With winter in full swing, we’re taking advantage of the cold weather to perform maintenance on the Simmons Hippo Outpost – the zoo’s newest habitat that opened in April 2017.
No otters will be harmed or put to work during this maintenance project. 😉
The maintenance project will take about 6-8 weeks to complete, which means the hippo pair, male Adhama and female Boipelo, will remain behind-the-scenes during this time.
“Since we keep the hippos inside their warm barn when the outside water temperature drops below 60 degrees, we saw this timing for maintenance as a way to minimize any inconvenience to our guests,” said Harrison Edell, Vice President of Animal Operations and Welfare. “The hippos are receiving the best care possible during this period, getting extra enrichment items to keep them stimulated, and enjoying access to their private outdoor yard for extra exercise when the weather allows.”
Maintenance to Simmons Hippo Outpost will include repairs to the 24-foot by 8-foot underwater viewing window, which was recently damaged while a contractor was performing upkeep to one of the two viewing panels. Maintenance staffers will replace both panels with an acrylic that will be easier to maintain.
The 4,485-square-foot Highland Hippo Hut learning and event space will remain open during this time. Guests can also visit the okapi in the special encounter area where they can meet the stunning, endangered animals up-close during the daily 2:15 p.m. keeper chat (weather permitting, of course).
We promise to keep you up-to-date on the reopening of the habitat on DallasZoo.com and our social media platforms.
The Dallas Zoo opened the $14 million, 2.1-acre Simmons Hippo Outpost on April 28, 2017; the habitat was funded solely with private donations.
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