Renovated Prairie Dog Exhibit Opens At Turtle Back Zoo

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Let there be prairie dogs.

Last week, Essex County officials announced that renovations to the Prairie Dog Exhibit at the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange are complete and that interactive attraction is reopened to the public.

The exhibit has received a “comprehensive facelift,” including new concrete walkways around the exhibit, installing new six-foot high glass walls around the animal area to provide “unobstructed views” of the prairie area, new split-wood fencing around the perimeter of the exhibit and a small sitting area for children, county officials stated.

Ultimately, the renovations will help enhance visitors’ viewing perspective, county officials said.

French & Parrello from Wall designed the upgrades under an existing contract. Shauger Property Services from East Orange was awarded a publicly bid contract for $400,817 to perform the construction work.

Funding was provided through a grant from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund, and construction took about four months, officials said.

“Prairie dogs are iconic American animals,” Turtle Back Zoo Director Brint Spencer said. “The changes made to update this exhibit create great opportunities for the public to view these animals up close.”

File Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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