West Orange, NJ – After completing renovations, the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo re-opened its popular Tom-Ring Gibbons Exhibit on Friday, August 21.
In announcing a ribbon cutting for the new exhibit, Essex County Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. said the gibbons exhibit, which originally opened in 2009, received a “comprehensive facelift to its interior and exterior exhibit areas and new netting enclosure.”
According to a news release from DiVincenzo’s office, it is part of the county executive’s ongoing initiative to revitalize Turtle Back Zoo, provide the most up-to-date accommodations for animals, and maintain the facility as an educational and recreational destination.
“It’s hard to imagine that we opened the Gibbons Exhibit 17 years ago. When it was first unveiled, it became a popular attraction immediately because of the energy and athleticism of our gibbons,” DiVincenzo said. “It was time to update the exhibit because much of the equipment was showing signs of regular wear and tear. The upgrades will ensure the safety of our animals and provide them with the most up-to-date conditions.”
Turtle Back Zoo Director Dr. Jillian Fazio thanked DiVincenzo for “always supporting the zoo with new exhibits and improvements that benefit our animals.”
“The improvements made to our Gibbons Exhibit are at our core principle of promoting animal health and welfare,” Fazio said.
Improvements made to the exhibit include:
- The wire safety mesh that enclosed the exhibit was replaced because of regular wear and tear on the material.
- Replacement of features inside the exhibit, including the climbing tower, pergola, viewing windows, columns and gates.
- Expansion of the interior exhibit area with updated lighting and ventilation systems and climbing features.
According the news release, 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.
Turtle Back Zoo is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults, $19 for senior citizens over 62 and children ages 2 to 12, and free for children under 2. For more information, visit www.essexcountynj.org/turtlebackzoo or call 973-731-5800.
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. (center), cutting the ceremonial ribbon with (from left) Katie Fernandez from AB Contracting, Assistant County Engineer Willie Derricotte, Mike Piga from French and Parrello, Andrew Bizbub from AB Contracting, Deputy Parks Director Kate Hartwyk, Commissioner President Carlos Pomares, Turtle Back Zoo Director Dr. Jillian Fazio, Assistant County Engineer Xander Costa, County Engineer and Public Works Director Sanjeev Varghese and Assistant County Engineers Joel Diaz and Rasheed Yusuf. (Photo by Priscilla Mikulewicz)
