Penguins Land at Rolling Hills Zoo

Todd Pittenger -  04/15/2013             

The four new additions will be unveiled this Saturday to the public at a "Party for the Penguins" event at Rolling Hills Zoo.

The penguins have landed at Rolling Hills Zoo. Four African Penguins arrived last week, and will be the main attraction at the brand new "Penguin Landing" exhibit inside the wildlife museum.
The African Penguins come to Rolling Hills from Omaha as a traveling exhibit. It is the first ever live traveling exhibit at Rolling Hills.
Along with the four penguins, Penguin Landing features among other things an interactive touch screen computer that allows visitors to explore the world of penguins along with a multitude of interactive and educational displays.
Penguin Landing is located in the Earl Bane Gallery within the wildlife museum. Because it is in the 2,000-square-foot gallery, it will always be a good day to visit the penguins, regardless of the weather.
At a sneak-peak event Sunday evening zoo curator Peter Burvenich explained a little about African Penguins. They are a species of warm-blooded penguins. Though not yet an endangered species, they are on their way to becoming one. They are an at-risk species. Once numbering in the millions in the wild, their number is now down to around 50,000. While Natural predators like seals and sharks prey on penguins, the biggest contributing factor for their decline has been humans hunting them for their meat, feathers, and eggs.
The grand opening of Penguin Landing is scheduled for this Saturday. Once open, the exhibit will be accessible seven days a week, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., until Memorial Day weekend, when public hours expand to 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The exhibit is scheduled to close on September 30th.

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