A New Home for Humboldts at Tennoji Zoo
Osaka’s Tennoji Zoo opened in 1915 and in many ways its showing its age. In a previous blog post, I wrote about small, uninspired enclosures with cracked concrete and peeling paint. But recently this little zoo has seen some big changes. On April 24th, just in time for World Penguin Day, the Tennoji Zoo unveiled their new Humboldt penguin exhibit.
The zoo has gone to great lengths to mimic the penguins’ natural habitat in South America. Gone are the square brick nest boxes, replaced by earth-hued burrows and caves. Gentle waves crash upon a rocky, sloping beach where penguins can waddle in and out of the water.
Penguins aren’t the only ones who can appreciate this new exhibit. The enclosure is surrounded by educational signs and displays for young and old. Best of all, visitors can walk beneath the penguin pool and see the birds gliding around and above them.
Humboldt penguins are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conversation of Nature (IUCN). Through this new exhibit, the Tennoji Zoo hopes to educate people of the environmental problems that these penguins face.
Renovations continue to take place at the Tennoji Zoo. As an Osaka resident and zoo enthusiast, I’m proud of the steps they’re taking to improve the lives of their animals and to educate the public.
A mesh net is draped over part of the exhibit. This allows the zoo to confine the penguins during outbreaks of highly contagious avian flu. During other times, the net is opened to allow the penguins access to the rest of the exhibit.
"Penguin Park & Ashika Wharf" New facility at Tennoji Zoo (Japanese)