Volume 1, No. 20. November 20, 2001
New Arrivals
It's an arctic exhibit!
The Detroit Zoo in Michigan announces the arrival of Arctic Ring of Life,
October 19, 2001. Measurements: Four acres, three exhibit areas, seven polar
bears, six seals (four harbor, one gray and one harp), four arctic foxes, two
snowy owls, four keepers, 300,000-gallon (114,000 liters) tank, and a 70-foot-long
(21 meters) underwater acrylic tunnel. Delivered by Jones Jones.
Underwater viewing areas have become standard fare for zoos with polar bear
or hippopotamus exhibits, but the Detroit Zoo has taken the concept to its logical
next step: a tunnel, like those used in aquariums. "It's pretty amazing when
you're walking through this tunnel and you see this polar bear right on top
of you," said Rana Kozouz, the zoo's public relations director.
The tunnel is, however, only the highest highlight of this multi-highlighted
exhibit that the zoo claims is the world's largest polar bear exhibit, giving
its ursa residents ten times more room than they had in their previous home.
Set in the Nunvat region of Canada, the exhibit showcases three eco systems:
the tundra, the open sea with the 300,000 gallons of chilled salt water, and
the ice pack that supplements its simulated ice with 1,800 blocks of real ice
machine-produced every two days. Visitors pass through a gallery featuring Inuit
art from the region, then move into the tunnel where they can watch the polar
bears and seals swimming together—except for a 12-foot-tall (3.5 meters)
acrylic wall dividing the two species. Guests end up in a cave with real walls
of ice, then move into an indoor exploration station emulating the work of arctic
researchers, complete with interactive kiosks. Outdoor viewing areas also are
available to guests.
The zoo previewed Arctic Ring of Life to the media the day before the Friday
ceremony unveiling the exhibit to zoo donors, a ceremony attended by the Canadian
general consul. The following day the general public got to view the long-awaited,
$14.9 million complex. "We had double the attendance that we normally would
on an October weekend," Kozouz said.