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Northside Business Leaders |
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Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
The Northside Business Leaders are proud to partner with Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. The Jax Zoo is a great place for the whole family. It is entertaining, educational and fun. We encourage everyone to join and to go to the Jax Zoo many times a year as they are always improving your trip to the zoo.
JACKSONVILLE
ZOO AND GARDENS THE ARRIVAL OF ITS 31st BABY GIRAFFE
January
13, 2012 – Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announces
the birth of a male reticulated giraffe on January 11 at 12:10 p.m.
The calf weighs approximately 145 pounds, is six feet tall and doing well.
Guests riding the Zoo Train may see the calf and its mother in the outdoor
holding area, pending weather conditions or feeding or healthcare
requirements. The naming rights for the calf will be auctioned off on April
28th at ExZOOberation, the Zoo’s largest evening adult
fundraiser. This
is the second offspring for the mother, Naomi, a five-year-old, since she
arrived at Jacksonville Zoo in October 2006. The calf’s father is
Duke, the 14-year-old patriarch of the giraffe herd, who has now sired a
total of seven offspring since he came to the Jacksonville Zoo in April of
2003. The Zoo now has nine giraffes in its collection. This is the
31st giraffe born at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “The
neonatal or ‘well baby’ exam has been completed, and the calf is off to
a good start,” said Tony Vecchio, executive director of Jacksonville Zoo
and Gardens. “The calf was standing on all fours within one hour of
the birth and is now walking, sitting, standing and nursing properly.
The keepers and animal healthcare staff will continue to monitor the newborn
closely,” he concluded. January Jackpot Discounts at the Jacksonville Zoo!
January
4, 2012 – Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announced
January Jackpot special discounts for the month of January. Start off
the New Year right by saving money, and hit the jackpot in January…January
Jackpot that is! In the month of January, 2012, come to the Zoo on Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays and take advantage of special money-saving
deals. January Jackpot discounts are as follows:
“The
expression ‘win – win’ may be overused…” said Tony Vecchio,
executive director of Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “…however,
there’s no better way to describe these special January deals at the Zoo.
We usually see the lowest number of visitors in January--so, these
promotions will get more people visiting at a time of the year that is
perfect for a great Zoo experience. And, these days, there are so many
people looking for a great family activity at an affordable price that these
deals will be irresistible.” Coupons
are required and must be printed from the website for each family discount
except Wacky Wednesdays. Discounts offered in the month of January, 2012
only. Discounts cannot be combined with any other offer including Zoo Value
Tickets. For more information, visit jacksonvillezoo.org. For
over 96 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to
inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative
experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal
collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and
Gardens has become one of the best zoos in the nation with more than 1,400
rare and exotic animals and 1,000 plus unique plant species. The
Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of
the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). It is open year-round,
seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. except Christmas Day and is located on
Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from
I-95. For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org. JACKSONVILLE
ZOO AND GARDENS Jacksonville,
FL – October 18, 2011 – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announces that
the Zoo has broken all previous attendance records for its fiscal year October
1, 2010, through September 30, 2011. The Zoo had 751,942 visitors
during this time for a six percent increase over the previous best
attendance record set in 2005/2006 when the Zoo opened its popular kids’
Play Park area. The new record attendance was also close to a 12.5%
increase over the previous year’s 688,848. Credit for this
achievement goes to the Zoo’s popular spring dinosaur exhibit, DinoAlive,
and its 2010 Spooktacular Halloween event record-breaking attendance that
led the fiscal year to its first ever 100,000 plus attendees for the month
of October. Tony
Vecchio, Executive Director of Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, said “For the
past decade, our staff and Board of Directors have worked so hard to make
the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens into a cultural resource for which all
Jacksonville citizens can feel proud. To see the community respond by
making us the number one most visited cultural attraction in our City is so
rewarding.” For
more than 96 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to
inspiring discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative
experience in a caring environment. Since its beginning in 1914, with
an animal collection that consisted of only one red deer fawn, the
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has become one of the top zoos in the nation.
