The Honolulu Zoo on Saturday reopened the chimpanzee exhibit that was closed in May after a chimpanzee climbed onto the top of the wall separating his exhibit from the aviary. The chimp’s 10-minute escape was designated a “code red,” and if he had gone into a public area, personnel were instructed to shoot to kill.
The city had been grappling with problems at the chimpanzee exhibit for several years. The zoo was faulted by USDA inspectors in 2014 and 2015 for two previous chimpanzee escapes and for rusty enclosures, which inspectors said “compromise the integrity of structures.” Modifications were made to address both problems.
While the zoo improved rock work and installed additional hot wire, the chimpanzees were kept in a back holding area.
Diamond Head trail to close for crater work
The Diamond Head summit trail will be closed for several days this month to allow for the state’s ongoing rockfall mitigation work on the crater interior.
The closures begin Friday, when materials and supplies are to be taken by helicopter to the work area. No hiking will be allowed all day, according to state Department of Land and Natural Resources officials.
Starting Oct. 23, the summit trail will be closed Mondays through Thursdays until Nov. 16. The summit trail will also be closed at noon on Oct. 27, Nov. 3 and Nov. 17, with all hikers required to be off by 2 p.m.
For the full construction schedule, visit DLNR’s website.
Repairs to shut part of Ala Moana Boulevard
A portion of Ala Moana Boulevard will be closed over six weekends in October and November, starting at 5 a.m. Saturday, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Ala Moana generally will be closed from 5 a.m. Saturdays through 5 a.m. Mondays between Queen and Piikoi streets while the drainage system is repaired. Closures may be in either eastbound or westbound directions. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes such as Waimanu and Kona streets or Kapiolani Boulevard.
Lane closures are tentatively scheduled for today through 5 a.m. Monday; Oct. 14-16, 21-23 and 28-30; and Nov. 4-6 and 11-13. No weekend closures will be scheduled from Thanksgiving through January 2018.
