08 Sep ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO OPENS NEW AMAZING ASIA EXHIBIT AT ESSEX COUNTY TURTLE BACK ZOO New Exhibit is Dedicated to Louis LaSalle, Longtime President of the Essex County Parks Foundation
Published on September 8, 2022
West Orange, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. officially opened the new Louis LaSalle Amazing Asia Exhibit at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo on Thursday, September 8th. The new exhibit is dedicated to Louis LaSalle, the longtime President of the Essex County Parks Foundation, in recognition of his longtime advocacy for Turtle Back Zoo and the Essex County Parks System. The Amazing Asia Exhibit provides modern accommodations for Red Pandas, Clouded Leopards, Slow Loris, Knobbed Hornbill and Vietnamese Pond Turtles.
“Lou LaSalle was first pressed into service with the Essex County Parks Foundation when it was founded 27 years ago and has served as the chairman since its inception. Lou epitomizes community service in the numerous roles he has with the Parks Foundation, RWJBarnabas, area chambers of commerce and other local organizations,” DiVincenzo said. “He is deserving of this honor because of his commitment to help us revitalize Turtle Back Zoo and support the Essex County Parks System,” he added.
“We want to make sure that Turtle Back Zoo provides the most supportive environment for our animals and the best learning experience for our visitors. Updating the Amazing Asia Exhibit will help us meet updated guidelines from AZA, enhance animal care and provide better viewing areas for the public,” the County Executive said.
“I want to thank the County Executive and everyone else who spoke today for the very kind words. This is a meaningful and tremendous honor to me,” LaSalle said. He mentioned that he first met DiVincenzo almost 40 years ago when they both served on an advisory committee for the Essex County Parks Commission (now the Parks Department). “I want to thank you, Joe, for your exemplary leadership and giving me the opportunity to serve the people of Essex,” LaSalle added.
“Lou is as dedicated to the community today as he has been for the past 35 years,” RWJBarnabas Health Chief Operating Officer Barry Ostrowsky said. “When we look at this tremendous investment to create this new exhibit, it is consistent with what Lou has been about his entire life and that is giving back to the community,” he added.
“This new exhibit is an example of how terrific Turtle Back Zoo has become,” Commissioner Patricia Sebold said. “Think about how many children, families and students visit Turtle Back Zoo. The education component is priceless. It’s fitting to name this after Lou who has been a pillar in the community,” Commissioner Len Luciano said. “I can’t think of a better person to dedicate this new exhibit to. This is a fantastic display and is something we all can be proud of,” Commissioner Brendan Gill said.
“Lou has dedicated himself to helping the community for over 35 years. His energy is ever lasting and his dedication is unmatched. Lou, I wish you all the best and please enjoy this tremendous honor,” said Margie Heller, Senior Vice President of Community Health and Strategic Global Partnerships with RWJBarnabas Health.
Also congratulating LaSalle on this recognition and for his lifetime of service to the community were NJ State Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz, Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin, Essex County Prosecutor Ted Stephens and Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura. They also noted that through DiVincenzo’s leadership, Turtle Back Zoo has been transformed into a respected educational institution.
“We are all really proud of the Amazing Asia Exhibit because it highlights the importance of biodiversity not only within the environment but also connects with cultures. We hope this will inspire environmental awareness among our visitors and help us highlight our mission of promoting education, conservation and understanding,” Essex County Turtle Back Zoo Director Jillian Fazio said.
“Thank you to the County Executive for maximizing the potential of Turtle Back Zoo,” said Zoological Society of New Jersey Executive Director Adam Kerins.
Lou LaSalle was named Chairman of the Essex County Parks Centennial Committee in 1994. After the 100th Anniversary Celebration concluded, Mr. LaSalle remained in the leadership role when the organization transitioned into the Essex County Parks Foundation to provide ongoing support to the Essex County Parks System. As Chairman, he has overseen fundraising initiatives to support education, enrichment and recreation programs offered in the Essex County Parks System, revitalization of recreation facilities and preservation of open space.
Professionally, LaSalle joined St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston as Vice President for External Affairs in 1990. His role and responsibilities grew as the hospital expanded and transformed into RWJBarnabas Health. He retired from RWJBarnabas in May 2021 and now holds the title of Senior Vice President Emeritus. LaSalle also volunteers his time with numerous community organizations, including the American Heart Association with which he has been affiliated for 57 years.
The multi-animal exhibit will feature Red Pandas, Clouded Leopards, Slow Loris, Knobbed Hornbill and Vietnamese Pond Turtles. With the exception of the turtles, the animals are mostly arboreal, meaning they spend their time in the trees. The exhibit is designed to meet the animals’ needs to climb and run, with the height of the exhibit playing an important role in its success. The outdoor section of the exhibit is 20 feet in height while the indoor section is 12 feet in height. The animal area will feature a waterfall, pool, fresh water drinking area that is separate from the pool, climbing structures and a grassy area.
The updated space also will assist Turtle Back Zoo with its role of strengthening populations of endangered species through its participation in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. Red Pandas are native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China and are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. The clouded leopard is a wild cat inhabiting dense forests from the foothills of the Himalayas through mainland Southeast Asia into South China. It is listed as being vulnerable by the IUCN. The Vietnamese Pond Turtle is critically endangered. Turtle Back has partnered with the Asian Turtle Program in Vietnam to support their work in rehabilitating and releasing turtles confiscated in the illegal wildlife trade. Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia.
Turtle Back Zoo opened the original red panda exhibit in 2013. The facility needed to be modernized because it did not meet updated AZA requirements.
French and Parrello from Wall, N.J., received a professional services contract for $248,000 to design the exhibit. APS Contractors from Paterson were awarded a publicly bid contract for $3,735,725 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works monitored the contract to ensure delays were avoided. The exhibit was funded with grants from the NJ Green Acres program and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund, and 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.
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 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, Alligator 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.