Flamingos new Miller Park Zoo welcoming committee

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (AP) - Visitors to Bloomington's Miller Park Zoo will be welcomed by a new group of residents.

A $300,000 exhibit of 20 flamingos, located near the entrance, will be officially welcomed Friday. Jay Tetzloff is director of the zoo and Bloomington parks, recreation and cultural arts. He says Miller Park zoo is one of just 13 nationally that house flamingos.

The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reports (http://bit.ly/28QhqLI ) that private donations funded half the project, with the city covering the rest.

It's the first new exhibit since 2004, and the inaugural project in a $16.7 million master plan.

Officials say the flamingos will lower taxpayers' subsidy of the zoo because they estimate admissions will increase 5 percent.

Tetzloff says the birds are calm and vocalizing in their new home, which is a good sign.

___

Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com