Greenville zoo holds grand opening of new exhibit
November 2, 2015
GREENVILLE, SC – This morning, the Greenville Zoo and Greenville Zoo Foundation held a grand opening of the new South American Pampas Exhibit, which is located in the former elephant exhibit space, and dedicated a six-foot by six-foot mosaic of the elephant named Joy, who resided at the Greenville Zoo from 1977 to 2014. Greenville Zoo staff and foundation members were also joined by Pelham Medical Center president Tony Kouskolekas, who announced a joint initiative between the Greenville Zoo and Pelham Medical Center called the Wellness Walkway.
The new South American Pampas Exhibit is named for the flat, fertile grasslands in the southeast region of South America, and will eventually represent the zoo’s largest mixed species exhibit to date focusing on an individual ecosystem. The initial resident of the new exhibit is a 90-pound giant anteater named Mochila, who made his first public appearance at the grand opening. The name Mochila, which is the Spanish word for backpack, was chosen because female anteaters carry their young on their backs until they can fend for themselves. Mochila, who is called “Mo” for short, was born at the Nashville Zoo on April 25, 2011 and was transferred to the Dallas Zoo in October 2013. Mo arrived at the Greenville Zoo on September 9.
Mo will be joined later this year by rheas, which are large, flightless birds similar to a small ostrich. Adult rheas can be up to 67 inches tall and weigh up to 88 pounds. According to zoo administrator Jeff Bullock, as the exhibit evolves, the zoo plans to introduce additional South American species to the enclosure that will co-exist with the rest of the exhibit collection.
The scope of the exhibit project also included demolition of the old turtle pool and construction of a new plaza to serve as a gathering place for visitors. The plaza space provides an additional venue for educational activities, special events and private after-hours zoo rentals. Crews from the City’s Public Works Department performed the demolition of the former exhibit space, and constructed both the new exhibit and the new plaza. Funding for the project included a $3,000 donation from the Priester Foundation, a $1,000 donation from Riverside High School art students in honor of retired art teacher Pat Grills and a $350 donation from the Artist Guild Gallery of Greenville.
The Greenville Zoo launched the mosaic art project a year ago to give the community an opportunity to honor former residents Joy and Ladybird, and help raise funds for new exhibit space and elephant conservation efforts. The completed mosaic is a compilation of nearly 1,500 individual tiles, and is located in a children’s play area across from the former elephant exhibit. The majority of the tiles were colored or painted by students from 25 different Greenville County schools, as well as children in the afterschool programs at the City’s community centers. Additionally, with the help of a $1,500 grant from the Metropolitan Arts Council, Pat Grills and former zoo veterinarian and deputy administrator Dr. Heather Miller were also able to work with organizations that serve at-risk children to develop their participation in the mosaic project into a meaningful art lesson. An additional 100 tiles were painted by individuals who purchased them to support the project.
The event concluded with the announcement of a new initiative called the Wellness Walkway, which is a partnership between the Greenville Zoo and Pelham Medical Center, a division of Spartanburg Regional Health System. The walkway will feature distance markers and fun animal facts throughout the zoo, and is part of an ongoing effort by the Greenville Zoo to encourage families to spend time outdoors.
About the Greenville Zoo
Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Greenville Zoo is rated one of the best tourist attractions in South Carolina, attracting 300,000 people annually. Operated by the City of Greenville, the 14-acre facility features wildlife from around the world, including orangutans, giraffes, monkeys and giant tortoises. Visitors can also enjoy one of the zoo’s most popular exhibits, the Reptile Building, which is home to a variety of lizards, frogs, turtles and snakes.
The Greenville Zoo is open seven days a week, except on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Zoo entry ticket sales close at 4:15 p.m. Admission to the Greenville Zoo is $9.00 for adults and $5.75 for children (ages 3-15 years old). For more information about the Greenville Zoo, visit www.greenvillezoo.com or follow the zoo on Facebook at www.greenvillezoo.com .
