Turtle Back Zoo Starts Work On $6M Penguin Exhibit

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The African penguins at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange will soon have a new, 4,300 square foot habitat to call home.

On Wednesday, county officials and zoo staff held a groundbreaking ceremony to commemorate the soon-to-come “Shores of Africa Penguin Exhibit.” 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 described the new 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."

Turtle Back Zoo Director Michael Kerr said that relocating the African penguin colony is a fitting move.

"We have added nest-burrows for our penguins to raise chicks in, fitted with cameras for our keepers to monitor the chicks," Kerr said. "Our guests will have the opportunity to see these birds behave just like would in the wild. With underwater viewing, guests can watch penguins swim among Zebra sharks and even hunt for their own fish. With plans to add even more birds to our flock, we now will have an exhibit and colony that will sustain itself for years to come."

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.

Work started in July and is set to be completed by the spring of 2018.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. shared photos from the groundbreaking ceremony on social media.

The new penguin exhibit will take its place among several new animal attractions recently constructed at the Turtle Back Zoo.

In June, the zoo opened the Ronald J. Mount Lion and Hyena Exhibit, a $3.6 million, half-acre habitat that includes a two-foot pool and exposed rock formation, a heated stone patio to attract the lions, three public viewing stations and a heated, one-story building that is “designed to resemble an old North African fortress.”

• See related article: Turtle Back Zoo Opens Lion, Hyena Exhibit

In April, the zoo opened two, new habitats that gave new digs to its Andean Condors, Giant Anteaters and Maned Wolves.

• See related article: Turtle Back Zoo Has 3 New Animals (PHOTOS)

In April of 2016, the zoo renovated its Prairie Dog exhibit, including new concrete walkways around the exhibit and six-foot high glass walls.

• See related article: Renovated Prairie Dog Exhibit Opens At Turtle Back Zoo

Last year, the zoo opened a long-heralded, $7 million giraffe exhibit that included four Masai giraffes, eland, whistling ducks, ostrich and tortoises. Officials said that the exhibit - located in the southern part of the zoo behind the Animal Hospital and Train Station – includes giraffes that were born in the United States and come from other zoos in Florida, South Carolina and San Diego.

• See related article: Turtle Back Zoo Opens $7M Giraffe Exhibit In West Orange

Sadly, one of the zoo’s giraffes, Hodari, died from complications suffered during a medical procedure in June.

• See related article: Turtle Back Zoo’s Beloved Giraffe Dies; Exhibited ‘Strange Behavior,’ Staff Says

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Photos: Essex County Executive Joe Divincenzo Jr., Facebook

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