Renovation of Topeka Zoo Rain Forest Exhibit Moving Quickly

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Tropical Rain Forest building at the Topeka Zoo is on track to reopen next month after a renovation that will make it lighter, brighter and wetter. WIBW-TV  reports the $1.2 million project that began in November is running ahead of schedule. Officials were aiming for a Memorial Day opening but now say visitors could be welcomed inside by mid-May. The centerpiece of the work is replacement of the acrylic lenses that make up the geodesic dome. The Rain Forest was built in the 1970s, and the roof had become opaque over the years. Nearly 100 animals live in the building, including sloths, bats and tortoises. To give visitors a real feel for the tropical forest, the renovated building has new piping that will produce an occasional light rain.