Perdido Key Beach Mice
T he year started out strong for our beach mice with all six
breeding pairs producing offspring. Twenty-eight pups have been
born so far, with some pairs still reproducing! In June, we joined
our conservation partners in Perdido Key to collect wild mice
to introduce new genes to the program. Ten individuals were
brought back to the Zoo where they will stay until genetic analysis
is completed and new breeding recommendations are received.
We currently house 52 endangered beach mice. An old Zoo
building, renamed the
Three will soon make
“Mouse House,” was recently
renovated to accommodate
their way to Smithsonian’s
this growing population.
National Zoo in
According to the recovery
Washington, DC, to be
plan drafted by the United
touted as a conservation
States Fish and Wildlife
success story.
Service (USFWS), outreach is an important
component of long-term beach mouse
survival. Our education department has ramped up its efforts and is doing
more beach mouse programming than ever before.
Individuals that are no longer part of the breeding program often become
animal ambassadors. Four are on display in our Wildlife Detective Training
Academy, and three will soon make their way to Smithsonian’s National Zoo
in Washington, DC, to be touted as a conservation success story.
N ow in its fourth year, Women of the Wild (WOW) continues to inspire,
challenge and motivate its growing member base to ensure conservation
remains a cornerstone of our community. WOW is helping people make
better choices by “using this, not that” in situations that could
be harmful to our environment. Examples include metal straws
instead of single-use plastic straws, reusable containers in place of
Styrofoam carryout boxes and cloth totes rather than plastic bags.
We even introduced a Sustainability Survival Kit that makes eating
out a truly eco-friendly experience!
For an annual donation of $100, you can join this extraordinary
group of women and help us be a force for positive change. As
a member, you’ll receive invitations to conservation-themed
networking events and a beautiful bracelet signifying your
commitment to this ever-growing organization. For more
information, visit brevardzoo.org/wow or contact program
coordinator Wendy Barnes at 321-254-9453, ext. 285 .
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