Komodo Dragons, Gators At Turtle Back Zoo Will Get $4M Exhibit

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Some cool reptiles at the Turtle Back Zoo are about to get a new home, Essex County officials announced Monday.

Here are some details about each new space, according to a statement from the office of Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr.

ALLIGATORS – "The current alligator exhibit was updated in 2003 and needs to be updated to meet current standards set by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The new exhibit will be designed to resemble a bayou-type shed with a weathered wood surface on the outside. The indoor area will have a pool and the background will be resemble a swampy area. The pool for the alligators will have a split view so visitors will be able to see the animals when they are underwater and floating about the water level. The expanded exhibit will enable Turtle Back Zoo to host two alligators instead of the one it can currently host."

KOMODO DRAGONS – "The Komodo dragon was welcomed in 2012 at Turtle Back Zoo, which at the time was the only zoo in the Tri-State area to have the reptiles on display. The Komodo dragon has been the marquee animal housed in the Reptile Building. The new exhibit will have a southeast Asian theme; the building will have a thatched roof and be landscaped with reeds. There also will be sandy areas which are similar to the native habitat of the Komodo dragon. The expanded space will allow Turtle Back Zoo to increase the number of Komodo dragons on exhibit from one to two."

The new exhibit will be located where the alligator exhibit currently sits. The zoo’s alligator will be temporarily housed at the Bronx Zoo, and the Komodo dragon will remain in the Reptile Building until its new quarters are complete.

According to county officials:

“French and Parrello from Wall received a professional services contract for $376,000 to design the new exhibit. APS Contracting from Paterson was awarded a publicly bid contract for $4,109,800 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works will monitor the project to ensure delays are avoided. This is being funded through the Essex County Capital Budget and a grant from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. It is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2023.”

Improved accommodations for both the alligator and Komodo dragon will enable Turtle Back Zoo to participate in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Program, a breeding program that aims to boost the populations of endangered species, county officials noted.

“This is part of our ongoing initiative to continually enhance accommodations for and care of our animals, meet new animal care standards and provide our visitors unique learning opportunities,” DiVincenzo said.

The county executive said he has proposed naming the new exhibit after Commissioner Patricia Sebold, who has served on the Essex County Board of Commissioners for more than 30 years, and has been a member of the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund since it formed in 1998.

“I never expected something like this,” Sebold said upon learning of the proposal. “This is truly an honor.”

News of the new exhibit also got a thumbs-up from Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz and Turtle Back Zoo Director Jillian Fazio.

“The new habitats we are building with Island Giants demonstrate our commitment to protecting these vulnerable coastal species around the world,” Fazio said. “Our mission is to connect our guests and awake them to the realities that threaten our planet. These new habitats will assist us in the mission.”

DEVELOPMENT AT THE ZOO

Since taking office in 2003, DiVincenzo has spearheaded over $100 million in upgrades to the Turtle Back Zoo.

The projects have included building a new Amazing Asia exhibit featuring Red Pandas and Clouded Leopards, updating the Turtle Back Junction Train Station to enhance public access; developing the African Adventure with four Masai giraffes, lions and hyenas, and South African Penguins; the Drill Family Flamingo Exhibit; Leopard Exhibit; a new Educational Building; the Carousel with 33 figures of endangered animals; the Sea Lion Sound Exhibit with sea lions, sharks and sting rays; the Big Cat Country Exhibit with jaguars and cougars; Tam-ring Gibbons Reserve with white cheeked gibbons apes, Reeves muntjac and white naped cranes; Australian Exhibit that features kangaroos, wallabies, emus and over 500 birds in the Aviary; Reptile and Education Center, open air dining pavilion and playground, Penguin Exhibit, Otter Exhibit, Wolf Exhibit, North American Animal Exhibit, Black Bear Exhibit, Animal Hospital, Essex Farm Petting Zoo and South American Animal Exhibit; renovating the Food Pavilion for year-round use and making upgrades to the entrance as well as fencing and infrastructure to meet AZA requirements.

According to the county executive’s office, funding has been provided through Green Acres grants, existing capital improvement bonds, or donations from the Zoological Society, Essex County Parks Foundation, corporations or private foundations. Corporations that have provided support include Investors Bank, Prudential Financial, Inc., Wells Fargo, PNC Bank, PSE&G, Verizon, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Coca Cola, Capital One Bank, TD Bank, Aramark, Covanta Energy, Matrix Development Group, the family of Ronald Mount and OxyMagic carpet cleaning.

The improvements and new exhibits have seen praise from many residents and fans of the zoo. But the development – and the price tag of the construction – has also sparked fierce backlash from others, who claim it’s a poor use of taxpayer funds and is encroaching on the nearby South Mountain Reservation.

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• See related article: Turtle Back Zoo Construction Continues, But So Does Criticism

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