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MEDIA
RELEASE
April 26, 2011
CONTACT: Kyle Shepherd
502-238-5331 (Media Cell 502-744-5639)
kyle.shepherd@louisvilleky.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 LOUISVILLE
ZOO OPENS BEAR HABITAT AND TOWN OF GLACIER RUN
LOUISVILLE, KY (April
26, 2011) – Today Mayor Greg Fischer, Louisville Zoo Director John
Walczak, Louisville Zoo Foundation Chairman Mark Wheeler, Polar Bears
International senior scientist Dr. Steven Amstrup and others broke a
ribbon made of ice and officially opened the polar and grizzly bear
habitat and the town of Glacier Run. One of the Zoo’s polar bear
mascots presented the Mayor with a key (also made of ice) to the town of
Glacier Run adding a whimsical note to the opening festivities.
“Glacier Run is an
innovative, world-class exhibit that makes the Louisville Zoo an even
stronger center for lifelong education and exploration,” Fischer said.
“This exhibit also provides another strong destination attraction,
meaning increased tourism and a positive impact on our city’s economy.”
Designed as an
imaginary town on the edge of the arctic wilderness, Glacier Run is
modeled after the real town of Churchill, Canada, the polar bear capital
of the world, where humans and wildlife have learned to co-exist.
Glacier Run’s bear
habitat is home to Arki, a 26 year-old polar bear that moved here from
the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago and three grizzly bears from the
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes - Division of Fish, Wildlife,
Recreation and Conservation in Polson, Montana — 6 year-old Inga and her
two cubs Otis and Rita, each one year-old. Polar and grizzly bear
training and enrichment demonstrations will be held daily at 11:15 a.m.
and 2:30 p.m. with a keeper talk at 5:15 p.m.
Glacier Run features
include an old mining quarry now flooded with water (for the bears to
play in), a fishery and warehouse dock (more bear play space) and a
melting glacier that has destroyed a road in the town (even more bear
play space). The exhibit offers spectacular views, captivating stories
of the arctic and unique opportunities for close-up encounters with the
magnificent and iconic polar bear, as well as grizzly bears. Guests can
interact with zoo keepers, learn about current challenges to arctic
environments and animals, and discover how incremental changes in our
everyday activities and behaviors can make a difference for our planet
and these magnificent species.
“Glacier Run is sure
to delight and entertain, but will also tell one of the most important
environmental stories of our generation. This arctic-themed exhibit
fundamentally advances your Zoo’s mission of ‘bettering the bond between
people and our planet,” Louisville Zoo Director John Walczak said. “The
very nature of this exhibit’s design is based on the idea of humans
learning to co-exist with wildlife.”
“The Louisville Zoo
remains a powerful educational resource for our entire community, and
with the addition of the immersive learning environment and up close
bear viewing offered by Glacier Run, students in our region will expand
their curiosity for science learning even further,” said Louisville Zoo
Foundation Chair Mark Wheeler.
This multi-phase
capital project has included several successes to date including the
June 2010 opening of the Seal and Sea Lion Habitat, the 2008 completion
of the Alice S. Etscorn Tiger Tundra, and the 2007 opening of the
Calistoga Splash Park. The final two phases of Glacier Run are set to
open in Spring 2012 —the Glacier Run Arctic Ambassador Center which will
include outreach animals such as snowy owls and arctic foxes and an
aviary to house the Zoo’s magnificent Steller’s sea eagles.
Once Glacier Run is
totally complete, the estimated economic impact of the Zoo on the region
will increase to $33.6 million. Attendance at the Zoo is expected to
increase to more than 890,000.
GLACIER RUN FACTSHEET
CONSTRUCTION:
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Planning/Design began in 2005
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Broke ground in September 2008
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Architect and Design Firm: Peckham Guyton,
Albers and Viets, Inc. (PGAV)
Arrasmith, Judd, Rapp, Chovan, Inc
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Construction: Whittenberg Construction
Weber Group Inc.
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Landscape: Korfhage Landscaping and Design
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Opened in phases:
2006: Glacier Run Gateway (Australia area,
playground, tram stop, a satellite dining facility)
2007: Calistoga Splash Park
2008: Alice S. Etscorn Tiger Tundra
2010: Seal and Sea Lion Habitat
FUND-RAISING:
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$25 million capital campaign. Largest
capital campaign in Zoo’s 41 year history, led by Sandra Frazier
and Allan Latts
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Met a $900,000 Kresge challenge grant in
late December 2010 with the help of Humana Inc. and the Ogle
Foundation whose gifts helped us reach and exceed our goal
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37 schools from 16 counties in KY and IN
participated in a “Pennies for Polar Bears Campaign” that raised
over $30,000 in a student-driven effort September to November 2010
ECONOMIC IMPACT
HOME TO
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Polar Bear Arki (26) from Brookfield Zoo in
Chicago
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Wild-born Grizzly (Brown) Bears Inga
(approximately 6) and her one year-old cubs, Otis and Rita, all from
Polson, Montana
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California Sea Lions, Cicely (23 and Bart’s
mother), Bart (17 and born here), Triton (20), Kahula (2), Patches
(23) and Julie (18)
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South African Fur Seal, Rosi (24)
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Harbor Seal, Toney (8)
EXHIBIT FACTS
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Seal and Sea Lion pool:
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108,000 gallons of salt water
re-circulated through high-rate sand filters and ozone
disinfection
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maintained at 65 degrees (colder in
winter)
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0 to 9 feet depth
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Seal and Seal Lion Amphitheatre seats 200
for animal training demonstrations held daily at 10:30 a.m., 2 and
3:45 p.m.
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Bear pool:
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80,000 gallons re-circulated through
high-rate sand filters and ozone disinfection
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maintained at 65 (colder in winter)
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0 to 16 feet depth
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Daily bear demonstrations are at 11:15 a.m.
and 2:30 p.m. with a keeper talk at 5 p.m.
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Town of Glacier Run includes the Glacier
Run Mining Company (indoor access to underwater viewing windows of
bear pool), Gilbert’s Fishmongers Fishery with a warehouse dock
(outdoor bear exhibit area), a town hall (zoo classroom) and a gift
shop
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Melting glaciers have destroyed a roadway
in the town and have flooded the old mine quarry which is now the
bear pool
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Glacier Run was purposefully designed to
provide maximum enrichment opportunities for the animals. These
include pools, dig pits, grassy areas, a warehouse dock with items
that might appear to be trash but are actually elements for the
bears to interact with and an ice machine.
FUTURE
-
In 2012, the
Zoo will open the Glacier Run Arctic Ambassador Center which will
include outreach animals such as snowy owls and arctic foxes. These
outreach animals, along with their zoo keepers, will be out and
about on the exhibit’s walkways and will help convey important
conservation stories. An aviary to house the Zoo’s magnificent
Steller’s sea eagle will also open in 2012.
Photo: Louisville
Zoo officials broke an ice ribbon today and opened Glacier Run, the
Zoo’s newest exhibit, home to polar and grizzly bears and seals and sea
lions. Photo by Robert Kemnitz. (l-r) Polar Bears International senior
scientist Dr. Steven Amstrup, Glacier Run capital campaign co-chair
Sandra Frazier, Glacier Run capital campaign co-chair Allan Latts,
Louisville Zoo Director John Walczak, Mayor Greg Fischer, Louisville Zoo
Foundation Chairman Mark Wheeler and the Zoo’s polar bear mascot.
***
The
Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization and state zoo of Kentucky,
is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by
providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for
visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation
education. The Zoo is accredited by the American Association of
Museums (AAM) and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
***
Get
up-to-date information about the Zoo’s upcoming Glacier Run exhibit
by checking out our new
Glacier Run blog. You can also show your love for the Louisville
Zoo by becoming a fan on
Facebook and
Twitter.
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