The Henry Vilas Zoo introduced a plethora of upcoming projects Friday to the Henry Vilas Zoo Commission, including an arctic passage exhibit, an already under construction primate area, a new conservation center and a children’s zoo barn.
According to Henry Vilas Zoo Director Jim Hubing, the zoo received money from Dane County, Madison Gas and Electric and the Zoological Commission to fund a range of new projects and also keep the zoo up to standard.
Hubing said an Artic Passage Project will get jumpstarted once the zoo receives adequate funding. The project will include a polar bear center, underwater viewing area and a replica ship where visitors can learn about global climate change.
The project will fund the addition of snowy owl, reindeer and seal exhibits, Hubing said. Additionally, there will be a weather station within the exhibit where zoo faculty will host talks on environmental issues.
Dane County and the city of Madison have contributed a total of $4.5 million to the Arctic Passage Project and the Zoological Society has contributed $2 million. The zoo still needs to raise an additional $2 million for the fund, Hubing said.
Hubing added MG&E donated funds in the past month to redo the inside of the primate structures. Although the exterior of the structures have been redone in the past few years, the area where the animals live needed to be updated.
According to Henry Vilas zookeeper Mary Schmidt, the primates are very happy with the improvements, which began about two weeks ago and are almost complete.
“It was like [the primates] were reborn,” Hubing said. “The most important thing you want to do is give animals a choice and now they have a choice.”
The new primate structure consists of webs of ropes, bamboo pole swings and wooden pillars and platforms so the animals can climb and move around more freely, Schmidt said.
Schmidt, who helped design the new primate structures, added she hoped to finish the primate exhibits Friday.
According to Hubing, independent donors are also funding a conservation learning center to teach community member environmental issues, specifically focusing on conservation.
According to Fritz Ragatz of the Zoological Society, conservation education is a high priority among donors.
The society, which works with the zoo to fund major projects, is still receiving a good donor response in spite of the economic downturn, Ragatz said.
Additionally, Hubing said Dane County has given $500,000 for new restrooms and funds for other zoo-wide improvements in past year.
The zoo is also planning to build a new children’s zoo barn in the next few years to replace a smaller existing petting barn, Hubing said.
