The Chattanooga Zoo is charging forward with the capital campaign for its Cape of Africa expansion, featuring warthogs, servals and Cape porcupines as well as an expanded giraffe yard and feeding area.
"It's going to give the giraffe a lot more room, and we're really, really excited about that," Chattanooga Zoo President and CEO Darde Long said at a "ground digging" ceremony Thursday.
The zoo's porcupine family dug into a mound of dirt — sprinkled with tasty snacks of peanuts and carrots — on the expansion site to kick off the $2.5 million fundraising effort.
This is the second phase of the zoo's Africa-themed expansion, following the addition of three male giraffes to the zoo in 2020.
(READ MORE: Fun facts about Chattanooga Zoo's new giraffes)
The African exhibit now includes two outdoor giraffe yards and the indoor giraffe viewing area, where the habitats of the zoo's blue duikers and violet turacos also are located. The expanded exhibit will spread across the entire front portion of the zoo, with the larger giraffe yard, feeding area and a cascading water feature replacing most of the grass field now used for events near the zoo entrance, Marketing Coordinator Lauren Stockman said by phone.
The servals and Cape porcupines now live behind the scenes at the zoo, and the expansion will add exhibits for those animals as well as for the warthogs, which are new animals to the zoo, Stockman said.
"This new exhibit isn't just an investment in our zoo," said Chris Anderson, senior advisor to Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, who was traveling and unable to attend the event. "It's an investment in the future of Chattanooga, expanding our local impact by offering a new exciting and immersive African experience, building upon the zoo's legacy of conservation and preservation, and enhancing our city's reputation as a premier destination for tourism."
(READ MORE: Chattanooga continues local zoo with new 50 year lease)
No completion date for the expansion has been set, but it will likely be at least 2025 before the exhibit opens, Stockman said.
Zoo supporters can leave a lasting legacy on the new exhibit by purchasing a brick for $100-$200, depending on size, inscribed with wording of their choice, she said.
For more information on contributing to the fundraising campaign, visit chattzoo.org/charging-forward.
DID YOU KNOW?
— The word porcupine means "thorn pig."
— A single porcupine can have up to 30,000 quills.
— Servals can jump up to 9 feet high and 12 feet long to catch prey.
— In the wild, servals mostly hunt rodents. On average, one serval can eat 4,000 rodents a year.
— Warthogs can run as fast as 30 mph.
— The warthog's name comes from the four wart-like protrusions on its face. The protrusions are skin-covered tusks.
Source: Chattanooga Zoo
Contact Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6508.