile Gardens founder Earl Brockelsby, died on 11 December 2011 at the age of 95.

Maude (Wagner) Brockelsby was born Nov. 2, 1916, in Lake Andes, S.D., the granddaughter of immigrants from Germany and Ireland.  Her family lived in the Lake Andes area until 1929 when they moved to Wood, S.D.  These were the dust-bowl days of the Great Depression, and times were hard – Maude often said she didn’t like to think about the “old days”!

After graduating from Wood High School, Maude moved to Rapid City where she met an ambitious young entrepreneur named Earl Brockelsby who, in 1937, had the crazy idea of starting a tourist attraction showcasing reptiles. Maude and Earl were married in 1940.

In the early days of the Reptile Gardens, Maude made rockwork souvenirs, but she played an important part in the success of the business in another way.  After Earl returned from World War II, he was spread thin by the several very different businesses he owned. It was Maude who encouraged him to devote his energies to the Reptile Gardens.  Earl always gave her credit for helping him to focus his efforts on that business, which became one of the leading tourist attractions in the Midwest.

Maude was known, to all who knew her, for her kindness and generosity. She loved to take care of her large extended family. Her chocolate chip cookies were arguably the best ever. For many years, Maude served as the “Goodwill Ambassador” for the Reptile Gardens. Up until the end she was always interested in how things were going at the Reptile Gardens and never failed to ask how business was when any one of us stopped for a visit.

Reptile Gardens Mourns the Loss of Maude Brockelsby is a post from: Scales & Tales

If you still have some gift shopping to do but don’t know where to start, try the gift shop at Reptile Gardens where you’ll find a wide range of items from t-shirts to New Guinea artifacts.

Everyone knows that person who is impossible to shop for. They are into “unusual” things and you never know what to get them. Reptile Gardens has plenty of unique gifts, especially for animal, art and history lovers.

The unusual gifts are true collector’s items. They have been hand picked by Reptile Gardens’ CEO, Joe Maierhauser, and brought back to share with South Dakotans.

You can find interesting pieces like New Guinea tribal masks, primitive weapons and colorful collages filled with farmed butterfly specimens. How about a stunning large photograph taken in New Guinea by Joe Maierhauser? All these items would be a wonderful addition to any art collection. They could also be used to decorate any wall in your house.

More traditional gifts are also available. There is an entire collection of intricate and beautiful hand woven scarves. These fashionable scarves come in every shade and color and will keep you warm all winter long. There is a large assortment of beads for the beader on your list; or beautiful and collectible fossils and mineral specimens.

The gift shop has many other various items like toys, stuffed animals, books and apparel that children love. The books are educational and fun to read.

Some of our gifts are available online. To view our full inventory and find your perfect holiday gift, stop by Reptile Gardens – they are located just south of Rapid City on Hwy. 16.

The park is closed for winter hours. However, the gift shop will remain open through Christmas for shoppers who need to take care of their last minute purchases. The new holiday hours are daily from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

You can view our online offerings at www.reptilegardens.com/gift-store/  Or our online selection of New Guinea art at either www.jungleoutpost.com  or www.newguineaart.com

Unique holiday gift shopping at Reptile Gardens is a post from: Scales & Tales

Reptile Gardens just lost its last link to the past, Marv Basham (1917-2011). Until yesterday, Marv was the last person still around who was here on opening day in June of 1937. He had helped build our original buildings and did a lot of other things back in the day when the crew consisted of just a handful of people and everyone did whatever was needed.

Even though they were considered a bit old, when World War 2 started Earl Brockelsby and Marv Basham immediately enlisted – Marv in the Navy and Earl in the Army. Upon returning from the war the men set about getting the Reptile Gardens back into shape and better than ever. This included a greatly expanded main building and a reptile house, all covered in native stone – designed by Earl with Marv as working foreman.

