Dear Zoo Friends,
W hen Brevard Zoo opened 24 years ago, just two areas were open to explore:
Paws On and La Selva. Wild Florida followed soon after and Australasia opened
its gates for the first time in 1996. In 2003, Expedition Africa completed the core
sections of the Zoo. Since then, we have added some smaller areas like the
Restore Our Shores kiosk, Caribbean Trail and now the Celebration Garden, and
we have hosted numerous temporary exhibits, too. But the basic footprint of the
Zoo has remained the same.
I’m often asked if that’s because we lack the space
The Zoo will be more
to expand. That’s true for parking, but not for why
we don’t add additional major loops. Over the last 10 fun, more caring and
more educational
years, we have tried to get better and not bigger. Our
commitment is to making our current loops better
than ever before.
for our animals, more exciting for our guests and
more sustainable for future generations. We completely upgraded Paws On in 2009,
improved Expedition Africa in 2015 and gave Australasia (now Lands of Change:
Australia and Beyond) a radical makeover in 2017.
Why the hesitancy to expand? Because we are committed to remaining a high-quality,
half-day experience. This makes the Zoo affordable for local residents and a great relief
to tourists used to paying top dollar and committing a full day to many central Florida
attractions. Our surveys tell us guests spend an average of four hours here; this gives
them time to visit the beach, take a nap or grab a drink on the water while having a
leisurely day. There are plenty of visitors (especially from other countries) who spend all
day here, but we don’t want that to be a requirement for seeing the whole Zoo.
So next up is the La Selva loop, which will be completely reimagined as an immersive
experience that takes our residents and guests from the top of the trees down to the
bottom of a tropical river. Work has already begun on some of the first improvements
and major construction should start later this year. And when we are done, the Zoo will
be more fun, more caring and more educational than ever before.
See you at the Zoo!
Keith Winsten, Executive Director
Thank you to our Corporate Partners
ECZS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Cole Oliver - President
Clayton Archey
Heather McDonough
Leasha Flammio-Watson
Jessica Assam
Scott Miller
Elaina Garvin
Jackie Barker
William W. Moore
Toni George
Adam Bird
Taylor Pancake
Beth Gitlin
Laura Bomalaski
Lew Schwartz
Dana Kilborne
Kim Brown
Natasha Cartagena Spencer
Joseph Klein
Michael Cerow
Barbara Wall Scanlon
Michelle Masline
Darlene Evans-Borinski
Cathy Wood
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Keith Winsten - Executive Director
Jon Brangan - Deputy Director
Frank Fieseler - Chief Operating/Financial Officer
Andrew Batten - Director of Risk Management
Sharon Connelly - Director of Operations
Karen Davis - Director of Development
Chris DeLorey - Director of Education
Andrea Hill - Director of Marketing & Communications
Christopher Martin - Director of Human Resources
Kathleen Nichols - Director of Volunteer Programs
Jody Palmer - Director of Conservation Programs
Cheri Purnell - Director of Membership & First Impressions
Nancy Wright - Director of Adventure Services
Michelle Smurl - Director of Animal Programs
Dan Wright - Director of Facilities
Trevor Zachariah, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACZM
- Director of Veterinary Programs
How to reach us:
321-254-9453
General Zoo Information ......................ext. 489
Membership ...............................................ext. 239
Education ...................................................ext. 219
Volunteer Opportunities ........................ext. 440
8225 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne, FL 32940
BrevardZoo.org
Wildlife Conservation through
Education and Participation
As a 501(c)3 not-for-profit we are supported
solely on gate/operations—membership,
admissions, activities, food and gift sales, and
special events—as well as private donations.
Your patronage directly enables us to meet
our mission of conservation, education and
animal wellness while connecting hundreds of
thousands of people with wildlife every year.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHELLE SMURL. SELECT
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BREVARD ZOO STAFF AND
VOLUNTEERS, CHUCK PALMER, GORILLA REHABILITATION
AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION CENTER (GRACE),
HUTAN AND LOCAL OCEAN TRUST
2
Printed on 100% Recycled Paper