Georgie the gibbon steals show at Zoo Knoxville exhibit opening
Amy McRaryZoo Knoxville on Friday opened new natural habitats for its gibbons and langur monkeys, showing what Zoo President and CEO Lisa New called "the best new animal experience of any zoo anywhere."
The 45-minute ceremony was filled with praises and thank yous for the humans who'd helped finance, design and build Gibbon Trails and Langur Landing. But it was a long-armed, long-legged primate who became the day's center of attention.
Georgie, the zoo's male white-handed gibbon, dangled from ropes in his indoor day room just above the landing where zoo and government officials and patrons were speaking. After the neon green ribbon was cut to officially open the habitats, zookeepers opened Georgie's door to outdoors. The gibbon streaked across his outdoor habitat's ropes and through its mesh tunnels, attracting every human within eyesight.
More:Three penguins born at Ripley's Aquarium, and public can name them
Gibbon Trails and Langur Landing are the second part of the zoo's signature $18 million, 4.92-acre Boyd Family Asian Trek region. The first, the $10 million Tiger Forest, opened in 2017 as home to three endangered Malayan tigers. The areas for the tigers, gibbons and langurs are connected by a three-story, 45-foot treehouse with multi-level public viewing areas.
'Grand project in a grand vision'
Set on a steep hill near the front entrance, Gibbon Trails and Langur Landing include netted outdoor habitats and high-ceiling indoor, windowed "day rooms." The animals run, swing and wander through interconnecting aerial tunnels made of near-invisible mesh. The tunnels clearly are already a favorite of the attention-grabbing Georgie.
New said the Asian-themed habitats are "a grand project in a grand vision. I hope you'll agree with me we have done it."
Calling the gibbon and langur exhibits an "experience," New told those gathered for the ceremony, "It's our hope you will fall in love with these animals and cherish this special place that is Zoo Knoxville."
Boyds' donation funds the work
The Boyd Family Asian Trek is named for Knoxville businessman and gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd and his wife, Jenny. The Boyds last year gave the park $5 million to help fund construction in a master plan that is renovating or rebuilding large chunks of the park. Next in the master plan construction is a large, long-awaited reptile and amphibian facility now being designed.
The Boyds' donation is the largest private contribution given the zoo.
Friday was the Boyds' 33rd wedding anniversary. "About 35 years I took a cute girl named Jenny to the zoo on our second or third date," Randy Boyd said. Couples, he said, "who go to the zoo together, stay together."
He's called Opie
The zoo also announced Friday the name of its 2-month-old male baby langur. The baby will be called Opie; the name won a public online voting contest. Born Dec. 21 with orange hair that will gradually become gray-black, Opie and the park's three other langurs were indoors Friday because of the day's windy, chilly temperatures.
Langurs are new to Knoxville and uncommon in zoos. Just 53 live in five Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited parks.
The habitats remain open until 3 p.m. Friday, 1 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, March 3, and Sunday, March 4, for VIP viewing by the zoo's Circle of Friends supporters and annual membership pass holders. They open to the general public Monday, March 5.
The 53-acre zoo, praised Friday as Knoxville's largest tourist attraction and an economic driver, is east of downtown Knoxville off Interstate 40's Exit 392.