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Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Will Open its New Magellanic Penguin Exhibit, Tuxedo Coast March 5
Jacksonville, FL - The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will officially open its new Magellanic penguin exhibit, Tuxedo Coast, on Friday, March 5, 2010. The opening of Tuxedo Coast will officially begin at 10:30 a.m., and the public is invited to come see these penguins in action. Known for their diving and fishing skills, these penguins are sure to please both children and adults alike. Visitors to the new exhibit will be able to watch these penguins as they dive, fish and swim in their new home. Penguin-themed entertainment, activities and prizes will make for a festive weekend for Zoo-goers. Admission to Tuxedo Coast is included in the price of the regular Zoo admission ticket. “We are so excited to finally let the public experience Tuxedo Coast. Much hard work and time has been put in to making this exhibit ready for our new penguins, and we at the Zoo hope that visitors will come away with a wonderful experience and a deeper understanding of the Magellanic penguins,” said Tony Vecchio, Executive Director of Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Magellanic penguins are not the type of penguins one might expect. They come from South America and can be found off the coasts of Argentina, the Falkland Islands and Chile. They are one of the few species classified as “Temperate-weather penguins.” These particular penguins that can be seen at the Zoo were hatched in the San Francisco Zoo and then transported to the Jacksonville Zoo. There are five males and three females and range in size from 24 to 30 inches tall. Tuxedo Coast has been built to help the penguins feel as comfortable as possible at the Zoo. The updated 2,800 square-foot exhibit was originally the home of the river otters and has since undergone extensive renovation, which cost the Zoo over $160,000. The exhibit was designed to as closely resemble the penguins’ natural habitat as possible. Visitors can expect to see the open, arid and rocky environment that Magellanic penguins in the wild are accustomed to. Tuxedo Coast features a 12,000-gallon diving tank for the penguins to continue their active lifestyle of diving and fishing. Because Magellanic penguins are prone to mosquito-borne diseases, the addition of a large screen covering the area has been put in place to protect the penguins from mosquitoes. Other additions to Tuxedo Coast include a misting and cooling system as well as water that will stay under 60 degrees to ensure the penguins’ ultimate comfort. “We at the Jacksonville Zoo are especially honored to give these Magellanic penguins a home since they have now been put on the Near-threatened List by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is estimated that over 40,000 of these penguins die every year because of commercial fishing, hunting and the oil industry. Our hope with this exhibit is to both help re-populate the species and also give our visitors a greater understanding of the situation the Magellanic penguins are experiencing,” said Geneve Darnell, supervisor of birds at Jacksonville Zoo. For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). For more information on the Zoo, log on to http://www.jacksonvillezoo.org . To view Jacksonville Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-97-Jacksonville_Zoo_and_Gardens |
By Gina Stiles
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Unusual to have three snow leopard cubs
Congratulations to ABQ BioPark and the proud cat parents on the birth of three snow leopard cubs. That's fantastic news and we look forward to these three playing an important role in snow leopard survival breeding and also helping educate people about their endangered cousins in the wild.
Snow leopards live in some of the most extreme environments on earth - in high altitudes and freezing temperatures. If we don't do a lot of work with communities and governments in snow leopards 12 range countries, these beautiful cats may be extinct in the wild in our life time.
Sibylle Noras
Founder and Publisher
“Saving Snow Leopards” website. See how conservationists and zoos are working to help these rare and elusive cats avoid extinction.
http://www.snowleopardblog.com
Love penguin fluffballs.
I especially liked if you go to the zoo's homepage and click on the info about naming the baby, the winner says she'd like to be able to tell her dad that a penguin was named after him for his birthday. Adorable!
If you have any interest in reading a new blog, featuring conservation of adorable animals and their habitats, please check out my website...
Conservation:Cute
http://conservationcute.blogspot.com/
Thanks!
World Oceans Day
For more information about World Oceans Day and a list of other events in your area you can visit www.WorldOceansDay.org
Elephants
Asome news on the new baby! I agree with everyone here on the fact that animals should not be in captivation. If you want to check out a really cool place in Thailand where you can care for elephants check out http://www.elephantstay.com this place is a sanctuary for retired working elephants, it's an amazing place and they do so much good for the animals who live there. I went a few months ago and it was amazing.
Kimberly Juchnowski
Publisher, http://www.tikikiki.com
zoo animal diet's
It's ridiculous to try extrapolate zoo animals diet to human beings, and it flies in the face of all science of the last 30 years that looked into nutrition and health research. Maybe Rudy Socha was being sarcastic? I hope so.
response to starseed
I fully agree with you when it comes to the captivity of orcas. These animals live considerably shorter, unhealthier lives than they normally would have in the wild. I am disgusted by what I have seen at Sea World. They claim to be trying to educate people on the animals when really it is all nothing but a circus with the animals being made to perform to attract customers. I am a little more on the fence however when it comes to some other species of dolphins, such as the ones they keep at Vancouver Aquarium. While I do not support the capture of wild dolphins, I do recognize the fact that there are species that actually live longer and perhaps healthier lives in captivity than in the wild. One of the neat things at the Vancouver Aquarium is that none of the dolphins were captured for the purpose of entertainment: they were all animals that were rescued after getting caught and injured in fishing nets and are unable to return to the wild due to their injuries. I have seen the shows and the aquarium are truly focused more on educating visitors than trying to entertain them at the animals' expense.
Christian's Award
I know that Christian is dedicated to her aquarium job and to the rehab of sea turtles. I am proud of her.
Dry Tortugas National Park
The seashore, our accredited Summer Learning Adventure Camps merge scientific exploration Dry Tortugas National Park with hands-on fun and learning. Campers investigate marine habitats, create ocean art projects, learn about careers in oceanography, and combine the science and sports of surfing and snorkeling, all while making new friends and memories.
hey
http://www.deafmatching.com is an online community for deaf, ASL and hearing-impaired friends and singles!
Have fun with photos, message boards, chat, blog and more.
Don't support it anymore
I think we should move on from having dolphins in captivity now - we all know this isn't good for them.
diabetes
diabetes
pacaya samiria national reserve
The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is a magical place. The flora, fauna, remoteness and beauty are exquisite. Another interesting aspect is how the indigenous people there live. To learn more and see photos taken by indigenous children in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, you can visit ninosdelaamazonia.org
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