It now features more than 1,800 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000
unique plant species. Preservation of sustainable biodiversity is a key
mission of the Zoo. The Zoo is a non-profit organization and an
accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World
Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It is open year-round,
seven-days-a-week, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is located on
Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from
I-95. For more information, go to jacksonvillezoo.org. Greater
Kudu Born at Jacksonville
Zoo and Gardens
October
7, 2011 – Jacksonville, FL – A
healthy male Greater kudu calf was born at Jacksonville Zoo
and Gardens on October 4, 2011, at approximately 4:00 p.m.
The calf was standing about one hour after birth and began
nursing shortly afterwards. This birth is the second for the
dam named Dana, who was born at the Jacksonville Zoo on
August 20, 2004. Kenya, the sire, arrived two years
ago and was born July 15, 2002. The calf weighed 51
pounds at the neonatal exam and, weather permitting, will be
on exhibit in the Zoo’s Plains of East Africa beginning
the weekend of October 8th and 9th.
Jacksonville Zoo now has five greater kudu, including an
adult male, three females and the male calf. Jacksonville
Zoo and Garden Mammal Supervisor Dan Dembiec said, “It
will be exciting to see this cute little kudu grow from a
lanky 51 pound calf into a handsome 600 to 700 pound
spirally-horned beast, right before Jacksonville’s
eyes.” The kudu is a large antelope with fawn coloring and thin, white, sparse vertical stripes. Greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), may be distinguished from a similar species, Lesser kudu, (Tragelaphus imberbis) by presence of a throat mane. Males have long, black spiral-shaped horns; however, females do not have horns. They grow to be approximately four-to-five feet tall and weigh between 495 and 787 pounds. In the wild, kudu can be found throughout Southern and Eastern Africa as far north as Ethiopia. They are one of the largest antelope species and produce one of the loudest sounds, a gruff bark. Jaguars Salsa and Onca to Celebrate
10th Birthday at the Zoo
JACKSONVILLE
ZOO AND GARDENS SUPPORTS REGIONAL
AND NATIONAL ECONOMY
August
3, 2011, Jacksonville, FL
– Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens generates significant economic benefits
locally, regionally and nationally, according to a new analysis conducted on
behalf of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). “Jacksonville
Zoo and Gardens supports the community in more ways than one,” said Jim
Maddy, President and CEO of AZA. “Not only does the Jacksonville Zoo have
a deep commitment to science education and wildlife conservation, but it
also generates valuable economic benefits to the region.” AZA
has commissioned a state-by-state economic impact analysis conducted by
nationally recognized economist, Dr. Stephen Fuller. AZA-accredited
zoos and aquariums generated the following impacts for the State of Florida: ·
$1,104.8 million in economic activity (contribution to
national GDP); ·
$407.9 million in personal earnings (salaries and wages); and ·
12,647 jobs. ·
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens spends $13.6 million each year on
goods and services; ·
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens serves nearly 700,000 visitors
each year. “Annual
spending by zoos and aquariums for operations and capital projects generate
significant economic benefits for their host jurisdictions. These benefits
build from the initial outlays, as they are re-spent across the breadth of
the economy. These benefits accumulate and expand the economy’s
total output as measured by their contributions to Gross Domestic Product
and respective Gross State Products. These benefits also generate new
personal earnings to the benefit of workers residing in the host
jurisdictions and support job growth locally, regionally and nationally.” ·
$16.0 billion in economic activity (contribution to national
GDP); ·
$4.7 billion in personal earnings (salaries and wages); ·
142,000 jobs. BREAKS
ALL PREVIOUS
ATTENDANCE
RECORDS WITH ITS DINOALIVE EXHIBIT Jacksonville,
FL – July 5, 2011 – The Jacksonville Zoo and
Gardens’ DinoAlive! exhibit, open March 1, 2011 through
today, is credited for the Zoo’s record-breaking
attendance of 356,804 during the past four months. The
Zoo achieved a 13 percent attendance increase over this same
time period for 2010 and also broke the all-time attendance
record of 327,565 visitors by over nine percent: a record
that was set in 2008 when Stingray Bay was first opened.
