 LOCATION:
P.O. Box 140130, Toledo, Ohio 43614, USA
Phone: 001-419-385-5721
URL: http://www.toledozoo.org
 KEY WORDS:
Interactive
 ANIMALS:
| Family: | Species: | Common Name: | Capacity: |
| Ursidae | Ursus maritimus | Polar bear | 5 |
 DESCRIPTION:
The Arctic Encounter Exhibit is designed to engage visitors with interactive and educational experiences about the arctic and its frequently misunderstood inhabitants. By providing unique animal viewing opportunities for the public, and innovative amenities for the animal collection, the exhibit meets two critical needs: maintaining physical and psychological health for animals, and providing an intriguing and entertaining experience for zoo visitors. It combines a variety of interpretive techniques for all learning styles and ages, and relies heavily on two effective elements - humour and surprise - to provide a potentially overwhelming quantity of information in an entertaining and simple way.
 SIZE:
Polar bear exhibit: Land surface - 351 sq meters. Pool - 144 sq meters ( 90,000 gallons), 240 to 360 cm deep (saltwater). Polar bear and seal building: 108 sq meters animal space off exhibit, keeper kitchen, keeper office, behind scenes viewing area into the holding area and veterinary facility. Polar bears - off exhibit: 5 holding dens approx 360 x 330 cm each, birthing den 255 x 180. Off exhibit outside holding pool stall 1440 x 840 cm (10,000 gallons) saltwater pool, dig yard 930 x 2130 cm (soil and plants). Interpretives: 245 sq meters. Space allocation in square meters:
| use | indoors | outdoors | total exhibit |
| accessible | total | accessible | total |
| animals | | 64 | | 820 | 884 |
| visitors | | | | | |
| others | | | | | |
| total | | | | | |
 COSTS:
USD 8,700,000
 OPENING DATE:
January 2000
 DESIGN:
Beginning: January 1997
- Design: CLRdesign, Inc., Philadelphia, USA
 CONSTRUCTION:
Beginning: May 1998
- Mechanical/ Electrical/ Plumbing Engineer: Mechanical Design Associates, Inc, Maumee, Ohio, USA
- Life Support System Engineer: T.A.Maranda Consultants, Inc., Washington, USA
- Structural/ Civil Engineer: Matrix Technologies, Inc, Maumee, Ohio, USA
- Construction Manager: The Lathrop Company, Maumee, Ohio, USA
 LOCAL CONDITIONS:
 PLANTS:
A variety of plants were used to create a close depiction of the artic coast and its tundra as possible within Toledo, Ohio. The plant list specifies the Latin names of the plants used for this exhibit.
 FEATURES DEDICATED TO ANIMALS:
The Arctic Encounter Exhibit combines animal holding and exhibit space for polar bears, seals and wolves in one building. The polar bears are given access to both holdings and the exhibit at night and are moved off the exhibit for cleaning, health inspection and training. The saltwater in the pool has a compete turnover rate of 75 minutes. Chillers maintain the water between 13 and 15 °C (55 and 65 degrees F). An air conditioned cave offers a cool place in summer where bears can escape the heat. Enrichment is offered at different times during the day.
Understanding that stereotypic behaviour is very common in polar bears, this exhibit was designed to be able to offer many types of stimuli for the animals. Polar bears and seals occasionally swap their living spaces as enrichment for both species. There is a "blowhole" in the glass separating the two species, that allows bears to put their nose through and smell the seals. A freshwater stream is sporadically stocked with fish which provides the polar bears with opportunities to exercise their hunting skills.
 FEATURES DEDICATED TO KEEPERS:
Animal exhibits are ringed in electrical fencing, tied to an off-site monitoring facility that alerts the zoo at any break in the connection (with a back up battery system). There are two sets of monitors - one shows inside the holding aisle ways and the other has cameras in each of the outside areas (on and off exhibit). The holding building includes a kitchen and a keeper office.
 FEATURES DEDICATED TO VISITORS:
Content is designed to provide a sensory experience for visitors that includes physical interaction, tactile opportunities, and sound, while meeting ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements.
Large glass panels allow proximity to the animals including underwater viewing. Visitors can walk into a simulated polar bear den with nose-to-nose viewing from inside. Visitors are able to compare the indoor temperature in the polar bear's cave to the outside temperature.
 INTERPRETATION:
Interpretation is a guiding force and priority in all parts of this exhibit. The interpretive building addresses many topics, including exhibit plan details (i.e. viewing of bear and seal spaces behind each other) and information about real-life interaction between the two species in the wild. The indoor and outdoor spaces include a variety of artifacts, art objects and sculptures.
Interpretive materials are placed in designated areas (a viewing building, a log cabin) and along pathways. Outdoor material, including a set of graphics and props ask and answer questions of the visitors in a game-like context.
Some of the elements and subjects include the following: "Peoples of the North" - a large globe interactive, displaying many people living around the pole. "Preto-Chango!" - an interactive showing the changes that envelop animals and terrain seasonally. "Lingo from the Land of Pingo's" - Inuit vocabulary translations "Arctic Babies" and Santa's North Pole" addressing the moving north pole and Arctic newborns.
 MANAGEMENT:
The Arctic Exhibit requires one keeper daily for animal care and enrichment for the seals, polar bears and wolves. The building includes a veterinary facility. While the animal portion of the exhibit and holding is cared for by the keepers, the filtration system is maintained and monitored by a full time filtration technician. Ozone is the main sanitizer for the system with chlorine, sand and cleaning baskets completing the system.
 RESEARCH:
 CONSERVATION:
The Arctic Encounter promotes conservation through its design, breeding, interpretive message and through the staff's contribution to the exhibit species' conservation programs. The polar bears not only have public appeal, but also act as flagship species for the arctic. Conservation is a major theme in the interpretive message, stressing the fragility and interdepandant nature of that ecosystem.
The pool filtration systems are designed to minimize water and salt consumption, while bathroom lights, toilets and sinks are controlled by sensors.
 LOCAL RESOURCES:
|
 |
| 46K | 73K |
| Picture Views |
| ©CLRdesign inc., 2002 |
 |
| 86K | 120K |
| Aerial Perspective Sketch (2) |
| ©CLRdesign inc., 2002 |
 |
| 120K | 659K |
| Entrance to Arctic Encounter (3) |
| ©Monika Fiby, 2003 |
 |
| 46K | 179K |
| Polar Bear (4) |
| ©Linda Milks, 2003 |
 |
| 91K | 508K |
| Polar Bear Exhibition (4) |
| ©Monika Fiby, 2003 |
 |
| 88K | 514K |
| Themed service facility (5) |
| ©Monika Fiby, 2003 |
 |
| 51K | 387K |
| Interpretive gallery (7) |
| ©Monika Fiby, 2003 |
 |
| 94K | 554K |
| Polar Bear Exhibit (14) |
| ©Monika Fiby, 2003 |
 |
| 92K | 552K |
| Information boards outdoors (18) |
| ©Monika Fiby, 2003 |
 |
| 108K | 605K |
| Interactive display (19) |
| ©Monika Fiby, 2003 |
 |
| 69K | 479K |
| Polar Bear Exhibit (20) |
| ©Monika Fiby, 2003 |
 |
| 68K | 444K |
| Information board (21) |
| ©Monika Fiby, 2003 |
 |
| 90K | 500K |
| Information board (22) |
| ©Monika Fiby, 2003 |
 |
| 62K | 617K |
| Polar Bear Exhibit (26) |
| ©Linda Milks, 2003 |
|
