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Astor Court Blooms Again
At the heart of the Zoo, peacocks strut, sea lions splash, rosebushes bloom, and visitors can stroll through it all as Astor Court reopens with a new look. The Bronx Zoo’s historic Beaux-Arts campus has gotten a careful face-lift, which restores the Court to its original splendor. The June 1 reopening marks the first phase of the Bronx Zoo renaissance, a plan to revitalize the park and further its mission to protect wildlife and wild lands.
Built at the turn of the 20th century, Astor Court’s classical architecture and landscaped pathways have long served as a meeting place and a respite for visitors. Generations of zoo-goers have stopped to greet our California sea lions and Monkey House residents, or for a sniff of the Italian gardens and a cool spray from Rockefeller Fountain.
The spruced-up sea lion pool welcomes Adrienne, Cleo, and Indie back to the Bronx from their temporary residence at the New York Aquarium. The three much-missed females are joined by a young male, Kiani, who will take his place as protector and sire of the sea lion “harem,” as the family groups are named.
Astor Court also welcomes a flock of peacocks, which will fan their feathers in front of mirrored gazing balls on the central lawn. New plaques, benches, and pathways for visitors are part of the peacock garden. Parasols are optional!
Among the national landmarks on the renovated Court is the Lion House, opened in 1903 as a home for big cats, and soon to reopen as a new exhibit, Madagascar! Dedicated to the unique wildlife of the world’s fourth largest island, this exhibit will be home to lemurs, tortoises, Nile crocodiles, and other creatures found nowhere else on our planet. Various recreated habitats, including the razor-sharp tsingy caves and the spiny forest with its octopus trees and tortoise-back plants, will help transport visitors to this otherworldly land. The exhibit is due to open in 2008, as New York City’s first “green” landmark building.
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