@Dhole dude Here is an article from 2019 that mentions that Polar Shores used to be a home to "polar bears, harbor seals, river otters and silver foxes".
The middle exhibit originally had Magellanic Penguins. I believe they had some deaths when West Nile virus got to the US around 1999, and after that they no longer kept penguins. Later the exhibit had Tundra Swans.
Thanks @Gondwana you’ve never failed to impress me with your vast knowledge of Minnesotan zoos. Do you know when the swans where phased out? Also on an unrelated note do you know why the zoo lost there accreditation in 2006?
@Dhole dude I haven't been to the Lake Superior Zoo since maybe 2004 so I don't know exactly when they phased out the swans, but it would not surprise me if they were there up until the flood.
I think the loss of accreditation in 2006 was the result of financial problems which led to an inability to complete necessary repairs or maintain staff levels.
@Dhole dude Do you mean were they built separately? If so, then yes. The nocturnal building was built first, but I don't know exactly when. The Primate Conservation Center was constructed as an addition to the front of the nocturnal building in 1998.
