$6M Penguin Exhibit At Turtle Back Zoo ‘Getting Close’

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A new, $6 million penguin habitat at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo is nearing completion.

Zoo workers recently filled the pool of the new penguin exhibit with water and are "getting close" to opening the habitat, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. stated on Facebook earlier this week.

Essex County officials released details about the soon-to-come “Shores of Africa Penguin Exhibit” last summer. (Read more here) The new, $6 million habitat will be located near the zoo's giraffes, lions and hyenas.

• See related article: New Jersey's Turtle Back Zoo Opens Lion, Hyena Exhibit

Here's how Essex County officials previously described the exhibit:

"A 4,200-square-foot building is being constructed to house the indoor exhibit. The interior will be designed with fabricated rock walls and a 30,000-gallon salt water pool to simulate the penguins' natural habitat off the southern African coast. The rock walls will have nest-burrows to encourage breeding among the penguins. The size of the exhibit will enable Turtle Back to increase the penguin colony to 30 from 12. It will be designed with a synthetic thatched roof and be landscaped so it is integrated into the African Adventure section."

In addition:

"A new walkway connecting the Shores of Africa exhibit with the lion and hyena exhibit to the north and the Giraffe House to the south will be created. Visitors will be able to view the penguins from three different levels inside the building: A regular view from ground level, a below grade area to see the penguins swim underwater and an elevated area to watch the penguins from above. Glass walls in front of the exhibit space will ensure there are no obstructions. Other animal species also will be introduced into the exhibit, including sharks and small monkeys."

The Penguin Coast exhibit, the animals' current home across from the Savanna Café, was upgraded in 2008. It's not large enough to accommodate a larger penguin colony and will be re-purposed to feature flamingos, county officials stated.

French and Parrello from Wall received a $235,000 contract to design the Shores of Africa exhibit. Terminal Construction from Wood-Ridge was awarded a publicly-bid contract for $5,989,996 to build the attraction.

The exhibit is being funded with grants from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund, the NJ Green Acres program and the Zoological Society of New Jersey and with funds from the Essex County Capital Budget, county officials said.

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Photo: Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr.