ORLANDO, Florida - SeaWorld Orlando opened its "Antarctica: Empire
of the Penguins" on Friday, a new attraction that will be coated with
10 tons of fresh snow each day.
To recreate a
cold, dry climate suitable for penguins in hot, humid Florida, designers
used airtight doors, humidifiers and air purifiers, SeaWorld said.
Icicles and glittering ice crystals were created out of hand-blown Pyrex
and glass.
Housed in a facility kept at 30
degrees, it is the coldest exhibit ever featured at Florida's major
theme parks, which include Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.
The attraction features almost 250 so-called "flippered flyers" from
such penguin varieties as Gentoo, Adelie and Rockhopper and a ride that
allows visitors to follow a penguin named Puck as he demonstrates what
life is like for his species in Antarctica, according to SeaWorld.
Courting, nesting and molting behaviors of penguins are affected by
light. SeaWorld used a computerized lighting system that alters the
light in the habitat almost daily to recreate natural sunrise-to-sunset
and seasonal light patterns from their natural habitat. —Reuters
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