Essex County Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. is inviting the public to participate in a naming contest for two new African Penguins that recently arrived at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo. Entries will be accepted until Monday, July 26th at 12 Noon and the names will be announced on Thursday, July 29th.

“Our penguins are one of the most popular attractions at Turtle Back Zoo. The addition of these two new animals will make the exhibit that much more exciting,” DiVincenzo said. “We are asking the public to share their ideas and help us name the two newest additions to our Zoo family. We did a similar naming contest when we opened our ‘Bears in Your Backyard’ exhibit and people from around the world submitted suggestions. It just shows how beloved Turtle Back Zoo is,” he added.

The two African Penguins were born in Denver and brought to Essex County Turtle Back Zoo through a penguin species survival and breeding program. They are currently acclimating to New Jersey in the zoo’s state of the art veterinary hospital prior to joining the other penguins. There are now eight penguins in the Penguin Coast exhibit, which opened in 2008. Funded with a donation from the Zoological Society of New Jersey, the exhibit re-creates the rocky, South African coast where the birds are found. It also provides large windows for unobstructed viewing of the animals and a bigger pool for them to swim.

Nomination forms are available at Turtle Back Zoo or on the County’s web site at www.essexcountynj.org. Entrants must submit their name, e-mail address, mailing address and phone number. Children must have the permission of their parents or guardians to submit suggestions. Nomination forms or ideas for names can be mailed or delivered to Turtle Back Zoo, 560 Northfield Avenue, West Orange, NJ 07052 or by e-mail to namethepenguins@yahoo.com. Please write “Penguin Naming Contest” on the envelope or in the memo line of the e-mail. Those entering the contest have the option of making a $1 donation. Proceeds will be used to maintain the Penguin Coast exhibit.

Turtle Back Zoo is open Mondays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Regular admission is $6 for children and senior citizens, $9 for adults and free for children under 2 years. For additional information, please call 973-731-5800.

Revitalizing Essex County Turtle Back Zoo

In September 2006, Essex County Turtle Back Zoo received accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and is among only 221 facilities worldwide that are accredited. Earning accreditation is a clear indication that an institution is committed to the highest standards in animal care, ethics, conservation and education. In addition, new attendance records have been set in each of the last five years, including in 2009 when an all-time record 450,000 visitors came to the Zoo.

Since taking office in 2003, DiVincenzo has spearheaded over $20 million in upgrades to Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, which have included developing the Carousel, which features 33 figures of endangered animals; building the Tam-ring Gibbons Reserve with Gibbons apes, Reeves muntjac and white naped cranes; Australian Exhibit that features kangaroos, wallabies, emus and over 500 birds in the Aviary; Reptile and Education Center, open air dining pavilion and playground, Penguin Exhibit, Otter Exhibit, Wolf Exhibit, Alligator Exhibit, North American Animal Exhibit, Black Bear Exhibit, Animal Hospital, Essex Farm Petting Zoo and South American Animal Exhibit; renovating the Pepsi Pavilion for year-round use and making upgrades to the entrance as well as fencing and infrastructure to meet AZA requirements. Funding has been provided through Green Acres grants, existing capital improvement bonds, or donations from the Zoological Society, Essex County Parks Foundation, corporations or private foundations. Corporations that have provided support include Prudential Financial, Inc., Wachovia Bank (Wells Fargo), PNC Bank, PSE&G, Verizon, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Pepsi Bottling Company, Capital One Bank, TD Bank, Aramark and OxyMagic carpet cleaning.

The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 20 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, three off-leash dog facilities and a castle. Turtle Back Zoo is located in Essex County’s South Mountain Reservation and was opened to the public in 1963.