Article: ABQ BioPark Zoo’s New Australia Exhibit with ‘Little Penguins’
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The ABQ BioPark Zoo has unveiled an exciting new Australia Exhibit, bringing a slice of the “down under” right to Albuquerque.
This exhibit, which opened on Tuesday, showcases two distinct habitats featuring colorful “lorikeets” and the adorable “Little Penguins,” the smallest penguin species.
The zoo boasts that this new habitat is the largest in the world for Little Penguins, with an impressive 300,000 gallons of water.
The Australia Exhibit is a significant part of BioPark’s 15-year transformation plan, funded by a gross receipts tax approved by voters back in 2016.
The opening was delayed due to the pandemic, but the wait has only made the debut more exciting.
Tori Fox, Science Education Coordinator at ABQ BioPark Zoo, expressed her enthusiasm, saying, “Seeing it all come to life is really exciting.
According to the source, a lot of work went into it with many hardworking people. It’s great to see it all here now.”
This unveiling is just the first phase of the project, with phase two expected to kick off construction later this year.
The second phase will feature new habitats for Tasmanian Devils, Wombats, emus, and a unique interactive experience where visitors can enter the kangaroo habitat.
Brandon Gibson, Director for the ABQ BioPark, shared, “We’re going to continue with the lorikeet experience theme with another walkthrough. Being able to see kangaroos at eye level will be really amazing.”
Visitors on opening day were thrilled with the new exhibit. Becky Luper, a zoo attendee, shared her experience, saying, “It was fun.
The penguins really like being underwater, zooming around. You could see them from both angles—down below and up above.”
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Another visitor, Emma Luper, added, “There were a lot of them, and they were really cute.”
The Australia Exhibit, which began construction in 2022, came with an $18 million price tag.
The zoo anticipates large crowds eager to see the new attractions, so they recommend ordering tickets online to ensure a smooth visit.