MUSEUM CAMPUS — The next exhibit at Shedd Aquarium will hop out of the fish tank and into the terrarium, with a focus on creatures that slither and crawl.
"Amphibians" will feature 40 species of frogs, salamanders and other shapeshifting animals, the Shedd said Tuesday. Among the more notable attractions: a four-foot-long Japanese salamander, and the rarely-seen, limbless caecilian.
"[They're] a fascinating group of animals that really allows us to get a lot of messages across," said Tim Binder, Shedd's vice president of collection planning. "It will be geared toward all ages."
Binder said the exhibit is expected to open in mid-May, with a target date of May 15. "Amphibians" will take up three or four rooms at the Shedd, with tadpoles swimming overhead and frogs of all colors showing their hops as visitors learn their stories of metamorphosis and adaptation.
There will also be a slight lesson about preservation. There are 6,000 amphibian species in the world, but one-third of them are endangered, Binder said.
The exhibit will be open seven days a week, and is scheduled to run through December 2017, Binder said.
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