The roar of dinosaurs greets those coming through the entrance at the Topeka Zoo.
Life-sized, robotic versions of a Triceratops and a Tyrannosaurus rex, teeth bared, can be seen standing off to the left facing each other, their heads and tails moving.
To the right stand replicas of a Dimetrodon and Edaphosaurus.
The reproductions are all part of “Dinosaurs Alive!” an exhibit that kicks off Friday featuring 20 full-sized robotic dinosaurs standing throughout the zoo.
“Travel back in time!” the zoo in Gage Park says on its website promoting the attraction, which will remain open through June 30.
It is part of “Topeka Dino Days,” a series of dinosaur-themed attractions arranged by Visit Topeka Inc., which are expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors to Topeka.
Opening ceremonies for Dinosaurs Alive! had been set to take place Thursday morning, but a snowstorm has forced it to be rescheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Friday at the zoo’s Kay McFarland Japanese Garden.
Man behind display was adviser for ‘Jurassic Park’
The dinosaurs are computerized and scientifically accurate, and were hand-carved out of foam, said “Dino Don” Lessem, CEO and founder of the animatronics company that makes and provides them.
Lessem’s experiences include having directed the excavation and reconstruction of dinosaur bones, written numerous books about dinosaurs and served as an adviser for the creation of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park and the filming of the 1993 movie “Jurassic Park.”
More:See real dinosaur eggs and touch replicas at Discovery Center’s Tiny Titans exhibit
Lessem has been in the business of providing animatronic dinosaurs to zoos since late 2017, he told a Capital-Journal reporter Wednesday at the Topeka Zoo.
Attendance tends to go up by about one-third at zoos where the robotic dinosaurs are displayed, Lessem said.
His dinosaurs can be found this year at 15 zoos in the U.S., four in Europe and one in Hong Kong, he said.
The dinosaurs are accompanied by educational displays that share information about them.
How are the Topeka zoo animals handling the new residents?
Having the dinosaurs bothers the elephants in some zoos, Lessem said.
The dinosaurs haven’t gotten much reaction from the elephants and giraffes at the Topeka Zoo, but the zoo’s Patas Monkeys got upset when they saw a short replica of a Velociraptor being brought into their area, said Fawn Moser, director of zoo operations.
The monkeys “lectured” zoo staff members about that, she said.
More:Here’s how to see ‘Sue,’ the dinosaur skeleton replica, at an exhibit
The staff responded by laying the replica down so it seemed like less of a threat, and also giving the Patas Monkeys food as positive reinforcement, Moser said.
Over time, as the Patas Monkeys got used to the replica’s presence, the zoo staff propped it up, then brought in more replicas, she said.
Eventually, the monkeys became desensitized to the dinosaurs, Moser said.
How much does the dinosaur exhibit cost?
Admission to Dinosaurs Alive! is covered in the cost of admission to the zoo, which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No one may enter after 4:30 p.m.
Tickets to the zoo cost $8.75 for adults; $7.75 for senior citizens age 65 and older; $7.25 for children ages 3 to 12; and free for children 2 and younger.
Admission is free for members of Friends of the Topeka Zoo who show a membership card and photo identification.
The zoo as part of “Dinosaurs Alive!” is also offering educational opportunities at a field camp and a dig site it maintains. For more information, go to the zoo’s website.
Other Dino Days features in Topeka
Other ongoing features of Dino Days include the following.
- An exhibit open through May 1 at the Great Overland Station, 701 N. Kansas Ave., featuring a life-sized replica of Sue, the largest and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered.
- The Dino Days Base Camp, featuring a replica of the skeleton of an Allosaurus, which is open at the Visit Topeka Visitors’ Center at 715 S. Kansas Ave.
- A “Tiny Titans” exhibit, which is to remain open through May 30 at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center in Gage Park, where visitors may sit in a simulated dinosaur nest, examine dinosaur eggs and dress up as a dinosaur.
For more information, go to topekadinodays.com.
Tim Hrenchir can be reached at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.
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