Biodme reopens with newborn penguins, monkey

Montreal's Biodme is reopening its doors on Saturday after a six-month shutdown due to a labour dispute and a series of renovations.

The zoo and aquarium at Montreal's Olympic Park is hoping visitors will will come back in droves, to see the $1.2 million facelift and some new members of the Bidome family: a baby Goeldi monkey and four newborn penguins.

The Biodme will also offer free admission for everyone 17 years and under on Saturday, Dec. 4, and Sunday, Dec. 5.

"We will be so happy to see the public back on Saturday because it's been a tough year. We really miss our public and I think the animals miss them, too," said Biodme director Rachel Lger.

As part of the renovation, the facility has replaced its old information cards with computerized, touch-screen panels offering the latest information about the animals across the facility's five ecosystems.

"We have close to 40 interactive screens," said Lger, pointing to one for the Golden Lion Tamarind, taking a visitor through photos of the monkey in its traditional habitat.

"The information is a lot of more up to date. The Biodme was 18 years old. We needed to have the information that was more up to date," she said.

Glass partitions have also been installed around the habitats to make it easier for the public to see the animals.

There are also new interactive exhibits including a large cracked egg that children can climb into, as well as a giant frog for youngsters to climb to see what it is like for a tadpole to ride on its parent's back.

One of the biggest challenges with the reopening will be getting the animals themselves used to being around so many people again, said Lger.

"There will be an adaptation for the animals to get used to the public again," she said.

In a normal year, about 800,000 people visit the Biodme, bringing in about $8.5 million in revenue for the city. However, the closing this year cut admissions in half.

Last March, blue-collar workers at the Biodme went on strike to protest against a stalemate in contract talks with the city.

The union has sinced signed a collective agreement.