The Houston Zoo has pulled out all the stops for its remarkable new ‘Galápagos Islands’ exhibit. Its cutting-edge immersive experience that which features a colony of Humboldt Penguins has finally opened! [Featured image: @houstonzoo]
As a part of its Keeping Our World Wild Centennial Capital campaign plan, the Houston Zoo’s six-year, multi-phase project comprises of 2.5 aces of new public spaces, amenities, and expositions that include its transformative Galápagos Islands exhibit.
The first-of-its-kind $70 million exhibit illustrates the rich environmental landscape as well as the diversity of endemic species found on the Galápagos Islands.
New features include an underwater tunnel, molten lava tubes, a viewing pond, sea cave, and a new 190,000-gallon aquarium, and ocean gallery with residents that aren’t limited to sharks, rays, giant sea turtles, giant tortoises, blue iguanas and more.
Notably, the zoo has welcomed penguins to its residency for the first time, Humboldt Penguins, that is. In part with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan (SSP), 10 – 15 Humboldt Penguins are housed in a climate-controlled environment protected from potentially infectious mosquitos. Word of note, Humboldt Penguins are native Chile and Peru where temperatures are comparable the Houston summer heat.
The transformations and exhibits that debuted on April 7 are part of the Zoo’s conservation efforts and education of threats facing Galápagos Islands and oceanic wildlife.
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