APPLE VALLEY, Minn. — A long-awaited new attraction at the Minnesota Zoo may be more electrifying than some visitors were expecting.
Several zoo visitors have found they experience static shocks while walking along the new Treetop Trail, that was built on top of the former elevated monorail track around the zoo, which closed a decade ago.
The static shocks have nothing to do with the former monorail, however, but are caused by the type of material that was used to build the elevated walkways.
"With the use of recycled composite decking on the Treetop Trail, static may be experienced at times along the side metal safety rails, similar to what may be experienced on many playground structures," said Minnesota Zoo spokesperson Zach Nugent. "This naturally-occurring phenomenon can vary based on environmental conditions and tends to occur mostly during dry, low-humid conditions."
The zoo has had signs posted warning about the potential of static electricity since the trail opened in July. A similar notice is posted on the Treetop Trail section of the zoo's website, cautioning about the potential risk to electronic devices like smartphones.
"Please use caution when using electrostatic sensitive devices. Due to the use of recycled composite decking, guests on the Treetop Trail may experience naturally-occurring static electricity," reads the Know Before You Go section of the page.
Zoo officials say they've started using anti-static solutions on the trail deck, and they're also working on long-term solutions to reduce the static electricity along the trail.
The 1.25-mile walking path is 32 feet above the ground, giving visitors a bird's-eye view of several animal exhibits, including tigers, moose and bison.
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