Penguins Are King At The Zoo, At Least For Now

First the Winter Olympics…and now this.
Yes, there’s more big news in the world of winter events, but it has nothing to do with Lindsey Vonn: Four new king penguins have joined the flock at New York’s Central Park Zoo.
The renovated Polar Seabird exhibit—“Polar Seabirds: Life on the Edge of the World”--was reintroduced to the public yesterday. The addition of the king penguins (which join other kinds of penguins, including the wonderfully named gentoo and chinstrap) is part of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Species Survival Plan. The newbies’ names? Lyle, Slappy, Will and Robert. (They’re all male; no word on how the names were chosen).
What else has changed in the penguin house? New graphics and videos now highlight penguins in their native lands. In addition, new lighting proves a clearer, more distinct view of the birds.
King penguins are native to Antarctica and the Falkland Islands. They are among the largest--and deepest-diving--penguins. These birds stand about three feet tall, and are distinguished by the orange feathers at their neck. (They do have the same tuxedo plumage as the gentoo and chinstraps, and only the Emperor penguin is larger.)
The zoo now houses more than 60 king, gentoo and chinstrap penguins. While these types of penguins are not endangered, their native habitats face environmental threats ranging from overfishing to potential climate change.
The Zoo is located at Fifth Avenue and 64th Street. (212 439-6500)

It's Turkey Legs and Fishsicles at the Zoo's Wild Animal Party

Who says that people should get all the goodies around the holidays?
Well, that’s not the case at New York City’s Central Park Zoo. For the next three weekends (Dec. 5-6; 12-13; 19-20) the animals are the ones getting the treats at the “Wild Holiday Party: Presents to the Animals” event. Not surprisingly, the treats in this case are of the edible variety.
The polar bears, of course, top the list of must-sees: Gus and Ida (yup, those are their names) get goodies like frozen "Fishsicles" (yum!) peanut-butter-covered balls, and turkey legs (just like Disney World!) You can see them getting their gifts at 1:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.
The snow monkeys also get their due. You know how much fun it is for kids–or anyone, really--to rip off the wrappings from presents? Well, in the same spirit, they get to un-decorate trees decked out with oranges, apples and cranberries. (10:15 am; Saturday and Sunday).
Head over to one of the newest zoo acquisitions--the snow leopards—to see Zoë, Bob, and Chocolate receive their feline feast (10:30 am; Saturday and Sunday), while over at the Red Panda area, bamboo delicacies top their gift list (1:30 PM; Saturday and Sunday).
The Central Park Zoo is located is 64th Street and Fifth Avenue; call (212) 439-6500 for more information.
While you’re there, of course, don’t forget to check out the Children’s Zoo and the ever-amazing penguins---there may not be giant turkey legs, but you'll still have a great time.

Central Park Zoo: Even Cooler Than Before

New York’s Central Park Zoo is pretty nifty already...but it’s about to get a whole lot cooler when "Chill Out!” its premier summer weekend event, runs from August 1-2 (this coming Saturday and Sunday.
The triple “p”s of animal cool—puffins, polar bears and penguins—have the starring role this weekend, since most of the events revolve around them. (And, let's face it, they know a thing or two about cool, not to mention downright cold.)
What’s on the menu? For starters, try tilapia, whipped cream, and vegetable popsicles. Yum. Oh, wait: they're not for visitors, they're for the animals. At 1:00 pm, zookeepers grab their ingredients and duel to create the tastiest treat for the two polar bears. From 1:30-4:00 pm, wander on by the ice-carving station, where the carving masters from Ice Fantasies make giant ice animal sculptures (yes, they can be touched.) Other events include keepers giving out frozen treats (hence the popsicles) to various zoo residents from penguins to snow monkeys (taking place from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm), and two special theater performances.
While you’re there, visit the newest zoo residents--the snow monkeys in the Alison Maher Stern Snow Leopard Exhibit. Three new cats can be found (warning: they’re often hard to spot) in a replica of their home in Asia. Check out the "hidden" snow leopard display while you're there.
The Central Park Zoo is located at Fifth Avenue and 64th Street. For more information, call (212) 794-0284.