FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:Teresa Ruiz

August 1, 2005973-621-4404

Anthony Puglisi

973-621-2542

ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO OFFICIALLY NAMES

TWO BLACK BEAR CUBS AT TURTLE BACK ZOO

Animal Lovers from Around the World Participate in Bear Naming Contest

West Orange, NJ – Six weeks after welcoming two Black Bear cubs to their new home in Turtle Back Zoo, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. returned on Monday, August 1st to officially give the popular furry residents their names. With a crowd of zoo visitors gathered at the new Black Bear exhibit, the County Executive announced the bears would be named Jelly and Jam.

“Our Black Bears have been a wonderful addition to Turtle Back Zoo and the exhibit has become one of our most popular exhibits in the six weeks it has been open,” DiVincenzo said. “The response to our naming contest has been overwhelming and has generated even more excitement and interest than we ever could have imagine,” he added.

Dr. Jeremy Goodman, Director of Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, said, based on the bears’ appearance, the larger one would be called Jam and the smaller sized sibling would be named Jelly. “Our naming contest went global and has been a huge success,” the director noted. “With the bears’ new names, we will have to change the name of our black bear exhibit and make it our black bear preserves,” he said, spreading the jelly reference even wider.

A contest to name the bears was announced by DiVincenzo when the exhibit opened on Thursday, June 16th. Bear enthusiasts were asked to vote for their favorite pairs of names and submit their ballots to The Star-Ledger. The deadline to submit a suggestion Wednesday, July 27th.

The bear sisters were born in January in Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. They were separated from their mother when she could no longer nurse them and were brought to Turtle Back Zoo in June. When the exhibit opened six weeks ago, the Black Bear cubs were 6 months old and were 20 pounds and 20 inches. They could grow to be 6 feet and 250 pounds.

The popular exhibit gives the bears 18,000 square feet of open space to roam and includes a 375-square-foot swimming pool and a state-of-the-art off exhibit holding area. The main viewing area for visitors is uniquely designed to replicate a living room and kitchen, and can be used to stage educational programs or show videos about the bears. In addition, there are two smaller viewing stations so the public can see the bears no matter where the animals are in the exhibit. A set of bear tracks on the exhibits’ pathway guides visitors through the exhibit.

Under DiVincenzo’s leadership, major improvements to modernize and improve Essex County Turtle Back Zoo have been made. The County Executive also hired a full-time zoo director – Dr. Jeremy Goodman – in February 2004. These developments will help Essex County prepare for AZA accreditation.

The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system in the United States. The Park System has grown to include more than 6,000 acres of parkland, and has 17 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, ice skating facility, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, and a golf driving range and miniature golf course.

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