>> BRIDGETT: LOCAL ZOOS ARE A GREAT OPTION FOR ACTIVITIES WITH THE KIDS. BUT MANY DON’T
REALIZE THAT IT ALL TAKES A
WHOLE LOT TO OPERATE. MAINTAIN
A ZOO. THE CENTRAL FLORIDA ZOO
AND GARDENS HAS HAD MAJOR
CHANGES OVER THE PAST DECADE
AND IS CONTINUING TO UPGRADE
THE FACILITIES FOR ITS
ANIMALS. BUT TO DO THAT, THEY
RELY ON YOUR VISIT. SEND YOUR
FUND-RAISERS NEWS. 6 INSIDER
GUIDE. CRYSTAL MOYER IS HERE
NOW WITH THE CHANGES YOU CAN
EXPECT AND HOW YOU CAN HELP
THE ZOO RAISE MONEY.
>> YES, ONE OF THE ZOO’S
BIGGEST FUNDRAISERS IS COMING
UP IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS BRUISE
AROUND THE ZOO. IT’S AN
ADULT-ONLY EVENT FOR THOSE 21
AND UP AND GIVES YOU AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE ANIMALS
AT NIGHT. IT’S REALLY COOL TO
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
EXPERIENCE. I SPOKE WITH THE
ZOO DIRECTOR TO SEE WHAT TYPES
OF UPGRADES ARE IN THE WORKS.
>> WALKING INTO THE CENTRAL
FLORIDA ZOO AND BOTANICAL
GARDENS. YOU’LL NOTICE
SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THE
COTTON TOP TAMARINS ARE RIGHT
AT THE ENTRANCE. IT’S A
TEMPORARY HOME. WHILE THE SUIT
WAS WORKING ON RENOVATING
THEIR PERMANENT SPACE.
>> WE’RE BUILDING A LARGER
HABITAT FOR THEM. WHY I’M IT
WAS TIME FOR AN UPGRADE. BUT
WHILE WE ARE UPGRADING THEIR
HABITAT, WE WANTED TO WE
WANTED TO MAKE IT A LOT BIGGER
FOR THEM GIVEN MORE SPACE. I’M
WE WANTED TO ADD IN SOME
ELEMENTS FOR BEHIND THE SCENES
IN TERMS OF I’M IF IT’S SUPER
COLD OUT OR IF IT’S REALLY HOT
OUT, THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO
GET OUT OF THAT. THAT ELEMENT
TO DIRECTOR STEPHANIE WILLIAMS
HAS BEEN WITH THE ZOO FOR
ABOUT 20 YEARS. THERE’S BEEN
QUITE A FEW CHANGES IN THE
PAST COUPLE DECADES.
>> INCLUDING THE ADDITION OF
THE CHILDREN SPLASH ZONE AS
WELL AS UPGRADES TO ANIMAL
HABITATS. BUT THERE’S MORE TO
COME.
>> THESE 4 BLOCKS HERE
EVENTUALLY WILL BE REPLACED
WITH A RECYCLED MATERIAL. AND
WE’RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO
START USING THOSE. I’M INSTEAD
THE LUMBER THAT YOU’RE SEEING
NOW.
>> WILLIAMS SAYS THE WEATHER
CAUSES THE WHAT THEY COME UP
IN THE NEW BOARDWALK WILL MAKE
THE ROUTE MORE SMOOTH AND
ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL VISITORS.
OR LEOPARDS ARE ALSO GETTING
SOME UPGRADES TO THEIR HOME
AND THEY ARE PART OF THE
SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN. THERE’S
VERY FEW LEFT IN THE WILD. THE
PLAN IS TO EXTEND THE BACK OF
THEIR HABITAT WITH A LARGER
SPACE AND ADDITIONS TO HELP
THE ENDANGERED SPECIES. RIGHT
NOW WE HAVE OUR MAIL IN HERE
AND WE’D LIKE TO EXPAND THE
BACK AREA.
