Rostov-on-Don opens largest in Russia park of butterflies

As stated by Sergey Trifonov, director general of the Limited Liability Company (LLC) "Barbos" - the Rostov park of live butterflies, the park opened in Rostov-on-Don is the first in the south of Russia and the largest in the country. In the first two days of its work, the park was visited by about 500 persons.

"We'll contact tourist companies," said Mr Trifonov, "to bring tourists coming to Rostov-on-Don to our park. In Europe and Asia such parks are rather widespread and very popular."

The park was built as a greenhouse, where tropical birds and butterflies reproduce and fly freely. The terrariums are inhabited by scorpions, spiders, snakes and other representatives of tropical fauna.

The centre of the hall is occupied by the insectarium; where visitors can see cocoons, brought, according to the director general, by partners from South Africa, Southeast Asia and South America.

Visitors of the park try to view butterflies from near. Some of them sit down right on visitors' heads causing delight of the public, especially of children.

The park also has aquariums with reptiles - mini-anacondas, a chameleon, spiders-bird-eaters and an Australian dragon lizard. Small pools are full of turtles. Here, we can see a sectioned live ant hill.