Construction Of Penguin Point Underway At National Aviary Zoo and Aquarium Visitor News

Construction Of Penguin Point Underway At National Aviary

By Laura Ellis

Pittsburgh, PA - Construction of Penguin Point, the National Aviary’s new 2,300 square-foot African penguin exhibit, is underway and a grand opening celebration is planned for May 23 when the public will see the penguins in their new home for the first time.

Penguin Point will afford up-close, 360-degree views of African penguins swimming, playing, nesting and scaling rocks in an open-air space. A wheelchair accessible Kids ViewTube under the exhibit will offer underwater views of the penguins as they dive, swim and “fly” through the pool, while domed bubbles allow young guests the chance to pop up in the middle of the penguin group.

The $1.7 million exhibit is being designed by Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets, Inc. of St. Louis (PGAV).

“Our penguins are decidedly our most popular residents, but the Aviary has never had a public exhibit space to accommodate them,” says National Aviary executive director Pat Mangus. “Until now, the only opportunity for guests to enjoy these remarkable birds has been through shows and educational presentations. With this new exhibit, visitors will find themselves in the midst of what will feel like an actual penguin colony, with all the arguing, jostling and playing that you would see in the wild.”

The penguin exhibit is the first of 10 new exhibits that are part of a $23 million expansion and renovation of the National Aviary that includes a FliteZoneTM theater for indoor bird shows, a green roof for raptor flight demonstrations, a Café and new classrooms. The National Aviary’s overall reconstruction, including expanded building wings and new façades, is a project of SPRINGBOARD Architecture Communication Design LLC of Pittsburgh; the FliteZoneTM Theater, the Rooftop Raptor Encounter theater and new interior exhibit spaces have been designed by PGAV.

“Creating a penguin exhibit was a priority for us, not only because of the appeal of these birds, but also because of their rapidly declining wild populations,” says National Aviary Board Chair Mike Flinn. “This exhibit will provide a compelling forum for educating visitors about these birds and the need for all of us to take conservation action.”

Penguin Point Fun Facts

Recruiting the team…
The National Aviary is currently home to five penguins: Stanley, Simon, Patrick, Elvis and Sidney – but up to 10 additional penguins will be recruited for the new exhibit.

Penguins in their midst…
Once they enter Penguin Point, guests will find themselves outdoors in the midst of a mini penguin colony where birds dive and torpedo their way through the acrylic-fronted pool. Guests who move to the back of the exhibit will be nearly nose to beak with penguins perched on the rock wall, while those who enter the Kids ViewTube can see the birds’ antics from all directions

So that’s why they call them jackass penguins…
African penguins have several official names, including black-footed penguin and yes, jackass penguin, the latter due to their honking braying call that sounds remarkably like a donkey.

An egg-cellent view…
Penguin Point will include several built-in nesting cubbies. In time, the National Aviary plans to breed select members of the group, and guests will have the opportunity to watch the eggs hatch and the chicks develop. Once hatched, the chicks will be fed regurgitated food by both parents.

0-0-Penguin: The Ocean is Not Enough
In the 1920s there were over one million African penguins in existence. Today there are only about 100,000 of these birds left in the wild, and African penguins are poised to be placed on the Endangered Species List. Over fishing, loss of nesting sites and pollution due to human population growth, together with chronic oil spills, are the main causes of their ongoing, rapid decline. The National Aviary is a participant in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) African Penguin Species Survival Plan, a carefully monitored breeding program that seeks to preserve healthy, genetically diverse populations of African penguins.

For more information, call 412.323.7235 or visit www.aviary.org.

About the National Aviary
The National Aviary is America’s only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated exclusively to birds. Located on Pittsburgh’s historic North Side, the National Aviary’s diverse collection comprises more than 600 birds from around the world, many of them threatened or endangered in the wild. The National Aviary’s large walk-through exhibits allow for intimate, up-close interactions between visitors and free-flying birds, including opportunities to hand-feed and meet many species rarely found in zoos anywhere else in the world. Programming includes indoor and outdoor free-flight bird shows, preschool and children’s activities, and educational presentations

National Aviary
700 Arch Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
www.aviary.org / 412.323.7235

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Irresponsible Board of Management

Maybe , just maybe The Toronto Zoo Board Is In The Middle Of A Financial Crisis And There Is No Place To Go But To City Council like a wayward son go to Mom and Dad for more money...