The chart below shows a comparison of the Zoo’s March
through June record-breaking attendance achievements from
2004 to 2011: 356,804
DinoAlive!
2011
327,565
Stingray Bay
2008
321,287
Range of the Jaguar
2004
316,757
Penguins
2010
310,611
Play Park
2006
309,249
Gardens at Trout River Plaza
2007 “We
knew dinosaurs would be popular, but I don’t think anyone
expected a response like this,” said Jacksonville Zoo and
Gardens’ Executive Director Tony Vecchio.
“Visitors have come from every state in the U.S. – and
from foreign countries as well. Many of our members
visited us weekly to see the life-like creatures. With
all the improvements made and the award-winning exhibits
opened at our Zoo over the past few years, it says a lot
about the popularity of dinosaurs that the last four months
have been the busiest in our history!” For more than 96 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Since its beginning in 1914, with an animal collection that consisted of only one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has become one of the top zoos in the nation. It now features more than 1,800 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. Preservation of sustainable biodiversity is a key mission of the Zoo. The Zoo is a non-profit organization and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It is open year-round, seven-days-a-week, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95. For more information, go to jacksonvillezoo.org.
WOOD STORKS May 24, 2011 – Jacksonville, FL
– The trees in the Plains of East
Africa at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens are once again alive with the
chirping of wood stork chicks. The wood storks have been building
their nests annually at the Zoo since 1999. The Zoo’s bird staff
collects data on each chick, including size and health information, then
bands and returns them safely to their nests each year. Wood storks are the only stork to
breed in the United States. They also breed in Central and South
America from Mexico to Argentina. The populations in the Southeastern
United States are endangered, most likely because of the loss of optimal
feeding habitat – easy access to shallow water where they have ready
access to small fish. The Zoo’s monitoring and banding data is
reported to the United States Department of Interior’s bird banding
laboratory. The numbered bands allow researchers to identify
individual storks as they move throughout the state and across their range.
The data is used for research purposes and to compare with other sites
across the range of the species to determine how well the recovery effort is
going. “The sights and sounds of the
large wood stork rookery at our Zoo make for a uniquely incredible
experience,” said Tony Vecchio, executive director of Jacksonville Zoo and
Gardens.
“We’re very pleased that
these wonderful Florida natives have chosen to allow our guests a glimpse of
this spectacle of nature. It’s almost like they sense that they will
be safe and protected by those who are dedicated to conservation.” The wood stork rookery at the
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has had the highest productivity rate of all
the colonies in Florida since 2003. Since 1999, 1,241 endangered wood storks
have fledged, and another 260 are expected to fledge this year at the
Zoo’s colony. The rookery has grown from seven nests the first year
to more than 116 nests this season. Wood storks are tall, white denizens
of freshwater or brackish wetlands and swamps. They can be identified
by their long legs, featherless heads and prominent bills. They fish
with an unusual but effective method: Opening their bills underwater,
they wait for a fish to pass by then snap – like a mousetrap, the bill is
closed. For more than 96 years, the
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring discovery and
appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring
environment. Since its beginning in 1914, with an animal collection
that consisted of only one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
has become one of the top zoos in the nation. It now features more
than 1,800 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species.
Preservation of sustainable biodiversity is a key mission of the Zoo.
