Cape Fear Serpentarium Reviews (2024)

FAQs

Why did Cape Fear Serpentarium close? ›

The serpentarium reopened last fall after Ripa's death under Beard's direction but closed in March after the N.C. Wildlife Commission deemed the business' owner, Ripa's 4-year-old son, was the owner and did not have the right permits to handle the deadly snakes on display.

The most exotic reptile facility in the country. Live exhibits of the world's rarest and deadliest reptiles all under one roof. Giant constrictors, venomous snakes, crocodiles, lizards, dragons and more...

About a year after Ripa's death, the attraction permanently closed, and the property was put up for private sale after a petition was filed in New Hanover County Superior Court last spring on behalf of the Ripas' son. The property went under contract in December.

Cape Fear Serpentarium closes permanently

WILMINGTON, N.C. - A Port City attraction filled with reptiles and venomous snakes is closed. In a recent Facebook post the Cape Fear Serpentarium announced it will say goodbye to the snake and reptile exhibit. They say the building on Orange and Water Streets is up for sale.

Ripa, 60, was found shot to death at his home on on May 13, 2017. His wife, Regina Ripa, was charged with first-degree murder in his death and is awaiting trial. Dean Ripa opened the 10,000 square-foot seprentarium in 2011 on Orange Street in Wilmington.

Cape Fear River Watch monitors recreational areas in the Cape Fear River Basin and its tributaries for E. coli and Enterococci. These pathogens are present in the gut of warm-blooded animals and humans and can pose health risks for recreators in the water.

Serpentarium on South Dixie Highway in Miami opened in 1947 and hosted 50,000 visitors a year until closing in 1984.

The zoo's animal care and animal health teams discovered a tumor that was impacting the anaconda's quality of life and determined that it couldn't be safely removed. The teams "made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize this beloved snake," the zoo said.

But most experts believe the pythons established a reproducing population in the Everglades sometime after Hurricane Andrew—a category 5 storm that devastated the state in August 1992. It was during that storm that a python breeding facility was destroyed, releasing countless snakes into the nearby swamps.

Alligators are concentrated in the lower Cape Fear and Neuse River Valleys.

What happened to Larry Dean Ripa? ›

They found Larry Dean Ripa, 60, suffering from a severe gunshot wound Saturday afternoon. He died on the scene from the injury. Officers with the Wilmington Police Department later arrested Regina Ripa, 40, for the murder of her husband.

While progress has been made in those areas, the biggest challenges facing the Cape Fear River today are polluted runoff from growing urban centers and agricultural operations made worse by the impacts of climate change creating huge flooding events and historic droughts, new and emerging unregulated chemical ...

Swan at the time. The Cape Fear Lighthouse was replaced in 1958 by the powerful Oak Island Lighthouse. The Cape Fear lighthouse was then demolished because it was believed that if the deactivated tower remained standing it could confuse mariners.

Sam handcuffs Max to a railing and gets off the boat before it falls apart. Sam and Max fight on the remains of the boat, Max laughing hysterically. Before Sam can kill him, the boat sinks, taking Max with it. The family regroups, and Danielle narrates the ending.

The Cape Fear Estuary—a 35-mile section of the river between Wilmington and the Atlantic Ocean—features saline waters that are important habitats and breeding grounds for many saltwater animals, including fish, crabs, and shrimp. The estuary is also part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.