Brevard Zoo

Brevard Zoo

Brevard Zoo Monument Sign at Entrance
Date opened	March 1994 [1]
Location	8225 North Wickham Road Melbourne, Florida, USA
Coordinates	28°13′30″N 80°42′50″W / 28.225089°N 80.713978°W / 28.225089; -80.713978Coordinates: 28°13′30″N 80°42′50″W / 28.225089°N 80.713978°W / 28.225089; -80.713978
Land area	50 acres (20.2 ha)
Number of animals	550
Number of species	165
Memberships	AZA[2]
Website	www.brevardzoo.org

Brevard Zoo is a 75 acres (30 ha) facility located in Melbourne, Florida, United States that is home to more than 650 animals representing more than 165 species located in Florida, South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. The Zoo features many extraordinary animal experiences including giraffe and lorikeet feedings, African kayak tours, paddle boats in the wetlands and a train ride. Brevard Zoo is a not-for-profit organization accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The zoo is divided into four loops. They are: Expedition Africa, Australia/Asia, Wild Florida and La Selva. These loops are accessed off of the main loop that encircles the Flamingo Pond.

History

In 1986 the East Coast Zoological Society of Florida, Inc. (ECZS) formed, one of their goals was to build a zoo for Brevard County. In 1992 building of the zoo began, over 16,000 people came together to help build the zoo. The Brevard Zoo claims to have had "The World's Largest Volunteer Community Build." The Brevard Zoo celebrated its grand opening on March 26, 1994.^[3]

In 2006 the zoo erected an exhibit with animatronics of dinosaurs including: Dilophosaurus, Omeisaurus, Deinonychus, Megalosaurus, Euoplocephalus, Spinosaurus, Tyrannosaurus, and Pachycephalosaurus. It remained open from February to May.^{[citation needed]}

A record 328,973 visitors attended in 2007. This included 175,046 paid daily guests. The others included reciprocal members of other zoos, and annual members.^[4] The zoo has an annual budget of $5 million most of which is earned and not raised through fundraising or grants.^[5]

In October 2012, one of the southern white rhinos from this zoo was transferred to Alabama's Birmingham Zoo to take part in a breeding program with its two female southern white rhinos. ^[6]

Park areas

Wildlife Detective Training Academy

The Wildlife Detective Training Academy, or WDTA, is a building focused specifically towards younger children and features terrariums containing many of the zoo's reptiles, amphibians, arthropods, and at least one mammal, a naked mole rat. It also features interactive activities, such as a sand pit, where children can dig up bones from an animal "crime scene", and an animal hospital where children can learn about animal anatomy and veterinary science. The WDTA also features a new mystery every month in which children can investigate and find clues throughout the zoo. The building is located to the right of the main entrance in a separate building. After Paws On reopened in 2009, visitors now have to go through Paws On to enter the WDTA.

Expedition Africa

Expedition Africa offers kayaking on the grounds of the zoo. Trained staff lead the kayak trips and provide informative dialogue during a slow glide past African-themed exhibits. These exhibits include: giraffes, a blue crane, white rhinos, and ostriches. After kayaking, visitors can climb up to an observation platform where the giraffes feed at eye-level. Siamang gibbons are located in-between the entrances to the Africa and Australia/Asia Loops. Cheetahs were added in February 2010. Meerkats will be added in 2014.^{[citation needed]}

Cape to Cairo Express

The Cape to Cairo Express is a train ride centered around Lemur Island, an island that houses the zoo's lemurs. Along the way visitors can also see dromedaries,^[7] Ostriches and Scimitar Oryxes. The train was relocated from the now defunct Boblo Island amusement park in Canada.^{[citation needed]}

Australia/Asia

As its name implies, this loop features animal's from Australia and Oceania. Visitors can find animals such as the red kangaroo, emu, and wallaby .^[8] Australia/Asia also hosts the free-flight aviary where visitors have the option of feeding rainbow lorikeets. The aviary is home to: galahs, lorikeets, cockatiels, kookaburras, shelducks, roseate spoonbills, among others. It is divided into three sections - the "bat side" with fruit bats, the main exhibit with the lorikeets, and the turaco side with several species of turacos. The turaco side of the aviary is also where the butterfly exhibit is put up during its brief stay at the zoo of about six weeks each year. Siamang gibbons are located in-between the entrances to the Africa and Australia/Asia Loops. Visayan Warty Pigs were introduced to the zoo in June 2008, and replaced the dingo exhibit.^{[citation needed]}

Wild Florida

River otters, alligators, crocodiles, and bobcats are just some of the animals on exhibit. This loop also contains a pack of the nearly extinct Red Wolf. Feeding is demonstrated in this loop. There is an area to pedal boat into a wetland environment.

La Selva

La Selva houses the zoo's jaguars and the zoo's cotton-top tamarins and golden-headed lion tamarins. This loop also feature's Green Iguanas, a Baird's tapir a family of capybara and a Hoffmann's two-toed sloth. In March 2007, a newly constructed vulture exhibit opened, which houses King Vultures, Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures. Vulture feedings and demonstrations are offered to visitors much the same way they are conducted within the Wild Florida loop. In September 2013, Brevard Zoo will introduce a blue iguana exhibit.

Paws On

Paws On once provided a place for children to play in a playground, and a petting zoo for children to explore. The Contact Yard (petting zoo) had goats, chickens, a fallow deer, and a miniature horse and miniature donkey. It was closed for renovations in 2007. It reopened in April 2009 and now contains an updated Contact Yard, a shallow swimming area, an aquarium mimicking the underwater environment of the nearby Indian River Lagoon with animals such as Tarpon, stingrays and black drums; a touch tank with horseshoe crabs, hermit crabs and florida crown conchs; a pizzeria, and various other attractions aimed towards children of all ages. Attractions from the old Paws On that were kept include the Soil Cube and the Whale Slide. The Contact Yard now houses Alpacas, Pygmy goats, an African Spurred Tortoise, a Black-throated monitor, and Armadillos. Other animals that can be found include a barred owl and a great horned owl, florida box turtle and gopher tortoises.

Operations

The zoo received 363,426 visitors in 2011, up 5% from the previous year.^[9] This represented the second highest number of visitors on record.^[9]

Gallery

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  Brevard Zoo Sign on Murrell Road

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  Alligators at the Wild Florida area

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  Visayan warty pig piglet in Australia/Asia.

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  White Rhinos in Expedition Africa

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  Giraffes in Expedition Africa

References

External links

• Media related to Brevard Zoo at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website