As Marv’s family grew he knew he needed a bit more income than a budding reptile zoo could offer so left to work at Coast-to-Coast Hardware in Rapid City. When we began our move to our current location due to the relocation of Highway 16, the first person Earl thought of was Marv. His tremendous skills and knowledge about building, machinery, and tools would be invaluable to the now growing facility. So, in 1964, Marv returned to his roots.

Marv always made sure everything was working: heat and air conditioning in all our buildings, our wells and pumps, lighting, plumbing, restaurant equipment, and more. He never for a moment hesitated to come out late at night or on his day off or both, in blizzards and heat waves, to fix some critical piece of equipment. His only concern was that our animals would not be at risk and our Guests would be comfortable.

Over the years, Marv repaired pretty much everything on the property, built countless animal enclosures and gift shop display cases, oversaw and did much of the work on new areas and buildings. Back when we picked up the crews for each shift, Marv drove the crew car for the early shift every morning (sometimes arriving at someone’s door a bit earlier than they might have liked especially after a long night, as college kids on summer vacation are wont to do).

At one point, Marv and his wife Hazel (who also worked at the Gardens for many years) decided to retire and move to Oregon. Shortly after they got out there Marv knew where his heart was and they promptly returned to Rapid City. Marv once again took up his post at the Reptile Gardens.

Although he slowly backed off the more strenuous tasks over the years, Marv showed up at work every day until just a couple years ago. Even at 90 he was here every day of the week to do whatever he could, which up until his late 80’s included things like climbing ladders to replace burned out ballasts in the fluorescent light fixtures.

Marv is already missed by all of us who knew him. The Reptile Gardens would not be what it is today without Marv’s dedication and skills. Rest in Peace dear friend.

Marv Basham is a post from: Scales & Tales

Methuselah in 1970

On Sunday 9 July 2011 we were all saddened by the loss of our old friend and long-time animal resident, Methuselah the giant Galapagos Tortoise.

Methuselah arrived at Reptile Gardens in December of 1954 from the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, South America. He was flown to Miami and then transported by train to Rapid City. Thankfully, the crews of the rail freight company took good care of him, keeping him warm as he traveled from Florida to South Dakota in the dead of winter. He arrived in good health and adapted to life in South Dakota quite well. He joined a growing herd of giant tortoises already at the Reptile Gardens. The herd was made up of both Galapagos tortoises and Aldabra tortoises from the Seychelles Islands off the coast of Madagascar.

Earl Brockelsby obtained his first giant tortoise in 1949, a large Aldabra tortoise. Several other tortoises were added over the next few years. In the fall of 1954 an animal dealer in Florida contacted Earl to let him know he had been offered a very large Galapagos tortoise that had just been taken from the Galapagos by a dealer in Peru. Earl did not hesitate and jumped at the chance to obtain the big tortoise even though the cost for this tortoise plus transportation was many times higher than any of the others he had recently purchased.

In the 50’s and early 60’s, our herd of tortoises numbered around 20. At one point, we sent all the female tortoises we had to a facility in Florida where they were added to a captive breeding program. Over the years, our most elderly tortoises slowly died off until Methuselah was the last one remaining here from our original group.

Those of us who worked with the tortoises on a daily basis learned each one’s personality, their habits, preferences, and behaviors. Methuselah, honestly, always had the most personality. He was smart and knew how to get what he wanted.  He could be cunning even. Sometimes you could tell he was thinking, as though he was formulating some plan.

For a while, in the 1970’s, he was nicknamed “Earl” by some of our staff members, after our founder Earl Brockelsby.  Some of you may remember him by that name. But, over the years as he continued to hang in there and outlive his peers, we went back to Methuselah as it seemed so appropriate.

We estimate, based on our visitation figures, that Methuselah contacted well over 12 million visitors in his 56 years here at Reptile Gardens.  There are tens of thousands of photos of Methuselah and our visitors out there. Many of you have been sharing your photos with us in the days since his death. We have been enjoying seeing them, and thanks for the memories. It is fun to know that old tortoise made such an impression on so many people.

