Florida may be a wild place, but there are some universal truths: Cuban sandwiches, alligators in swimming pools, and a love for manatees. So it came as no surprise when thousands of guests of the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo opted to donate a portion of their zoo admission to support Florida’s favorite marine mammal.
The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo in Gainesville is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited gem of conservation, education, and animal care. By earning an AZA accreditation, the zoo is part of a network dedicated to protecting endangered species through collaborative breeding programs, habitat preservation, and public awareness campaigns.
The zoo encourages their guests to get involved in conservation efforts. Through their Quarters for Conservation program, guests are able to dedicate $0.50 of their admission fee to one of three conservation programs selected by zoo staff.
***Subjects Have Releases***
“Each year we pick three projects,” said Jade Woodling,Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo Conservation Education Curator. “We always have something local and an international project, but [the interest in] manatees skyrocketed this year.”
Upon entering the zoo, guests are given a symbolic token which they then place into a box labeled with the project they’d like to support. A member of zoo staff is present to answer questions about each project and how the work relates to conservation. This year guests have raised over $10,000 for our Foundation’s Marine Mammal Fund, which supports projects like manatee habitat restoration and rescued manatee rehabilitation. In prior years, the zoo also contributed to our Florida Grasshopper Sparrow Fund with a donation of over $5,000. Thanks to that donation and many others, we recently celebrated the release of the 1,000th conservation-bred Florida grasshopper sparrow.
(Photo by Matt Stamey/Santa Fe College)
***Subjects have Releases***
As a member of the AZA, Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo doesn’t only help the conservation of native Florida animals, like the endangered Perdido Key beach mouse, it’s also part of a larger network of collaborators protecting animals like the endangered tree kangaroo of Papua New Guinea and the Guam Rail. Their work directly aids global conservation initiatives while providing students with hands-on experience, cultivating the next generation of wildlife advocates.
If you’re interested in joining the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo in supporting Florida’s manatees, donate to our Marine Mammal Fund today.
