Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo Expands and Welcomes New Family Members

Lions, tigers, and… more tigers! As you may have seen on a new billboard on Ala. 59, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is moving to a new home in 2011, and in honor of this the Marcan Tiger Preserve has donated a rare pair of Bengal tiger cubs to the zoo. This donation will make the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo the only zoo in the country that is home to all four color variations of the species.

Aside from the new additions to the family, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo will be relocating to higher ground just east of Ala. 59 to a 25-acre lot donated by Clyde Weir and his daughter Andrea Weir Franklin.

Because the zoo is currently located in a low-lying area,  it has experienced severe flood damage and several evacuations due to hurricanes. After Hurricane Ivan, the zoo received major publicity when it was featured on the Animal Planet series The Little Zoo That Could. This documentary not only told the story of the zoo and its three evacuations during an 11-month period, but also boosted its attendance to over 100,000 visitors annually.

Now, with its increase in publicity and donations, including the generous plot of land by Weir and Franklin, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo will be located further inland, at a higher elevation level. The new property is two miles north of the Intercoastal Waterway Bridge, off Highway 59 on County Road 6 in Gulf Shores.

The new plans for this gulf coast attraction are designed to allow guests to get as close to the animals as possible. Among the new buildings being planned, including an aviary, reptile house, pavilion for animal shows, and an education building, the zoo will also feature a building specifically designed for human-animal interaction. Along with the new buildings, two lakes will feature an island for monkeys and one for South American penguins, as well as an area for North American animals.

As for that new Bengal exhibit, well designers have created a special way to view these lively creatures  – from underwater! Because the tigers enjoy diving and playing in the water, a special tank was designed that will connect the pens, allowing an underwater view of the tigers at play.

The zoo will also feature a 6,500-square-foot storm shelter. This shelter will be used to house animals when they are unable to be in the general park, as well as act as a dorm for zookeepers and summer interns. And for those who are looking for a unique wedding idea, the zoo will also offer a pavilion for just such an occasion.

With the expansion of the zoo, you too can help and be a part of history with the Zoo Legacy Paver Program, a part of the Higher Ground Zoo Move Campaign. For a limited time, a donation of $150 will allow you to purchase a brick paver with your, or your loved one’s, name laser engraved on it. 100% of the purchase price will go towards new construction and relocation of the zoo. Pavers will be prominently positioned for all to see when they visit the zoo. Not only do the Legacy Pavers help the zoo, but they also make a wonderful gift or memorial.

With the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo currently featuring a wide variety of mammals, reptiles, and birds, and offering educational programs, live-animal theatre and zoo camps, its convenient location near many wonderful Gulf Shores vacation rentals and hotels makes this a Gulf Shores attraction you simply don’t want to miss.

For more information on the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, or the Legacy Paver Program, visit www.alabamagulfcoastzoo.org, or call 251-968-5732.

Rescue Operations in Full Swing for Sea Turtles

From the loveable Disney characters to those of the Teenage Mutant Ninja variety, turtles have always seemed to capture the hearts of young and old alike. Maybe it’s the adorable tiny hatchlings, or the intricate details of their shells, but there just seems to be something about turtles that makes us fall in love and want to protect them. And with the oil spill invading the waters and beaches these endangered species reside in, now is when they need our protection the most.

Alabama’s Gulf Coast is home to three varieties of sea turtles: Green, Kemp’s Ridley and Loggerhead, whose nesting season runs May 1 – October 31. And while the oil spill has caused much concern for the sea turtles living in the Gulf, organizations and volunteers are doing their part to rescue as many nests and turtles as possible, and transfer them to safer grounds and waters.

In an effort to save these precious animals, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service is coordinating efforts to collect around 800 nests, containing about 70,000 eggs throughout the Florida Panhandle and Alabama Gulf Coast. The task of excavating the sea turtle nests, mainly the Loggerheads that inhabit Alabama’s Gulf Coast, is no simple task, as workers must work slowly and deliberately, so as not to crack the egg or jostle the embryo inside. Once the eggs have been removed, they will be placed inside a specially designed container, similar to a Styrofoam cooler, along with sand and moisture, and transported to a temperature-controlled warehouse at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. Once the hatchlings emerge, they will be moved to Florida’s east coast, where they can swim off into the oil-free Atlantic Ocean.

But workers aren’t just stopping with nests. There is also a major effort to save sea turtles that are already swimming in the Gulf waters. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Unified Area Command is building a sea turtle observer program for all on-water oil clean up operations. The command’s Wildlife Branch is in the process of determining where, when and how the observers can reduce the risks to sea turtles during oil containment and clean-up activities. While the Wildlife Branch has a team of observers already focused on burn and skimmer fleet operations, they plan to begin training additional observers immediately.

Another wonderful program that is doing more than its part to save the sea turtles is the “Share the Beach” Sea Turtle Volunteer Program. Volunteers take turns patrolling the beaches in search of nests, nest-sitting late at night, and relocating the nests to higher ground. While tire tracks have posed a problem in spotting crawls – unique patterns left in the sand by turtles either crawling to or from the ocean – the volunteers have been studying areas on the beach where sand could have been thrown over them. And their efforts have not been in vain. On June 13^th , a nest containing 128 eggs was discovered; on June 27^th a nest containing 114 eggs was found; and on June 28^th a nest was found with 122 eggs. The best part? All eggs were relocated to safer areas of the beach.

So while are uncertain times for us all on the Gulf Coast, including our beloved sea turtles, rest assured that efforts are, in fact being made across the board to rescue and save these precious animals. With the hard work of various organizations and volunteers, the sea turtles have a much better chance at making it through this crisis. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit www.alabamaseaturtles.com to learn more about how you can help.

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