North Carolina Zoo gears up to break ground on Asian continent as part of expansion
Updated: 10:33 AM EDT Aug 16, 2022
DEGREES. AUDREY: THANK YOU. THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT LAST YEAR WENT A MILLION VISITORS. SUCH A MILESTON AND STAFF IS GETTING READY TO WELCOME A LOT MORE IN THE NEXT YEARS. THE ZOO BRING MORNING TO ITS LATEST CONTINENT, ASIA. IT WILL OPEN IN 2026. TO TELL US MORE, WELCOME DEBBIE AND DIANE. DEBBIE IS THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO AND DIANE IS THE DIRECTOR. THE THIRD CONTINENT AT NORTH CAROLINA ZOO. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS PROJECT MEANS TO YOU? >> NOW, IT HAS BEEN STARTED FOR A LONG TIME BUT WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO FINALLY BUILD LAND TO BUILD ASIA. IT WILL BECOME A 10 ACRE EXTENSION AND IT IS THE FIRST MAJOR EXTENSION AT THE ZOO SINCE NORTH AMERICA OPENED IN 1994. IT’S A BIG DEAL. AUDREY: MY GOOD, THAT’S SURE. WE NEED TO WAIT ANOTHER YEAR YET BUT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT THE ANIMALS, WHERE WILL THEY COME? EVERYTHING THIS CONTINENT OFFERS? DIANE, YOU CAN ANSWER IF YOU WANT. >> WHY DON’T ANSWER ABOUT THE ANIMALS. >> NORTH CAROLINA ZOO IS PART OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOO AND AQUARIAS. WE HAVE A COLLABORATION WITH ALL OTHER ZOO. WE ARE DISCUSSING NOW, FOR EXAMPLE THE RED CROWNED CRANES. OUR BIRD MANAGER PRACTICES WITH OTHER ZOOS AND THEY BREED THE RED CROWNED CRANES FOR US. WE WILL HAVE THOSE YOUNG PIGEONS WHEN WE OPEN ASIA. THAT’S WHERE WE GET THE OTHER ANIMALS, FROM OTHER ASSOCIATED AZA ZOO. AUDREY: WE SHOW FABULOUS RENTALS THAT PEOPLE WATCH. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ADDING ASIA TO THE ZOO WILL ADD TO THE EXPERIENCE? ONLY THE GENERAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR FAMILIES WHEN THEY VISIT? >> WANT TO TAKE THAT? >> I THINK ASIA WILL DO SOME BEAUTIFUL THINGS FOR OUR GUEST EXPERIENCE. WE HOPE THAT THE ZOO NORTH CAROLINA WILL MAKE A TEWO DAY DESTINATION. NOW IT TAKES SIX HOURS TO GO THROUGH THE ZOO. WE ARE 500 ACRES AND ADD ANOTHER CONTINENT. WE LOOK LOOKING FORWARD TO ADDING THE IMPACT OF A MULTI-DAY WEEKEND FOR OUR GUESTS. AUDREY: WOW, THAT REALLY MAKES IT A DESTINATION FOR THE AREA. GLAD YOU MENTION THAT. DEBBIE, WHILE WE WAITING IN TIME FEAR FOR THE OPENING, ARTHUR EXCITING UPCOMING EVENTS YOU WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW? >> THE ZOO IS A YEAR-ROUND OPERATION. IT IS ALWAYS A FUN DAY AT THE ZOO. ALL SEASONAL ATTRACTIONS ARE OPEN UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER. THE GIRAFT DECK, THE SAFARI BUS THAT GOES ON THE MEADOW, THAT’S ALL ACTIVE UNTIL OCTOBER. ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR EVENTS, BOO AT THE ZOO, IS OCTOBER 15 AND 16 AND THEN OCTOBER 22 AND 23. IN THE PAST WE HAVE OFFERED ONE WEEKEND BUT NOW WE HAVE TWO BECAUSE WE HAVE SO NICE RESPONSE. DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO PUT ON THE AUTUMN PLANS. AUDREY: WE WILL HAVE YOU BACK AT THE SHOW COMING WHEN THAT EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE. WE LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THAT. WE KNOW THAT THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR ASIA IS TOMORROW. WHAT’S THE FIRST STEP TO GO TO LAST THIS PROJECT IF ONE OF YOU WANT TO SHARE? >> Well, it’s actually things that aren’t very exciting. [LAUGHTER] IT’S A LOT OF GROUNDWORK AND GETTING THE UTILITIES AND ALL THAT IS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FIRST. OF COURSE, MANY TREES WILL COME DOWN. IF YOU COME TO THE ZOO YOU WILL SEE WHERE THE SITE WILL BECOME. YES, THERE’S GOING TO BE — FACTUALLY, WE’RE GOING TO BLOW ROCK TOO. [LAUGHTER] IF YOU KNOW RANDOLPH COUNTY, ONE THING WE HAVE IN ABUNDANCE IS ROCKS. [LAUGHTER] AUDREY: WE KNOW THAT IS A BIG PROJECT AND WE ALL LOOK LIKE IT. THANK YOU for coming to the show to talk about it. YOU WENT HOME CAN DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THE FUN AT THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO AND THE UPCOMING EXPANSION ON THE WEBSITE ABOUT YOU
North Carolina Zoo gears up to break ground on Asian continent as part of expansion
Updated: 10:33 AM EDT Aug 16, 2022
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