Zebras, Bongos And Gibbons: New Updates At Turtle Back Zoo In Essex County

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Essex County recently announced updates at the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange involving three animals: zebras, bongos and gibbons.

Officials say there are plans in the works to build a “hoof stock” barn, an indoor housing facility built for animals with hooves. The addition of the barn will enable the animal collection in the African Adventure to be diversified with zebras and additional bongos.

The barn will provide indoor space for the zebras and bongos and will help facilitate the breeding of the bongos as per animal care requirements set by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The zebras and bongos will be on exhibit with the giraffes.

Turtle Back Zoo director Jilian Fazio said that out of the few remaining bongos surviving in the world – two of them live in Essex County. Having the new barn will enable the zoo to participate in another species survival plan with the AZA, she added.

“Our African Adventure Exhibit is our largest mixed species exhibit, and we are excited to make that even more diversified,” Fazio said. “This will be an opportunity for our visitors to reconnect with nature while we continue to protect and conserve wildlife from around the world.”

The county released the following funding details about the new project:

“French and Parrello from Wall was awarded a professional services contract for $671,250 to design the new barn. Tsivicos Enterprises from Neptune was awarded a publicly bid contract for $7,881,723 to construct the barn. Legacy Construction Management from Wall was awarded a $316,110 contract to monitor the project and provide construction management services. The project is being funded with grants from the NJ Green Acres program and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund.”

Construction began in July, and is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2027.

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GIBBON EXHIBIT REOPENS

Essex County also recently announced another project at the Turtle Back Zoo: the reopening of its Tam-Ring Gibbons Exhibit.

The exhibit, which originally opened in 2009, received a facelift to its interior and exterior exhibit areas and new netting enclosure.

According to the county, the wire safety mesh that enclosed the exhibit was replaced because of regular wear and tear on the material. Features inside the exhibit, including the climbing tower, pergola, viewing windows, columns and gates were replaced. The interior exhibit area was enlarged and updated with new lighting and ventilation systems and climbing features.

French and Parrello Engineers from Wall was awarded a professional services contract for $168,800 to design the improvements. AB Contracting from Wharton was awarded a publicly bid contract for $1,703,456 to perform the construction work.

The upgrades were funded with grants from the New Jersey Green Acres program and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund.

“It was time to update the exhibit because much of the equipment was showing signs of regular wear and tear,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“The upgrades will ensure the safety of our animals and provide them with the most up-to-date conditions,” he added.

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