The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 370

II Las Vegas If Flamingo Hilton goes to birds with a new tropical oasis By STACEY WELLING pond into sections. The flamingos like to huddle in front of the buffet windows, while the penguins each other at a dizzying pace through their pool. You can also watch the antics of Laverne and Shirley, two Australian black swans who swim together and Ben and Gus, two turtles named after maintenance men. "There really isn't a need to name them, but it does personalize them more," says wildlife director Robin Matos. "They have their own personalities and distinguishing marks." Matos, who previously managed a similar wildlife exhibit at the Hilton's Hawaiian Village resort in Hawaii, chose animals for the habitat based on their ada-pability to Southern Nevada's climate.

The most popular residents are the hotel's 12 African penguins, which came from the Honolulu Zoo. "You'd be surprised how many people think penguins only live in Antarctica," Matos says. "African penguins can take extremes very well-they come from an island that is very hot, but the water they swim in is very chilly." With water temperatures ranging from 65 to 75 degrees in the Flamingo's pond, the penguins feel right at home. "This facility, compared to the facility these Ti I here's a new Bugsy at the Flamingo Hilton, but he's not wearing shiny shoes and a pinstriped suit. He strolls across a grassy island shaking his fluffy white plume of feathers and fraternizing with 11 other flamingos who look just like him.

The Chilean flamingos, as well as turtles, 'fish, ducks and even penguins, have taken up resi- dence behind the hotel. The former site of the Bugsy Siegel suite, the 15-acre tropical oasis now features waterfalls, walking paths and an assortment of animals and feathered friends. A plaque in the garden is dedicated to Siegel, who built the hotel in 1948. The wildlife area is the center-" piece of the Flamingo's $130-mil-lion hotel expansion project, which was started a year ago and completed this summer. Improvements include new retail shops, an enlarged casino and sports book and a new pink and glass entrance along the Strip.

The addition of a 612-room tower boosts the Flamingo's room count to almost it the third largest hotel in the world. Right outside the back door is the new garden oasis, which also features a wedding chapel and four swimming pools with a connecting water slide. Towering rocks and waterfalls divide a living 0 -tti. i i 1, -I $r- residence in the Flamingo Hilton's new come in and out of the water, and they're not very graceful," says Stephanie Slyter, who feeds the penguins most days as Matos' wildlife assistant. "They're a lot of fun to watch." If you look closely, you'll notice certain personality traits that make the black and white penguins stand out from each other.

Lefty's beak, for example, is a bit off center. Preston has a bald spot on his head. And Opus is the friendly one. "She's a doll," Slyter says. "She's like a little girl.

She comes up and sits by my feet Nevada INCLUDES! Buff et Dinner Breakfast For Two! I African penguins have taken up penguins came from, is massive," Matos says. "They're in the water all the time. They think they are in the ocean." The best time to see the penguins is when they are fed at 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. It may not be as glitzy as your usual Las Vegas show, but it is entertaining.

You'll find yourself standing next to a crowd of as many as 40 people. The birds waddle their way out of the water to rocks along the shore of the pond. They dine on a hand-fed diet of smelt, anchovies and sardines. "It's kind of neat because they Jean, ALL ROOMS A fflaht Sunday Tluiraaay Excluding Weekends, Holidays. eConwnbonFSriods HOTEL OflMBtlMO HAIL I 'c 5: 15-acre tropical oasis.

when I'm feeding them. She takes the fish really gently-she's just a lady." You'll also see several key differences between African penguins and their Antarctic cousins. African penguins are shorter, and they have fewer feathers. The African penguins also weigh substantially less-about six pounds compared to Antarctic penguins, which can weigh 80 pounds. It doesn't bother the penguins or animals to see crowds of people each day, Matos says, because Please see FLAMINGO, Page 83 FALL ROOMS vO AVAILABLE TOster casino nxnn WEDDING INFO.

MUllHM' MWIM DAV 1HIPS YOUR COST -61 Si iOlwr1 I A FXPRtSS Meals TranvtWB DEPOWT frvmSft Complete packages, or we II customize to suit your needs. Gcivtis GorJcnCLfv! Religious Civi! Ccrtrmonks Vws Service C.mJ!c!inl Srrviccs BnJ.il or su. Li TuxeJc Gown rU-rral, Dressing Rooms mm HHTON I I a l5 -V 1 'Vv f.iii.. I Rooms From $2Q5ff THROUGH SEPTEMBER 28, 1995 800-937-7777 Per Person, per night. Double Occupancy.

Sunday thru Thursday. Limited availability, rates subject to change. Weekends, HolidaysConvention Periods and Jacuzzi Rooms Higher Offer Oood Only With This Coupon Good For One Room, One Night at Gold Strike Hotel Gambling Hall Located Just Mintutes Forth Of The CaliforniaIevada Sorrier On I IS. Qfler Expires mm Call toll Free (soo) 634-1359. Esservatton tacommendel Mi2srt 61009' tit 8t LOS ANGELES TIMES CALENDAR 7i 10, 1995 SUNDAY 0.