The largest indoor zoo exhibit in the UK opened at Chester Zoo on Wednesday (August 19).
Monsoon Forest forms part of phase two of the zoo’s ambitious £40m Islands project.
Its new crocodile pool is home to Frank and Frankie, a pair of Sunda gharial crocodiles, each weighing around 500kg and measuring 3.5m in length.
Sunda gharials are native to lowland swamps in South East Asia where their numbers are diminishing due to habitat loss and hunting.
Ben Baker, Chester Zoo’s herpetological team manager, said: “These very impressive crocodiles - characterised by their distinctive long, narrow snouts – live in a fantastic new pool enclosure which they will share with various fish species.
“We hope they’ll draw attention to the issues threatening this magnificent species as, sadly, they are listed as vulnerable to extinction with less than 2,500 thought to be left in the wild.”
Bali Temple, a walk-through aviary, was also unveiled on Wednesday.
The final part of the development will see babirusas, Sumatran orangutans and Sumatran tigers move to their new homes.
In the meantime each species are in their current home in the main zoo.
Phase one of Islands opened on July 13 and brings conservation to life through detailed recreations of habitats in South East Asia including Panay, Papua, Bali, Sumba and Sulawesi.
It features the critically endangered Visayan warty pig, banteng and lowland anoa, as well as the prehistoric-looking cassowary.
The phase also includes a beach, a 15-minute-long lazy river boat trip, school house, street kitchen and play area.
