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Gulf Breeze Zoo rebounds from hurricane damage
"There's always something new going on." ~Doug Kemper, Zoo Executive Director
 | | Jaffar, the 5,000 Lb. Black Rhino, greets a visitor to the ZOO. He has been transferred to the ZOO for temporary quarters, and is on loan to the ZOO while he is awaiting the construction of his new housing facility at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, Kan. |
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The ZOO of Northwest Florida, formerly known as the The Zoo of Gulf Breeze, suffered some setbacks, but directors are still pushing forward to contribute positively to the community.
The ZOO, like much of the surrounding community, suffered financially with insurance reimbursement after the busy 2004- 2005 hurricane seasons. After sustaining an estimated $600,000 in damage, ZOO staff received a check for only $59,000 from its insurance company. The loss of its accreditation from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) was an unexpected blow, but the ZOO is now a proud member of the Zoological Association of America along with other prominent parks such as the San Diego Zoo and the Dallas World Aquarium.
AZA denied the renewal of the ZOO's accreditation citing a lack of potable water and insufficient animal escape drills, among other concerns. ZOO officials refute many of the charges like the potable water claim, saying the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the ZOO's water system for over a decade.
"We have some amazing people who work here to make this zoo stay in Northwest Florida," said Natalie Aiken, The ZOO's Director of Visitor Services.
Despite the challenges to the 50-acre facility, ZOO managers are quite proud of their progress.
"The ZOO currently provides over $6.5 million to our community through the trickledown effect and over 90 jobs to the Northwest Florida region," said ZOO Executive Director H. Doug Kemper, citing an economic impact study conducted by the Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development.
The ZOO has added new exhibits and seen the births and visits of many new animals. A huge population of alligators was added, along with Nile hippopotami, bats, coyotes, foxes, and red tail hawks. A baby camel, spider monkey and other spring births have added to the mix.
"There's always something new going on," Kemper said, adding that the Northwest Florida Kiwanis District sponsored a brand new kids park within the ZOO. Kemper said the children's area, located next to their train station, features a dinosaur dig, playground and a catfish feeding pond is scheduled to open very soon. The ZOO is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call 850-932-2229.
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