Animals are coming to Philadelphia International Airport

If the airport hasn’t been enough of a zoo for you already, just wait until you see the wild animals that have started appearing in the terminal.

The Philadelphia Zoo and Philadelphia International Airport are partnering for monthly visits from animals, including armadillos, tortoises, and skinks.

The program started in 2019 but was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, returning to a regular schedule last month.

Each month, animal ambassadors from the Philadelphia Zoo will display animals for travelers across from the food court between terminals B and C. Animals you might see include Camilla, a 24-year-old three-banded armadillo; Rhonda, a 36-year-old radiated tortoise; and Bili, a 23-year-old prehensile-tailed skink.

“It’s always fun seeing people’s expressions because it’s so unexpected and delightful,” said airport director of guest experience Leah Douglas.

Winter and spring appearances will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. one Thursday each month, starting on Jan. 19. Additional dates include Feb. 16, March 16, April 6, and May 11. If you don’t have a flight on those dates, both the zoo and the airport will feature the visits on their Instagram pages.

“The biggest takeaway from this experience is that animals are a universal good,” said the zoo’s director of mission integration, Dani Hogan. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you do — seeing a live animal just enjoying themselves in a surprising way is such a genuinely good thing for people to experience.”