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| Photo: Brevard Zoo |
Melbourne, Florida, USA—Brevard Zoo received a 2011 Significant Achievement Award for its Paws On exhibit at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) annual conference September 16 in Atlanta, Georgia. This award recognizes excellence in the area of live animal display and exhibit design by an AZA Institution (US or International) or Related Facility member. This is the first exhibit award for Brevard Zoo.
“Brevard Zoo is creating leading edge zoological exhibits,” said AZA president and CEO Jim Maddy. “This award recognizes Brevard Zoo’s innovation and dedication to the best in animal care and public education.”
The Paws On project was designed by zoo staff working with several local firms including Susan Hall Landscape Architecture, Inc., CAG Architects, Construction Engineering Group, Encore Creations, and Indian River Concepts. Out of state firms included TJP Engineering and Hannah Jennings Design.
Paws On was one of the first exhibits completed when the zoo opened in 1994. Thirteen years later, the exhibit was in need of a renovation. The vision was to encourage families to get outside and discover the many natural wonders offered in Brevard County. The $2.5 million project received funding from major contributors including Harris Corporation, the Tourist Development Council, and St. Johns River Water Management District, as well as many individual donors through a capital campaign led by campaign co-chairs Jim and Jonnie Swann and Mike and Mary Louise Coleman.
According to Keith Winsten, Brevard Zoo executive director, “This award is an incredible validation of the zoo’s commitment to innovative and effective exhibit design and of the support we get from throughout the community. According to our research, we are the smallest institution to ever receive this award and one of just a handful that have achieved this success without using professional zoo architects. We relied heavily on the design talent found in Brevard County.”
Paws On reopened in February 2009 featuring four main sections:
- Indian River Play Lagoon – Families can splash around in a play lagoon right alongside a 20,000 gallon aquarium that features animals found in the Indian River Lagoon. The aquarium houses a variety of plants, fish, and other sea creatures such as snook, red fish, trout, and sting ray.
- Upland Acre – Children can get physical building their own animal homes near the Gopher Tortoise Inn, where they can climb on top to the scrub jay nest, check out the puppet theatre, paint faces, and use the rope climber.
- Seaside Cove and Sea Turtle Beach – On the beach, children can step on a kid-size shrimp boat and go hook-less fishing, slide down the right whale, discover sea turtle tracks, and pretend to be a nesting sea turtle.
- Paws On Petting Zone – Families can enjoy the new contact yard, featuring a brand new barn, three paddocks, and animals such as armadillos, pygmy goats, emu, and alpacas.
Wildlife Detective Training Academy
This 1,800 square foot, indoor play space opened in August 2007 and allows children to practice caring for plush patients in a pretend vet lab and solve animal mysteries involving real animal artifacts. In addition, there are about 40 animals on exhibit including mammals, snakes, lizards, tortoises, amphibians, and invertebrates.
A 2009-2010 study by the University of Florida School of Forest Resources and Conservation documented the positive effects this exhibit has on children and their connections to nature.
Brevard Zoo is home to more than 550 animals representing over 165 species from Florida, Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The zoo features many extraordinary animal experiences including giraffe and lorikeet feedings, kayak and paddle boating tours, and a train ride. Brevard Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is a non-profit 501c3 organization.