A staffer works on finishing details inside the Rainforest gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

Shannon Zimmerman, curator of conservation and welfare, walks past the entrance signage in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A school of lookdown fish swim by as a staffer works on finishing details at the tropical reef inside the Ocean gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A staffer works on finishing details at the tropical reef inside the Ocean gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

“Izzy” the two-toed sloth explores her new habitat inside the Rainforest gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A staffer watches a pair of prevost squirrels play inside the Swamp gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A pincushion sea urchin at the tropical reef inside the Ocean gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A pair of prevost squirrels play inside the Swamp gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A burrowing owl eyes visitors inside the Swamp gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

Baby alligators eye visitors inside the Swamp gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

Staffers inventory marine rocks at the touch pool inside the Ocean gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A staffer works on finishing details inside the Rainforest gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

“Izzy” the two-toed sloth enjoys a snack inside the Rainforest gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

Staffers work on finishing details inside the Swamp gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

Staffers inventory marine rocks at the touch pool inside the Ocean gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

“Izzy” the two-toed sloth gets a snack from caretakers inside the Rainforest gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A staffer works on finishing details at the tropical reef inside the Ocean gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A staffer works on finishing details inside the Rainforest gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

VIPS get a second-story view of the Rainforest gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A school of lookdown fish swim by as a staffer works on finishing details at the tropical reef inside the Ocean gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A baby bonnethead shark swims by at the tropical reef inside the Ocean gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A staffer works on finishing details at the tropical reef inside the Ocean gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

A second-story view of the Rainforest gallery in the new “Life” exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, Thursday, April 4, ahead of next week’s soft-opening to the public. The $13.5 million expansion will include 300 animals from 100 species, presented in the three ecology zones of a rainforest, a swamp and the ocean. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)