This gigantic head was installed in 2018...one of those Omaha additions that sort of crept in unnoticed amidst the more glamorous exhibits.
I copied and pasted this from a news article:
Crews installed a 20,000-pound stone Olmec head in the Lied Jungle at the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium on Thursday. It’s a gift from Xalapa, Omaha’s sister city in Mexico, and it’s called “El Rey,” meaning “The King.”
The head is a replica of Olmec Colossal Head No. 1, one of more than a dozen basalt sculptures found in the Mexican state of Veracruz in the mid-1900s. The stones date back to at least 900 B.C.
The Omaha Sister Cities Association worked with the City of Xalapa and the zoo to facilitate the move. Transport was paid by Xalapa, and unloading and installation were covered by the zoo.
