NORRISTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — The Elmwood Park Zoo is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year with a state-of-the-art facility that gives visitors a look behind the scenes at how veterinarians meet the health care and dietary needs of the animals there.
When the multimillion-dollar welcome center and animal health care center opens to the public on Thursday, visitors will be able to watch the veterinary staff care for the animals through large windows.
Al Zone, the Zoo executive director and CEO, says the new facility touches on three themes: care, conservation and connection.
"We want you to be able to take a peek into our treatment facility, where we could be doing a root canal on a jaguar — or a little procedure, an annual exam, on a porcupine,” Zone said.
“You also can look into surgery. All of the lights have cameras in them, so we can project on the screens above — and not only for our everyday guests. We can also use this as a facility to teach."
Dr. Michele Goodman, Elmwood Park’s director of animal care, showed off the new mixed-purpose radiology and general treatment room at the Frank & Paige Engro Veterinary Health Center.
Radiology equipment is along one side of the room. “We are the first zoo in Pennsylvania to get a CT scan,” she said, pointing out the scanner’s table, which has been upgraded to hold an animal as large as 650 lbs.
The health center features a surgical suite, diagnostic lab, indoor/outdoor recovery wards, and an in-house pharmacy. Guests will be able to watch Elmwood Park staff conduct exams and procedures through a giant window or viewing bay from inside the new welcome center. There is another viewing area above the animal commissary, as well, where meals are prepared.
"People ask a lot of questions,” said Barbara Giangiulio of King of Prussia, who has been volunteering at the zoo for 26 years. “Now they can actually see it in action."
She is one of the people visitors will be able to watch put together meals for animals like Liana the sloth and Hank the tortoise.
"I always wanted to be on the Food Network — so I guess this is the second-best thing,” she said.
The new facility comprises 39,000 square feet, including an outdoor entrance plaza with a water fountain featuring a sculpture of a majestic white-tailed deer.
Inside the welcome center, in addition to the viewing bays, there are animal exhibits, interactive kiosks, a coffee shop and a gift shop.
