Years in the planning stage, the El Paso Zoo is on the verge of at last building a modern and comfortable penguin housing and exhibition space.
The project will include the building of chilled fresh water systems for the exhibition’s main pool, as well as a quarantine pool and holding pool.
Additional construction will center on the building of acrylic viewing panels and a rocking beach that will feature an underwater swim-through area, along with nesting boxes.
A life support building will house a filtration and ozone system, not to mention a chiller for the exhibition’s water.
Two years ago, zoo officials announced an effort to build a permanent $3.7 million home for a dozen or so Megellanic penguins from South America.
The penguins are part of a substantially larger population that has been adversely impacted by climate change and reduced natural habitat food supplies.
A request for proposals for the project, published by the City of El Paso, has a submission deadline of August 18.
By Garry Boulard