Cape May County Welcomes 2 New Additions to the Zoo

COURT HOUSE – Spring is in the air and exciting things are blooming at the Cape May County Zoo. The Zoo staff is excited to report two new additions to our family. Dr. Alex Ernst, Associate Veterinarian, is pleased to introduce ‘Ariel’, a female North American River Otter who arrived last month from the Kansas City Zoo.
“Over the last few weeks, we have been slowly introducing ‘Ariel’ to our resident male Otter ‘Mork’. We are happy to report that ‘Ariel’ and ‘Mork’ have formed a friendship and can be seen together every day in our North American River Otter habitat. ‘Ariel’ is a 14-year-old female North American River Otter, sent here as a companion for our male ‘Mork”, Ernst reported.
North American River Otters are a semi-aquatic member of the mustelid family and can be found in rivers, lakes, swamps, and coastal plains across North America, including Cape May County.
On Thursday, March 16, the Zoo added another bouncing baby lemur to our family.
“Our Ring-Tailed Lemur named ‘Falana’ gave birth to an infant. As is typically the case, mom is taking very good care of her new baby and is holding it very tight. Through observations we can see that the baby is strong and is nursing well but don’t yet know the gender”, added Ernst.
This is ‘Falana’s’ second baby with ‘Darwin’. They had a male offspring last year on March 13. This young and growing family can be seen daily in our Ring-tailed Lemur habitat.
“I encourage our residents and visitors to take a trip to the Cape May County Zoo often during the next few months, we never know what new births and attractions will greet us. The County Parks and Zoo come alive after a long winter and offer endless opportunities for families to explore and learn about the animals, hike, bike, and spend time in the outdoors”, said Commissioner Andrew Bulakowski, liaison to the Parks and Zoo.
The Cape May County Parks and Zoo are open daily, and admission is free to the public. Zoo hours are 10 am until 4:30 pm, and the Parks are open from 7 am until dusk. Go to www.cmczoo.com for information and a list of special events.