Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Otter Exhibit at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo – TAPinto.net

West Orange, NJ — Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. officially dedicated the new Otter Exhibit at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo last week. According to a press release, “The exhibit was completely overhauled with modern infrastructure, improved viewing areas for the public and water features for the otters. The project is part of the County Executive’s ongoing initiative to continually enhance the care of the animals and the learning experiences of visitors.”

The exhibit was renovated in the same location that it occupied before, now featuring glass walls for better public viewing, new landscaping inside the exhibit and a new water filtration system. 

DiVincenzo spoke of maintaining and updating the zoo. “We are continually looking at ways to improve Turtle Back Zoo, so it remains an educational resource and destination for families. We needed to update the Otter Exhibit because of its aging infrastructure and changing AZA requirements,” DiVincenzo said.

Board of Commissioners Vice President Carlos Pomares noted, “This new exhibit is another opportunity to raise the notch a little higher at Turtle Back Zoo. On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, we look forward to partnering with the County Executive on future projects.” Commissioners Patricia Sebold and Len Luciano were also in attendance.

Turtle Back Zoo Director Jilian Fazio explained, “Otters love to play and swim, and opening this exhibit shows our visitors that learning about the environment and animals can be fun.”

Zoological Society of New Jersey Executive Director Adam Kerins shared, “I remember when the County Executive partnered with Prudential to update the original Otter Exhibit and now here we are again making sure the exhibit continues to meet high standards. Because of the attention the County Executive has given to Turtle Back, we have become the number one zoo in New Jersey.” 

DiVincenzo’s office reported, “French and Parrello engineers from Wall were awarded a professional services contract for $75,000 to design the new exhibit. AB Contracting from Wharton was awarded a publicly bid contract for $1,280,175 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works monitored the project to ensure delays were avoided. The exhibit was funded through the Essex County Capital Budget.”

Turtle Back Zoo is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $17 for adults, $14 for senior citizens over 62 and children ages 2 to 12, and free for children under 2. To promote social distancing, tickets must be purchased in advance at https://turtlebackzoo.com/admission-hours/. For more information, visit www.essexcountynj.org/turtlebackzoo or call 973-731-5800.