This exhibit will be transformed into Sea Lion Sound this summer, with glimpses into an underwater world and all sorts of spectacular viewing opportunities. It is the first stage of the $120 million overhaul of the zoo, but in reality this zoo is already outstanding and without a doubt one of the 10 best zoos in North America. I find it interesting when there are trends at American zoos such as giraffe feeding, stingray touch tanks, expanded elephant exhibits, walk-through lorikeet aviaries, etc. In the next 12 months New Jersey's Turtle Back Zoo, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Blank Park Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, Tulsa Zoo, National Zoo, Utah's Hogle Zoo and Edmonton's Valley Zoo makes it a total of 8 new pinniped exhibits opening in North American zoos. Trend or coincidence? Of those there are 3 that are already open now (Valley Zoo, Blank Park, Tulsa) and the other 5 all open in a year or less. What is with the sudden surge on seal and sea lion habitats? There have been loads of aquatic mammal enclosures built in zoos within recent memory (seal, sea lion, polar bear) and of course many new penguin exhibits as well. I love this trend as those exhibits usually always have cool underwater viewing areas and fairly active animals.
