Teton Trek Wows Zoo Visitors
October 5th, 2009 by Jane Schneider
A giant plume of water erupts into the air, delighting a passel of children who dance along the fringe of the fountain, “It’s supposed to be Old Faithful,” I hear a dad point out to his son as they watch the dramatic display at the entrance to the Teton Trek exhibit at the Memphis Zoo. “The geyser goes off every 90 minutes at Yellowstone National Park.”
Soon, the boy joins the circle of children gathered around the water. “Can you play in those geysers, Dad?” he asks. “No, they’re very hot. But this shows us what geysers look like,” says his dad. This is likely just the type of exchange zoo keepers are hoping for as families begin exploring the Teton Trek. While the zoo’s newest exhibit officially opens to the public Saturday, October 9th, zoo members are being treated to a sneak peak all this week.
Late Friday afternoon, you could overhear parents telling their children about Yellowstone, the nation’s first and most famous park. Teton Trek celebrates the Yellowstone region with a dazzling display of grizzlies, wolves, elk, and bird life.
Memphian and zoo member Leslie Barron says she’s been keeping an eye on the exhibit’s progress during her visits. She often drops in after picking up her sons Buzz (8) and preschooler Wiley (3) from school. Both boys gave the animal display a big thumbs up, watching the bears from the second floor rockers of the Great Lodge. “I used to think our lions had such a great space but this is so much better,” says Barron.
Since Leslie’s husband, Doug Barron, is a former player on the PGA circuit, the family has traveled extensively around the country. She’s visited a variety of zoos, and a few are memorable, like Mutal of Omaha’s park in Omaha, Nebraska. But other than that, Leslie says, “There’s not another zoo in the country I’ve seen that is as nice as ours.”
Tags: Teton Trek, zoo