Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa Inc

ZooTampa at Lowry Park features 63 acres of lush, natural habitats comprising Florida, Asia, Primates, Australia, and Africa. As a nonprofit cultural organization committed to conservation, the focus is on animals from Florida, such as manatees and Florida panthers, and animals from Florida-like climates, such as elephants and orangutans. ZooTampa houses over 900 animals in naturalistic outdoor habitats year-round. The organization helps to ensure conservation goals and objectives as well as the sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse, and demographically varied population of numerous species. (Continued on Schedule O) ZooTampa has contributed to the propagation of species, in conjunction with AZA species survival plans, to help save numerous species from extinction and participate in species conservation efforts locally, nationally, and internationally. ZooTampa manages a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital that is part of its larger medical campus that includes a nutrition center and animal care annex. It is the only zoological or aquarium facility in the nation that is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). ZooTampa is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and licensed to operate by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The Zoo is dedicated to serving as an educational resource for the community, and to providing an exciting, nature-based entertainment destination for families, schools, and organizations. Up-close experiences with living animals at the zoo teach the value of the living world firsthand. ZooTampa is proud to list the following accomplishments in fiscal year 2025:Zoological Operations - ZooTampa at Lowry Park continues to provide leadership aimed at saving manatees: The manatee care and veterinary team at the David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Hospital received 27 manatees for rehabilitation, of which 25 were released back into the Florida waters; 4 manatees were transferred to other facilities after ZooTampa provided the critical care needed and are now awaiting the State of Florida to determine release dates. - ZooTampa received the FAZA FWC Collaborative Conservation Award for our Manatee Critical Care program at the FWC Commission Meeting. This award from the Florida Association of Zoos and Aquariums (FAZA) recognizes excellence in field conservation efforts that benefit Florida species. - Notable births: Bali Mynah (3), Coconut Lorikeet (9), Eastern Bongo (3), Horseshoe crab (7), Bay duiker (1), Impala (2), Komodo (2), Roseate Spoonbill (4), Marabou Stork (1), Masked Lapwing (1) Siamang (1) - Notable acquisitions: Abdim Stork (1), African pygmy goose (2), African wild dog (1), Cownose Ray (13), Crested wood partridge (1), Emu (1), Four-toed hedgehog (1), Hamerkop (1), Inca Tern (2), Nicobar pigeon (1), Panamanian Golden frog (3), Puerto Rican Crested toad (2), Southern Tamandua (1), Striped Newt (14), Viginia opossum (1), Wattled Crane (1) Yellow-backed duiker (1) - Number of animals at the zoo during fiscal year 2025 = 824 Conservation & Education - Partnerships with external conservation projects, including Association of Zoos and Aquariums- Saving Animals from Extinction Program, AZA's Wildlife Trafficking Alliance, International Rhino Foundation, International Elephant Foundation, Elephant Human Relations Aid, Tampa Bay Estuary, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Florida Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Audubon Florida, Okapi Conservation Project, Coastal Plains Institute Striped Newt, Puerto Rican Crested Toad Conservancy, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUNC), South African Conservation Foundation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Hospital, Conservation Center for Species Survival, World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Conservation Centers for Species Survival, Orianne Society, Ecosphere Restoration Institute, Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, f-stop Foundation, Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership, Bornean Orangutan Survival Foundation, Save Giraffes Now, Macaw Recovery Network, and Turtle Survival Alliance. - In partnership with the Tampa Bay Estuary, ZooTampa created an interactive educational exhibit to inspire actional solutions for preventing marine pollution across all ages. Over 52K guests participated in interactive watershed activities and games. - Implemented numerous educational initiatives to communicate our mission through Zoo School, mission-related content, diversity, equity, inclusion, and access and pathways through the nature outreach program. - In partnership with the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County, ZooTampa participated in the iSPY Tampa Bay Community Access program, reaching thousands of caregivers, teachers, and students in Hillsborough County. - Provided 8,000 community access tickets disseminated to under-resourced program partners in Tampa Bay. - Worked with MacDonald Training Center Project SEARCH program, a 9-month mentorship program for people transitioning from day programs to work. All nine interns graduated and are employed in the community. -ZooTampa believes in the power of education, 1,081,000 guests explored interactive educational experiences while at the Zoo through Toddler Tuesday, Wildlife Connections, Expedition Wild Africa, Conservation Stations, and Signature Experiences. - Worked with Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine on the accuracy of three portable d-dimer analyzers in African elephants. - In partnership with UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, we participated in investigating the impact of herd dynamics on EEHV immune status in North American Elephants. - Participated in over 50 research projects with various student partners on understanding how learning impacts action to care for wildlife. - In partnership with USF, Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, we created early morning sensory-friendly hours and resources. - Expanded partnerships with USF Early Learning and Program Wide Positive Behavior Supports, Eckerd College-Behavior Research, Tampa General Hospital, Florida Southern Research Program. - In partnership with the Hillsborough County School District, ZooTampa participated in STEM Family Nights and Sea Stars and STEM Cafe, both career mentoring programs for girls interested in STEM. - In partnership with the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County, we provided Nature in the Classroom training in English and Spanish, reaching 300 VPK pre-school learners,45 teachers and 19 schools in Hillsborough County have access to nature-based teacher training, onsite school coaching, and materials for classroom use. ZooTampa launched the Nature Nurtures Program for four Title 1 Schools. This initiative was designed to deliver wildlife experiences to 3rd through 5th graders in Hillsborough County schools that will inspire students' empathy and respect for the natural world and each other. 1,222 students participated. -In partnership with Borneo Orangutan Foundation, ZooTampa sent two team members to Indonesia to work alongside BOS to support operant conditioning training, habitat restoration, and trail camera release monitoring for orangutans. Additional local, national, and global involvement and achievements: - All seasons of NatGeo Wild's Secrets of the Zoo: Tampa continue to air internationally and are available to US audiences via multiple streaming services. - The Zoo's David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center was once again awarded USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Award for Best Zoo Exhibit. - For the 14th time, the Zoo received the Trip Advisor Travelers' Choice Award, ranking ZooTampa among the top 10% of attractions worldwide.