Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum of Natural History Great Plains Zoo News

Skipper6302 said:
The zoo's master plan was officially approved by the city council, and the updated layouts of the aquarium, butterfly house and education center were publicized.

Zoo CEO Becky DeWitz announced during the meeting that there would be no public touch tanks in the aquarium (a departure from previous plans), but that there would be supervised marine animal interactions in the marine biology-equipped classroom.

https://amv.siouxfalls.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/Meetings/ViewMeeting?id=4086&doctype=2View attachment 809503
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It appears that the aquarium layout will start with a jellyfish gallery, then a coral reef gallery, and then the large shark reef exhibit with a tunnel, and then what appears to be a large humboldt penguin exhibit. I believe it was mentioned that the penguin exhibit would include a sand play area adjacent to the glass which is probably why it's so large.
 
Skipper6302 said:
New aquarium and butterfly house layouts have been publicized.

Apparently, the new aquarium is 65% of the way through design.

The new design flips the locations of the penguin shores exhibit and the shark reef exhibit.

https://pigeon605.com/zoo-shares-design-updates-plans-to-start-butterfly-garden-this-fall/View attachment 818693
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It's a little difficult to see, but the current design shows four main galleries:

Penguin Shores

Shallow Seas

Shark Reef

Tentacle Tangle
 
Skipper6302 said:
New aquarium and butterfly house layouts have been publicized.

Apparently, the new aquarium is 65% of the way through design.

The new design flips the locations of the penguin shores exhibit and the shark reef exhibit.

https://pigeon605.com/zoo-shares-design-updates-plans-to-start-butterfly-garden-this-fall/View attachment 818693
Click to expand...

I think it's worth noting how excellent this penguin exhibit appears to be (especially in comparison to their current exhibit)!

It looks like it'll have a sandy beach area instead of typical mock-rock or concrete, and the pools look big.

The whole thing takes up almost a third of the entire planned aquarium complex.
 
Other 2025 News Not Mentioned:
On May 7th, it was reported that the zoo will install new interior and exterior fencing around the farm area, as well as a new overhead pathway to replace the previous goat bridge.

https://pigeon605.com/with-massive-...zoo-to-make-smaller-upgrades-for-2025-season/

On May 23rd, the zoo announced they renovated the Humboldt penguin exhibit to restrict the spread of avian influenza.

58K views · 1.3K reactions | They're back! After a hiatus due to avian influenza precautions, our Humboldt penguins have officially returned to their outdoor exhibit! We’ve made important updates to help protect them and the colony is bravely exploring their new and improved exhibit! (Outdoor access will depend on weather, and whether the penguins choose to go out.) Come welcome them back during Summer Celebration TOMORROW, featuring face painting, zookeeper chats, giraffe feeding, and more! Grab your tickets: https://shop.greatzoo.org/webstore/shop/viewitems.aspx?cg=gpz&c=ga#4677 . . . #GPZoo #Zoo #SiouxFalls #PenguinReturn #AvianInfluenzaPrecautions #GreatPlainsZoo #SummerCelebration #WildlifeSafety | Great Plains Zoo

Nile Hippo Expert said:
A Humboldt Penguin chick was born on March 30th.
Great Plains Zoo welcomes penguin chick
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On July 13th, the zoo announced they sexed the penguin as male (1.0). On August 1st, the zoo announced they named it Puddles.

10K views · 221 reactions | We can't forget the ULTIMATE boy parents, Pippa and Quince! The penguins (actually the wind) spilled the beans...their newest chick is a BOY, making him the fourth son they’ve raised! Celebrate with them at our Tiki-themed Adult Night on July 18! Enjoy an evening full of tropical vibes, live music from Too Drunk To Fish, delicious food & drinks, and after-hours access to your favorite animals. It’s the perfect parents’ night out! Don’t forget to bring a blanket or chair to relax and enjoy the concert! ️ Get your tickets here: https://shop.greatzoo.org/WebStore/shop/ViewItems.aspx?cg=EVNM&c=adnmem . . . #GPZoo #Zoo #SiouxFalls #AdultNight #SFZA #AdultNight #TikiNight #PenguinParents #ZooAfterDark | Great Plains Zoo
Great Plains Zoo

On August 29th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a female (0.1) meerkat named Clementine to Zoo Miami in Florida on August 19th.

Zoo Miami

Skipper6302 said:
Snow Leopard Denali and her 5 month old female cub are now on exhibit

Great Plains Zoo
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On October 19th, the zoo announced they named the snow leopard Asha.

Great Plains Zoo

On October 22nd, the zoo officially broke ground on the new butterfly garden building. Due to construction, they moved their male (1.0) Pallas's cat Tashi off-display for the near future.

Great Plains Zoo
 
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