Although it was made clear by Shelley Carroll (the City's Budget Chief) that the Toronto Zoo has to behave more financially responsible, perhaps the problem is that there is no place else to go. The $250 Million fund-raising plans are a pipe dream (especially after firing the Zoo Foundation), it is not possible to raise admission prices any longer (or face a significant drop in attendance) and the "junkets" (especially to China for the Giant Pandas) by members of the Zoo Board can not be cut significantly for any reason. In other words, there is no place to go but City Council. What a crock! The Toronto Zoo Board needs a reality check, as it has become clear that they do not understand the problems they are facing. Perhaps the thousands of free Zoo passes given to Councillors on the Zoo Board could be cut to zero, perhaps the Zoo Foundation could be re-instated, and perhaps a citizen's advisory committee could be formed to provide much-needed guidance to the existing members of the Board.

This is Proof positive

that citizens should have more direct say in the budget process. Line item veto by a citizen's budget committee might get the desired cuts we must attain. The citizens of Toronto should stand with one voice that we just won't allow a property tax increase this year.

By Latinoboy in TORONTO

Ethyl Mercaptan

I would be quite interested in any reference you might have to the presence of ethyl mercaptan in carrion. Most literature indicates that dimethyl sulfide and methyl mercaptan are the sulfur containing entities involved. I had also thought that vultures, like many carrion eating and inhabiting species (flies, etc) were attracted to the rather bad smell of the nitrogenous materials (cadaverine, putresceine, etc) produced during decomposition.

Ant farms

Very nice ant exhibit! I wrote a small ant farm post with a reference to your article.

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Happy Birthday, Boomer!

You are a great ambassador for your cousins in the wild, Boomer!

Orangutans are critically endangered because of rapid deforestation and the expansion of palm oil plantations.

If nothing is done to protect orangutans, they could be extinct in just a few years!

Your fans can visit the Orangutan Outreach website to make a difference!

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Reach out and save the orangutans!
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Venemous snakes?

What is it with people that want to exterminate venemous snakes? If they weren't an integral part of the food chain and ecosystem, they wouldn't be here! Evolution and natural selection has chosen them as survivors! The fact that they are "harmful" to humans is only a result of humans encroaching on their territories and habitats. Be mindful of your surroundings and situation and you can safely live with the so called "harmful" species that we share this planet with!

Local wildlife day

Good luck with the event. We have some fabulous wildlife in Devon that's really worth celebrating. We recently had a botanical survey of our small Devon nature reserve, which recorded more than 180 species in about 3.5 acres. And even more amazing was the depth of local knowledge the visiting naturalists had to share - on everything from obscure moths to lichens.

Local wildlife day

Sadly, a lack of common sense is the trend

What is sad to me is the lack of common sense regarding venomous snakes that seems to becoming more commonplace.

It has become trendy for government agencies to defend venomous snakes, saying they kill rodents, etc., but non-venomous snakes also kill rodents. I have not heard one logical argument as to what a venomous snake contributes to an ecosystem that a non-venomous snake doesn't.

Any non-biased biologist can affirm species extinction has always happened naturally. It's common sense to kill a venomous snake, rather than let it continue breeding and increase the potential for harm.

The unfortunate consequence of naturalists defending venomous snakes is they make them appear so necessary and harmless that both people and agencies--hospitals, for example--do not expect or prepare for snake encounters.

It's doubtful that many hospitals near the snakes stock the expensive antivenin. Governments should help fund snakebite treatment rather than fund snake protection.

Skype Usage

Very cool and novel way to use Skype. Glad to see that people are thinking outside the box with its collaborative application. If it's not too late, you may want to submit this to Skype as a good use of their software for the Skype in business contest they're running.

Shawn
OnState Communications

Word Oceans Day - June 8

And don't forget to "Wear Blue and Tell Two"

Another great way to celebrate World Oceans Day is to wear blue in honor of the ocean and tell people two things they likely don't know about the ocean and two ways they can take action. For more Information check out this website:

WorldOceansDay

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