Galápagos Islands - Humboldt Penguin Exhibit (about a quarter of the space)

What is the reason they are kept indoors?

@lintworm Houston has Avian Malaria and has extremely hot-humid summers, therefore they decided to keep the penguin exhibit indoors.

@nczoofan Would it not have been more cost effective to just mesh over the outdoor area? It may not have been, but seeing as indoor/netted enclosures are the future of birds in the AZA, I am curious as to whether or not that was an option.

EDIT: Re-reading, the hot summers would have meant indoors was the better option anyway..

~Thylo

@ThylacineAlive I think it was definitely the combination. Houston has never held penguins so I think they were especially cautious around them. The displays plenty big for the small group they have though and has skylights for natural light, much better than say Moody Gardens nearby exhibit for the species.