08 Nov ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR THE NEW ISLAND GIANTS EXHIBIT FEATURING ALLIGATORS AND KOMODO DRAGONS AT ESSEX COUNTY TURTLE BACK ZOO County Executive Announces Proposal to Name Exhibit in Honor of Longtime County Commissioner and Open Space Trust Fund Member Patricia Sebold
Published on November 8, 2022
West Orange, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced plans for a new Island Giants exhibit featuring alligators and Komodo dragons at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo on Monday, November 7th. The exhibit is being created to provide enhanced indoor and outdoor spaces for the animals. The County Executive also announced he is proposing to name the exhibit in honor of Commissioner Patricia Sebold, who has served on the Board of Commissioners for over 30 years and has been a member of the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund since it formed in 1998.
“The new exhibit will enable us to provide more indoor and outdoor spaces for our alligators and Komodo dragons and create a more dynamic year-round experience for our visitors to see the animals. This is part of our ongoing initiative to continually enhance accommodations for and care of our animals, meet new animal care standards and provide our visitors unique learning opportunities,” DiVincenzo said. “I want to make sure that the people who have given so much to Essex County are recognized for their contributions. Pat is deserving of this honor because of the solid representation she has given to the people of Essex County as a Commissioner and Advisory Board member,” he added.
“Joe always thinks of wonderful projects for Essex County. This is going to be a marvelous exhibit,” said Sebold, who was surprised by DiVincenzo’s announcement that the exhibit would be named after her. “I never expected something like this. This is truly an honor,” she said.
“When we entered the zoo on the way here, I noticed the droves of people who came out today. But this is how it is every day. The zoo has become part of our families’ staycations. The most important accomplishment is that a visit to the zoo plants a seed for the next generation and the exhibits the County Executive is creating helps us understand our connection to nature and the importance of conservation,” Senate Majority Leader and Deputy Chief of Staff Teresa Ruiz said.
“The World of Water is the thematic area of the zoo that allows u to highlight some of the species and ecosystems most influenced by water. It provides a platform for us to discuss the importance of water conservation to our planet’s health and survival,” Turtle Back Zoo Director Jillian Fazio said. “The new habitats we are building with Island Giants demonstrate our commitment to protecting these vulnerable coastal species around the world. Our mission is to connect our guests and awake them to the realities that threaten our planet. These new habitats will assist us in the mission,” she added.
The current alligator exhibit was updated in 2003 and needs to be updated to meet current standards set by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The new exhibit will be designed to resemble a bayou-type shed with a weathered wood surface on the outside. The indoor area will have a pool and the background will be resemble a swampy area. The pool for the alligators will have a split view so visitors will be able to see the animals when they are underwater and floating about the water level. The expanded exhibit will enable Turtle Back Zoo to host two alligators instead of the one it can currently host.
The Komodo dragon was welcomed in 2012 at Turtle Back Zoo, which at the time was the only zoo in the Tri-State area to have the reptiles on display. The Komodo dragon has been the marquee animal housed in the Reptile Building. The new exhibit will have a southeast Asian theme; the building will have a thatched roof and be landscaped with reeds. There also will be sandy areas which are similar to the native habitat of the Komodo dragon. The expanded space will allow Turtle Back Zoo to increase the number of Komodo dragons on exhibit from one to two.
Improved accommodations for both the alligator and Komodo dragon will enable Turtle Back Zoo to participate in the AZA’s Species Survival Program, which is a breeding program to strengthen the populations of endangered species.
The new exhibit will be located where the current alligator exhibit is situated. Turtle Back’s alligator will be temporarily housed at the Bronx Zoo while the Komodo dragon will remain in the Reptile Building until its new quarters are complete.
French and Parrello from Wall received a professional services contract for $376,000 to design the new exhibit. APS Contracting from Paterson was awarded a publicly bid contract for $4,109,800 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works will monitor the project to ensure delays are avoided. This is being funded through the Essex County Capital Budget and a grant from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. It is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2023.
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.
Essex County Turtle Back Zoo has roared back to life from the verge of closure by a previous administration. Attendance reached an all-time high of 907,522 in 2017 and the zoo has operated as a self-sustaining facility with revenue collected exceeding operating expenses. In addition, Turtle Back is accredited by American Humane, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Zoological Association of American, a clear indication that an institution is committed to the highest standards in animal care, ethics, conservation and education. It also has been named the Best Zoo in New Jersey by NJ Monthly magazine four times and received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor.com three times.
Revitalizing Essex County Turtle Back Zoo
Since taking office in 2003, DiVincenzo has spearheaded over $100 million in upgrades to Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, which have included creating a new Amazing Asia exhibit featuring Red Pandas and Clouded Leopards, updating the Turtle Back Junction Train Station to enhance public access; developing the African Adventure with four Masai giraffes, lions and hyenas, and South African Penguins; the Drill Family Flamingo Exhibit; Leopard Exhibit; a new Educational Building; the Carousel with 33 figures of endangered animals; the Sea Lion Sound Exhibit with sea lions, sharks and sting rays; the Big Cat Country Exhibit with jaguars and cougars; Tam-ring Gibbons Reserve with white cheeked gibbons apes, Reeves muntjac and white naped cranes; Australian Exhibit that features kangaroos, wallabies, emus and over 500 birds in the Aviary; Reptile and Education Center, open air dining pavilion and playground, Penguin Exhibit, Otter Exhibit, Wolf Exhibit, North American Animal Exhibit, Black Bear Exhibit, Animal Hospital, Essex Farm Petting Zoo and South American Animal Exhibit; renovating the Food Pavilion for year-round use and making upgrades to the entrance as well as fencing and infrastructure to meet AZA requirements. Funding has been provided through Green Acres grants, existing capital improvement bonds, or donations from the Zoological Society, Essex County Parks Foundation, corporations or private foundations. Corporations that have provided support include Investors Bank, Prudential Financial, Inc., Wells Fargo, PNC Bank, PSE&G, Verizon, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Coca Cola, Capital One Bank, TD Bank, Aramark, Covanta Energy, Matrix Development Group, the family of Ronald Mount and OxyMagic carpet cleaning.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 23 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, two miniature golf courses, five off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. Turtle Back Zoo is located in Essex County’s South Mountain Reservation and was opened to the public in 1963.