The Zoo is a non-profit organization and an accredited member of the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Association of Zoos and
Aquariums. It is open year-round, seven-days-a-week, from 9:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway,
one-half mile east from I-95. For more information, go to
jacksonvillezoo.org. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Celebrates 30th Birthday of
Silverback Gorilla, Quito June 1, 2011
May 25, 2011 – Jacksonville, FL
– The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is celebrating the 30th
birthday of Quito, a silverback gorilla on Wednesday, June 1, from 9:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m. There will be an information booth at the Great Ape
Exhibit with fun facts about Quito as well as conservation information on
gorillas. Guests are invited to come at 9:30 a.m. and sing happy birthday to
Quito where he will also be given his birthday cake. Stop by the Great Ape
exhibit to sign his birthday card, hear from Zoo Keepers about Quito
throughout the day, enjoy gorilla enrichment and stop for a visit from Jazoo,
the Zoo mascot. A power point presentation will be provided throughout
the day in the Samburu Room located at Main Camp, where guests can stop in
to see pictures of Quito and learn more about his story. This event is free
with regular admission into the Zoo. Rare
"Female Bonobo" Born
April 26, 2011 –
Bonobos
were the last of the great apes, which also includes gorillas,
chimpanzees, and orangutans, to be scientifically described,
around 1929. They are among the most threatened primate
species, with as few as 20,000 surviving in a single dwindling
region of the Democratic Republic of Congo in “Baker is a wonderful addition to the Jacksonville Zoo and
Gardens’ family and a valuable asset to the conservation of
the species,” said Deputy Director of Conservation and
Education Dan Maloney. “Bonobos are very special
creatures, highly intelligent, highly endangered and
thoroughly engaging. We are very proud to be one of the
few zoos to feature this amazing animal.” FOUR
"WARTHOG PIGLETS" BORN
April 29, 2011 – Names for the piglets
were selected by the winners of a silent auction at ExZOOberation, the
Zoo’s popular evening fundraiser, held this past April 16. They are
as follows:
Idwal – named by Hugh and Mary Owen
Bodie & Chico – named by Katie Buckley
Frenchy – named by the Barrow family “Baby warthogs are a
zoo director’s dream-come-true,” said Tony Vecchio, executive director
of Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “They are so cute and so active
they can’t help but draw a crowd of happy zoo visitors.”
Although warthogs look
fierce, they are actually herbivores who prefer to flee rather than fight.
Members of the same family as the domestic pig, warthogs present a much
different appearance. They have large, flat heads covered with
“warts,” which are actually protective bumps, and four sharp tusks. They
eat grasses and plants and use their snouts to dig or “root” for roots
or bulbs. When startled or threatened, warthogs can run surprisingly
fast at speeds of up to 30 miles an hour! Jacksonville Zoo and
Gardens has become one of the top zoos in the nation. It now features
more than 1,800 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species.
Preservation of sustainable biodiversity is a key mission of the Zoo. The
Zoo is a non-profit organization and an accredited member of the Association
of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
It is open year-round, seven-days-a-week, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is
located on New at the Zoo!
JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS
March
15, 2011 –
Jacksonville, FL – A male Grevy’s zebra was
born at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens on Saturday,
February 26. Eclipse, the 17-year-old mother of the foal,
came to the Jacksonville Zoo from White Oak Conservation
Center, where she was bred in January 2010. Officials
from White Oak advised that the father of the foal is an
unnamed resident stallion born in 1999. This is
Eclipse’s sixth birth. The foal weighed 108 pounds
and stood at three and a half feet tall at the shoulders
at birth. Guests can see the foal frolicking after
his mother in the Zoo’s Plains of East Africa exhibit.
Naming rights will be auctioned off at the Zoo’s
annual ExZOOberation evening fundraiser on April 16, 2011. Unlike
other types of zebras, Grevy’s zebras face a dire
extinction crisis. More than 15,000 of these animals
roamed the savannas of Africa in the 1970s, but scientists
estimate only 2,200 remain in the wild today. The
Zoo supports conservation efforts to save the Grevy’s
zebra, including participation in a Species Survival Plan
(SSP) through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
This SSP allows the Zoo to work with other AZA-accredited
organizations to help ensure the survivability of the
Grevy’s zebra for future generations.