>> AND SO THAT ALL BE ABLE
THEN WE’LL BE ABLE TO BRING
THAT FEMALE A PR AND BE ABLE
TO PUT THEM TOGETHER FOR
BREEDING. HOPEFULLY HAVE
OFFSPRING TO HELP THE SPECIES,
BUT IT ALL TAKES MONEY AND
TIME CONSTANTLY MAKING CHANGES
WHILE KEEPING THE ZOO OPEN FOR
PATRONS AND EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMS. KEEP IN MIND TOO
BUSY WITH THE NONPROFIT
DEPENDING ON TICKET SALES AND
FUNDRAISERS TO PAY FOR
MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES TO
SOME CAN RANGE FROM 100,000
SOUND LIKE THE LEOPARD CAN BE
OVER 40500,000.
>> I’M SOME CAN GET INTO THE
MILLIONS. IT JUST DEPENDS ON
THE SIZE OF THE HABITAT. AND
I’M WHAT SCOPE OF THAT PROJECT
IS ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST
FUNDRAISERS AS THE BIRDS AT
THE ZOO EVENT HELD THE SECOND
SATURDAY IN APRIL EVERY YEAR.
THE EVENT IS FOR ADULTS. ONLY
YOU CAN COME AND ENJOY A CRAFT
BEER. WE HAVE DIFFERENT
STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE ZOO.
PLUS WIND SELTZER BE ABLE TO
PURCHASE FOOD.
>> WE’RE GOING TO HAVE LIVE
MUSIC. YOU’LL BE ABLE TO SEE
SOME OF THE ANIMALS OUT. JUST
A FUN TIME.
>> SOUNDS LIKE A FUN TIME.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE RIGHT NOW
FOR THE BRUISE AROUND THE ZOO
EVENT. IT IS A 21 AND UP OF
IT, YOU HAVE TO BE THAT AGE
AND OLDER TO ATTEND. BUT I
HAVE 2 PAIRS OF TICKETS FOR
THE EVENT TO GIVE AWAY. AND I
DIDN’T FORGET TO FAMILIES AS
WELL. I ALSO HAVE A FAMILY
FOUR-PACK GENERAL ADMISSION TO
SO YOU CAN CHECK OUT ALL OF
THE CHANGES BEING MADE. YOU
CAN ENTER FOR BOTH OF THOSE
CONTESTS AT CLICK, ORLANDO DOT
COM SLASH INSIDER. AND OF
COURSE, WE WANT YOU TO SIGN UP
FOR OUR NEWS LETTER SO THAT
YOU CAN GET TO KNOW ABOUT
THESE GIVEAWAYS BEFOREHAND.
LADIES.
>> BRIDGETT: I JUST LOVE HOW
THIS ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING
HAPPENING. YEAR-ROUND CRYSTAL,
THERE’S SOMETHING FOR
EVERYONE. YES.
>> AND WHAT WAS REALLY
INTERESTING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
THIS FUNDRAISER, THEY’RE
RAISING A LOT OF MONEY TO TRY
TO CHANGE ALL OF THE, YOU
KNOW, BOARDWALKS BECAUSE RIGHT
NOW THEIR WOODEN PLANKS AND,
YOU KNOW, WITH THE RAIN AND
YOU KNOW THE WEATHER, IT COULD
MAKE THEM ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE
IN A WHEELCHAIR. IF YOU HAVE,
YOU KNOW, KIDS A STROLLER,
IT’S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO
WALK ON. SO THEY WANT TO MAKE
IT ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.
THEY HAVE RECYCLABLE MATERIAL
THAT THEY’RE PUTTING DOWN SOME
OF ITS ALREADY DOWN THERE.
THEY’RE RAISING MONEY FOR
MORE. SO IS GOING MAKE IT
EASIER FOR EVERYONE TO WALK
AROUND THE ZOO. AND IT STILL
LOOKS LIKE WOOD, TOO, WHICH IS
GREAT. YEAH.
>> JULIE: I JUST CAN’T IMAGINE
WHAT IT’S LIKE TO GO TO THE
ZOO WITHOUT CHILDREN AT AND SO