Kallima KALLIMA CONSULTANTS, INC.
Live Invertebrate Exhibits for Zoos, Museums, Botanical Gardens, and Stand-Alone Insect Centers.

Kallima Consultants, Inc.
PO Box 33084
Northglenn, CO 80233-3630, USA
Phone: 720-872-6262 Fax: 720-872-6260
E-mail: kallima@themicrozoo.com

Look at the tarantula

Traditional zoos have emphasized "charismatic megafauna" such as mammals, birds, and reptiles. Invertebrates, however, represent more than 75% of all species on earth. Recently, many zoos and museums have incorporated live arthropods within their facilities. These highly popular displays continue to expand in scope and number, educating the public about these often misunderstood and under-appreciated animals.

For example, live butterfly exhibits are popular attractions around the world. Most people who claim to dislike insects make an exception for butterflies, making them ideal ambassadors for the invertebrate world.

The delicate nature of these animals makes exhibiting them a complex endeavor. Facilities housing living invertebrates for public display must take into account government regulatory issues, containment needs, horticultural needs, lighting, temperature, humidity, and many other factors.

The staff of Kallima Consultants, Inc., through their experience in founding the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center in Westminster, Colorado, and through continued association with similar facilities and colleagues worldwide, remains on the leading edge of invertebrate exhibit technology.

We specialize in:

  • start-up, design, fabrication, and initial operation of live invertebrate displays

  • working closely with the client to develop custom exhibits that fit their specific needs and budget

  • preventing costly architectural mistakes commonly encountered by inexperienced exhibit designers

  • compliance with government regulatory agencies, ever-changing containment guidelines, and import permit regulations

Kallima Consultants, Inc. was founded in June 1998 in response to numerous inquiries from around the world for advice on invertebrate exhibits.

Richard D. Cowan is the former Staff Entomologist and Operations Manager of the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center. In addition to more than 30 years of field experience in working with butterflies and other insects, he is also highly skilled in arthropod exhibit design and fabrication, computer systems, and greenhouse operations. His exhibits are designed to take into account the needs of the animals, the visitors, and the staff that maintains them.

Yvette L. Minjarez-Mueller is the former Senior Aquarist and Zookeeper at the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center, where she developed the highly popular Waters Edge tidepool exhibit. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Biology from the University of Colorado at Denver. Ms. Minjarez-Mueller specializes in multi-species exhibits, with an emphasis in aquatic invertebrate displays. Her current research entails interactive marine display techniques that take into account both visitor experience and animal health.

Michael J. Weissmann, Ph.D. is the co-founder and former Curator of the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center. He received his doctorate in Entomology from Colorado State University and continues to serve as an affiliate faculty member there. He is active in the Terrestrial Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Group of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association and is a member of several professional societies.

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