“It’s
great to have a healthy foal because of the important
contribution it makes to the conservation of the
species,” said Craig Miller, curator of mammals at
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “We look forward to
following the next breeding recommendation from the SSP
for pairing Eclipse with Mosi, our resident stallion.” The
Grevy’s zebra is the largest of the three zebra species
and originates from parts of northern Kenya and southern
Ethiopia. Although foals are born with brown stripes
and fuzzy coats, they grow into their notorious
black-and-white stripes by one year of age. The
stripe pattern is unique to each animal, much like
fingerprints are unique to each human. They provide an
important adaptation for the species that allows them to
blend into their natural surroundings. Foals
weigh 80 to 125 pounds at birth, but can grow to be over
900 pounds as adults. New Giant Anteater at the Zoo! March
18, 2011 – “Giant
anteater births in zoos are still fairly rare, and I’m
proud of Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ prolific history
with this fascinating species”, says
Association
of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) recommended the pairing and
breeding of these two animals as part its giant anteater
Yellow Species Survival Plan. Anteaters are listed as
NT (near threatened) on the IUCN Red Data List. AT
Now
on Exhibit at Plains of December
1, 2010 –
“We
are very excited about our newest arrival. Every birth is
thrilling, but this is Jacksonville Zoo and Garden’s
first kudu calf in more than six years! She’s not
only an important new member of the North American
antelope population, but extremely cute as well,” says
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ Deputy Director of
Conservation and Education
Saturday,
Nov. 6
Be
among the first to see Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ new
pride and joy – a male Amur leopard cub, born on Aug.
27. Amur leopards are critically endangered with
only 50 existing in their native range of The
public will be officially invited to see the leopard cub
beginning Saturday, Nov. 6. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with
feedings at 10:30 and 1:30.
WHERE:
The cub will be temporarily exhibited in the Komodo dragon
indoor, glassed-front facility at the end of the walkway
along the
Jacksonville
Zoo Is Now Home to Six
Endangered Asian Among
1,300 Turtles Rescued From
Being Sold for Food in
Jan.
20, 1995. Since that time KFBG has focused on
promoting conservation and sustainable living in Hong Kong
and
Rare
Okapi Now On Exhibit at Jacksonville
Zoo and Gardens JACKSONVILLE,
Fla.—(March 15, 2010) — After a few years
of planning, a year of waiting and month of quarantine,
for the first time in its history, the Jacksonville Zoo
and Gardens now has okapi on exhibit, which can be viewed
from the African boardwalk. Kisangani, a 20-year-old
female, came from the White Oak Conservation Center in
Yulee, Florida, and Kimacho, a nine-year-old male, came
from the Houston Zoo. These additions to the
animal collection take the Jacksonville Zoo to a new level
among zoos nationwide. “All
Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ 21 okapi holders must
have appropriate facilities and demonstrate a commitment
to okapi conservation,” said Delfi Messinger, director
of animal programs for the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
“Their numbers in the wild are precarious, so we
want to help protect them.” Discovered in 1901, the okapi is a most unusual yet beautiful animal. Although at first glance they look like they might be in the zebra family, they are in fact the only living relative of the giraffe. But the okapi’s head is the only part of this animal that resembles a giraffe. It has a long nose and a tongue that’s 14 to 18” in length -- long enough to lick their eyelids. They are 6 to 7 feet in height and weigh approximately 500 to 700 pounds. Their chocolate-brown coat feels like velvet to the touch, while the white stripes on their hindquarters and front legs, provide excellent camouflage in the tropical rainforests of the Congo region of Africa. Their average life span in the wild is unknown, but in captivity it is 20 to 30 years. The
acquisition is also an important milestone in the Zoo’s
conservation efforts. The International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) ascribes habitat loss as a
major threat to the continued survival of okapi in their
natural environment. This loss is brought about by
the clearing of the forests for agriculture and
infrastructure development for human settlements, as well
as hunting. Through a partnership with White
Oak Conservation Center, Jacksonville Zoo now has the
opportunity to contribute to the Okapi Breeding and
Research Station, near the village of Epulu in the
Democratic Republic of Congo. Here, the conservation
partners work with the Congolese Institution for the
Conservation of Nature (ICCN) to provide a reservoir for
new genetic stock into the captive okapi population as
well as creating alternative strategies for economic
development to the local community. The
Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens Bring your still and video cameras as it also is a great place for pictures and videos to remember for a lifetime!
Take friends or a business client and their family for a laid back and educational day at the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens!
Click Jaguar Training Camp Button Above.
"Harry" and Neighbor Asian
Now Open
Have you been to Your Zoo Lately?
Baby
stingray with mother
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