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Scales and surprises at South Surrey's Cinemazoo

Meet the denizens of South Surrey's Cinemazoo and Urban Safari Rescue Society, which is hosting an open house Aug. 12, 2012
JENNIFER LANG
Dozer the tortoise.
Dozer the tortoise is one of the many cool critters at Cinemazoo.

It's a quiet summer afternoon at South Surrey's Cinemazoo and Urban Safari Rescue Society, where administrator Sharon Doucette sits quietly at her desk near the front door.

There's a sudden crash as her waste paper basket topples over. Something is on the move.

"That's Godzilla," she smiles, referring to the 16-year-old mature iguana who's heading for the front door.

He's harmless, but clearly dislikes it when his plans are interrupted. He turns to stare out of a disapproving, bronze-almond eye.

Godzilla the Iguana - CinemazooThe scale-covered iguana is one the dozens of non-human denizens of Cinemazoo and Urban Safari Rescue Society children attending day camps are meeting and learning about this summer – as will members of the public Sunday, Aug. 12 when the society hosts a 25th anniversary celebration and open house.

The society rescues and rehabilitates wild and exotic animals. Most are donations or rescues. Where possible, new homes are found, or they're returned to the wild.

Godzilla is a relatively new arrival. He was rescued about two months ago. He was suffering from an abscess on his leg the size of a baseball. It's almost healed.

Stepping inside, the first thing you notice is the heat – it's kept at about 78 to 80 degrees inside the refuge – and the humidity.

"They're tropical animals," says owner and operator Gary Oliver.

You can also hear crickets and birds chirping, along with the flutter of wings and burble of aquarium tanks.

About 50 to 60 different species make their home here, including scorpions, snakes, cockroaches, spiders, birds, fish and turtles, lots of turtles.

"We are at capacity for turtles," he says. "We won't take any more."

No kidding – there are turtles everywhere, in tanks and enclosures. Dozens of large turtles lounge in a large indoor pond that's filled with more goldfish.

A collection of bunny hutches housing rescued rabbits and guinea pigs is nearby.

"Dozer", a 27-year-old tortoise (picture up top), is the society's undisputed mascot. Left to his own devices, he makes quick progress, steadily.

"He just loves people."

Volunteers lather his shell with moisturizer each week to keep it supple.

Leaf Insect - CinemazooMost of the inhabitants are rescues and donations from owners who can no longer keep their exotic pets.

"Just yesterday, a lady brought in five goldfish and a turtle," he says. The goldfish are huge.

It's the sort of place where the human denizens eat their lunch just inches from a tank filled with a school of piranhas, the carnivorous, sharp-toothed fish known for feeding frenzies.

It's also home to dozens of spiders, local and exotic.

The Indian ornament tarantula is fed baby mice. The salmon bellied tarantula eats birds. Oliver asks if I want to take him out of the tank.

"He won't jump," he assures me.

Then there's "Fluffy", a 24-year-old Mexican Red Knee Tarantula.

Oliver, a fedora-clad man with a neatly-trimmed white beard and round eyeglasses, got his start in 1988, working at an animal agency, rescuing animals in distress.

Since then, it's been his mission to educate people about exotic animals – he urges people not to keep them as pets – as well as work for conservation of species and natural habitat.

"It's a really driving force," he says, explaining he believes the world has reached a critical stage in terms of conservation and environmental issues.

"We're on a downward trend," he says. "We're losing all the animals' habitat."

Oliver wants to educate people, and make them aware of what's happening – and who's actually doing something positive about it.

He doesn't want children, especially, to feel helpless. Rather, he'd like to provide options for them to channel their efforts into creating positive change.

He believes giving the public the opportunity to view endangered and exotic creatures in person is critical in order to build support for conservation efforts.

"You can show people videos and photographs till you're blue in the face, but there's no real respect or appreciation until you see for yourself."

He likens it to seeing the Rocky mountains for the first time. Photographs just don't quite do them justice.

He says his goal is to open a state-of-the-art education centre for the Fraser Valley. He envisions high tech interactive displays that will appeal to kids and adults.

Meanwhile, there are wonders in miniature to admire, such as the Spanish Ribbed Newt, when attacked, pushes out its ribs until they pierce its body, exposing a row of bones that acts like rows of poisonous barbs.

The public is welcome to browse the zoo's library, where there are 3,000 reference books, some of them very rare.

There are daily trips to schools and it hosts four to eight birthdays each weekend. "It's the only way we can afford to feed these animals."

The centre offers programs for children and young adults, such as the Nature Club and the Junior Zoo Keeper course for kids aged 13 to 17.

It's the first year the society has offered summer day camps for kids out of its facility at 1395 176 Street.

"Animals have given me so many stories and adventures," he says, looking around proudly.

The centre is located at 1395 176 Street. It's open for tours Monday to Friday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.