Methuselah is survived by his two tortoise yard mates, Tank and Quasi, two large male Aldabra tortoises. If it happens that other adult giant tortoises become available from zoos or breeding programs we may add one or two friends for Tank and Quasi. But for now, even though Methuselah’s passing has left a big hole in our lives, his two pals are here ready to meet our visitors and give them that same rare chance to see one of the world’s most remarkable animals up close.

Methuselah – Reptile Gardens’ Beloved Mascot for 56 years. is a post from: Scales & Tales

Ray Pawley in his younger days.

Next year, 2012, Reptile Gardens will be celebrating its 75th anniversary. You know what that means? We are planning a fun staff reunion to celebrate this momentous anniversary.

The main reunion event will be held on Saturday, 30 June 2012 at the Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn from 5PM to 12AM. Along with that, there will be things going on all weekend at the Reptile Gardens. Details to follow as we get them planned. We have 50 rooms blocked out at the Rushmore Plaza for any out-of-towners who would like to stay there.

One of our 1960's talent shows

There are so many hundreds of you out there. We know who you are and have contacts for many of you. However, there are so many we don’t have any contact info for. So please get in touch with us via the reunion form below or any other way. If you know any former RG staffers, please let them know about this and have them get in touch.

Please contact Virginia with any questions or suggestions you have. You can call her at the Reptile Gardens, 605-342-5873 or email her via our web site using this special reunion link:

http://www.reptilegardens.com/reunion/

By the way, we will need to know who is coming so please RSVP to Virginia by 1 May of 2012.

A day in the Badlands for John, Marshall, and Francie

75 YEARS AND GOING STRONG! CALLING ALL FORMER & CURRENT REPTILE GARDENS STAFF MEMBERS is a post from: Scales & Tales

*Propping open the mouth of a dead alligator with the Sunday newspaper inside & setting it outside a friend’s  home…a friend who also happened to be the publisher of the Rapid City Journal.

*Mixing mealworms in a spaghetti dinner or dropping tadpoles in his sister’s fresh-squeezed lemonade. (She never forgave him for ruining her hard work.)

*Dropping frozen rattlesnakes in the snow in a Colorado park for the alarm it would cause when the snow melted.

*Draping a dead 20-foot python in a tree in a Tucson, Arizona park.

*Switching the keys on a friend’s typewriter.

*Covering all the windows of his gift shop manager’s house with tarpaper during the night so it stayed dark in the house, then chewing him out for being late to work the next morning.

…and many many more

Earl was, in turn, the victim at times as well. Four friends, who had been on the receiving end of many of Earl’s jokes, were determined to get him back. Just before first light one morning in the early 1950’s they trucked a three-ton limestone boulder to Earl’s newly constructed home on Jackson Blvd.

The original plan had been to drop the rock square in the center of the driveway while the concrete was still wet so it would sink in and not only block entrance to the garage but also necessitate tearing out the entire driveway.

The men’s wives absolutely would not allow a joke they considered too mean so the rock was dumped in the driveway after the concrete had cured. And it did prevent Earl from getting to work on time that morning. The rock stayed in the yard next to the driveway until the house, later a golf course clubhouse, was demolished in 2002. It was brought to Reptile Gardens at that time and can be seen on here on the grounds.

Gift Shop Manager, Joe Maierhauser Sr (left) and artist Lee Logan put in place the finishing touch - a commemorative sign.

Practical Jokes at Reptile Gardens is a post from: Scales & Tales

Some scientists believe this species evolved from South American iguanas that floated across the Pacific on rafts of vegetation and debris.  In two tribes on Fiji these lizards are important and powerful totemic animals. They forbid any mention of the animal in the presence of women and uninitiated men.

We love this little guy. His colors are stunning and he has such a friendly, inquisitive face. He will be on exhibit in the lower ring of the Sky Dome all summer long.

Featured Reptile of the Week is a post from: Scales & Tales

With all this work going on in the Dome I was reminded of when it was built and of the big tree that is still the centerpiece. This is an article that ran in the Rapid City Journal in 1964.

Back When the Sky Dome was New is a post from: Scales & Tales