Southern Shorts

Safari Africa

Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, FL, has expanded its Safari Africa habitat area with a collection of new exhibits named after the Ituri Forest, a dense tropical rain forest in the northern part of the Congo River Basin. The new area adds 1.5 acres of animal exhibit space and several new African species for visitor viewing including cheetah, okapi, pygmy hippo, red river hogs and shoebill storks. 

Also new, the zoo has welcomed a colony of African penguins to a spacious new outdoor exhibit now under construction near the entrance to Safari Africa. 

In addition, the zoo has recently re-opened its Asian habitat area -- now called Asian Gardens -- after nine months of renovation. Asian Gardens is a lush forest with exotic animals, waterfalls, palm trees, bamboo, tropical plants and a new free-flight aviary themed around the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

For more information check out www.lowryparkzoo.com

$25 Million Expansion

Louisville Zoo is in the midst of a $25 million fund-raising effort to support new exhibits opening during the next five years. This year the zoo has opened the new “Glacier Run Splash Park.” A “Siberian Tiger Encounter” will open in 2008.

A 4.3-acre outdoor “Glacier Run” exhibit is slated for a 2009 opening. Also, “Glacier Sanctuary” will open in 2010 with arctic foxes, snowy owls and reindeer. Call 502-459-2181 or visit www.louisvillezoo.org. 

Vultures Anyone?

Do you know vultures? One can never miss those ghastly creatures when you're driving and they're out on the concrete looking for road kill. But now the Brevard Zoo, located within Florida's Space Coast in Melbourne, FL, brings them up close. 

A new exhibit in the zoo's La Selva loop features King, Black and Turkey vultures. Visitors enjoy interactive displays and daily animal demonstrations. Call 321-254-9453 or visit www.brevardzoo.org